Women have struggled to get help with the menopause for decades but that’s about to change thanks to Huddersfield author Sarah Banks.

Lindley-based Sarah is launching The Menopause Positivity Planner, a unique coaching journal, designed to empower, support and educate women to improve their menopause symptoms, as well as encouraging them to embrace the menopause with optimism.

Sarah’s debut planner, The IVF Positivity Planner, was released in October 2019. Through her latest release, Sarah shines a spotlight on the impact menopausal symptoms have on women’s health and careers. She mixes the power of journaling with tried-and-tested coping strategies, expert coaching techniques and goal setting.

Sarah said: “Recent HRT shortages have created a wave of awareness around the menopause and while getting the right treatment can help you navigate the menopause, improving wider support for those experiencing symptoms is something I’m passionate about.

“I understand first-hand how women over a certain age can feel invisible and overlooked by a society driven by the ideal of youth and peppered with unrealistic expectations.

IVF can take its toll on emotions and mental health but with care and support it can have a happy ending

“We can be under a lot of pressure, both emotionally and time-wise, as we hold down jobs and manage our family and home lives.

“I’ve designed The Menopause Positivity Planner to remove the stigma surrounding the menopause and help women reprioritise themselves and their emotional wellbeing.

“Its purpose is to help them feel happy, in control and able to prioritise what is important to them in what can be a really exciting time of their life.

“Essentially, we need more support, both emotionally and physically. We need more support that informs us, empowers us and helps us to cope with unnerving changes.”

Until recently, many women helped maintain a silence around their experiences of the menopause but recent figures suggest the number of HRT prescriptions in the UK has doubled in the past five years, while companies are being held to account for neglecting to introduce workplace adjustments to support menopausal women.

Both books are self-published and available on Amazon and Etsy in paperback. They can also be found on The Positivity Planner Collection (positivityplanners.com).