Our new collaboration supporting Women in the North West
Menopause is sometimes only half the story
For years, women have been told their symptoms are “just hormones” or “just stress.” The reality is often both.
That’s why Dr Lucy Mather, founder of Jaya Life, and counsellor Claire Dale of Holden Place Therapy have formed a trusted partnership to ensure women aged 40–60 don’t fall through the gaps between medical and emotional care.
Hormones Help, But They’re Not the Whole Picture
Dr Lucy specialises in evidence-based menopause treatment. HRT can be transformative: sleep improves, hot flushes ease, mood stabilises. But midlife rarely arrives on its own.
Many women are also navigating bereavement, anxiety, relationship strain, loss of confidence or unresolved trauma. When Lucy recognises that a patient needs space to work through those issues, she recommends counselling with Claire at Holden Place Therapy.
Equally, when Claire identifies that symptoms such as sleep disruption, mood instability or brain fog may be hormonally driven, she recommends patients see Dr Lucy for menopause assessment and support.
Both offer appointments online and in person.
It’s a simple model: the right expertise, at the right time, in the right place.
Understanding the Emotional Load of Midlife
Women in their forties and fifties are often supporting ageing parents while guiding adult children, reassessing careers and long relationships, all while experiencing significant hormonal change.
Claire’s work focuses on supporting women through:
Bereavement
Trauma and PTSD
Confidence loss and imposter syndrome
Body image changes
Anxiety during perimenopause
Together, the partnership ensures women are treated as whole people, not reduced to a single cause.
A Shared Safeguarding Strength
A defining feature of this collaboration is both women’s background in domestic abuse work.
Dr Lucy previously delivered domestic abuse training to GP practices across Manchester through the IRIS programme. In her role at Stockport Women’s Centre, Claire supports women rebuilding their lives after abusive relationships, including trauma recovery and confidence restoration.
This shared experience creates a strong safeguarding awareness, the confidence to recognise risk, ask sensitive questions and handle difficult conversations appropriately. For some women, that depth of understanding is critical.
Not Just for Individuals - But for Workplaces Too
Alongside personal support, together, Lucy and Claire are delivering joint Women’s Health and Wellbeing Workshops for employers - an increasingly urgent need as women aged 45–55 become one of the fastest-growing segments of the UK workforce. Within these sessions:
Dr Lucy covers:
Perimenopause and menopause education
Treatment options including HRT
Sleep, cognition and physical health
Claire focuses on:
Managing anxiety during hormonal change
Rebuilding confidence and tackling imposter syndrome
Identity shifts and thriving at work
For HR Directors, this offers a structured, holistic approach to menopause and mental health in the workplace. For employees, it provides reassurance that both biology and psychology are being acknowledged.
A More Joined-Up Approach
Lucy remains the menopause specialist. Claire remains the counsellor. Women are supported, not passed between services. Because midlife isn’t just hormonal. And it isn’t just emotional. It’s both.
For women across the North West and North Wales seeking support with menopause symptoms, grief, anxiety or confidence, and for organisations looking to better support their female workforce, this collaboration offers a joined-up solution.
