This week's Coach in the Spotlight to mark World Menopause Day 2024 is Angela Standen. Angela specialises in coaching mid-life women who feel out of control or lost during this pivotal time, a time when they should be thriving in their lives, bodies and careers. Read on to find out about Angela's own personal journey towards coaching and how she is helping women embrace their mid-life transformations.
I have a special interest in all things menopause related so I am pleased to be sharing my own coaching journey with you on World Menopause Day 2024!
After a career in international tech event logistics, we moved as a family from London to Geneva then back to my home region of rural North Yorkshire. Having been interested in coaching for many years, I decided during lockdown that that’s where I really wanted to put my energy and skills.
In August 2022 I attended The Coaching Academy's free Introduction to Life Coaching webinar and I was captivated! I enrolled, immersing myself 100% into the course whilst doing as much reciprocal coaching as I could possibly fit in. I was very proud to complete the Personal Performance (Life Coaching) Diploma qualification with a distinction in just under a year. I loved every minute of it, I made some fantastic friends, their support was vital, and I was keen to get going with my niche whilst also enjoying watching my cohorts excel in their own niches and achieve some really impressive coaching careers.
The personal journey of breaking down my own limiting beliefs, growing a curious, non-judgemental mindset and developing my active listening skills was transformational and very rewarding it has taken me on my own journey of confidence and growth. I also benefited from the support of both the Coaching Academy Mentors, who are patient, helpful and insightful but also the incredible Coaching Academy Facebook Group where no question is too basic or too complex, this is the most extraordinary resource for all students.
I then went on to study all things ‘Menopause’ and the more I studied, the more I realised how many women struggle with a lack of understanding, support, education and access to treatment during a stage in life that every single person born with a womb will go through. I then completed the Mental Health First Aid England course to support my skill set and continue to keep up to date on all aspects of menopause treatment and support.
Now, as Angela Standen Coaching, I mainly work with mid-life women in their 40’s and 50’s who simply want to regain control of their lives and feel themselves again. My clients start with a ‘life audit’ of their wellbeing using the 5 pillars of peri/menopause - diet, sleep, exercise, stress, hormones/MHT. Once they have established where they feel they currently are in each of these critical areas, we work together through careful questioning, to establish where they would rather be, what flourishing in midlife menopause means to them. This leads us to clear, achievable goals.
Every woman’s experience of mid-life and menopause is unique and it is vital that I never make assumptions instead I empower my clients to discover their own strengths, potentials and way forward to thriving. I listen with empathy and a positive mindset and I ultimately aim to raise my client's awareness of themselves, their needs, their strengths, support and their “Why” so that they are set up for personal growth and success in regaining control of their lives.
My work is incredibly rewarding as I see my clients get stronger, happier and back to being themselves. The realisation that everything they are going through is normal and they are not alone can be incredibly empowering and helps to reduce some of the anxiety they are feeling. Support for midlife women has improved so much over the last few years but there are still so many women who are struggling to access what they need or to even know what they need or how basic lifestyle changes can help them. For me, one of the highlights of each coaching relationship is my pre-coaching questionnaire, I put so much thought into the questions I ask my clients, and their responses are often so thought provoking and insightful and really start the relationship in a great place of warm understanding.
World Menopause Day is held every year on 18th October. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the menopause and the support options available for improving health and well-being. Professionals and women are encouraged to participate in this global awareness raising campaign by printing and sharing materials, organising events to engage their communities, and sharing World Menopause Day social media posts.
On World Menopause Day 2023 I was thrilled to be interviewed on BBC radio, the focus of the day was on raising awareness of the Menopause and cardiovascular health by starting conversations and getting people talking, I received so much positive feedback following my interview and it has been busy ever since.
The World Menopause Day 2024 theme is all about MHT (Hormone Replacement Treatment) and the controversies around its prescribing, the IMS (International Menopause Society) has provided a blueprint for the public and healthcare professionals to manage menopause with MHT whist also highlighting the importance of holistic management through healthy eating, active lifestyle and alternative therapies like CBT if appropriate.
I am currently working on a Menopause Education Programme for men so that they are better equipped to support friends, family and colleagues by having a factual understanding on this stage in our lives. I have been working closely with men who have shared their questions, misunderstandings and worries, I am looking forward to delivering these sessions alongside extending my coaching reach particularly in my geographical area as I really enjoy working face to face with clients alongside the online platforms of Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
For those interested in coaching in the health & wellness arena, my 3 top insights would be:
Coaching has given me an incredibly rewarding and flexible career that fits in around my busy family life. I am working in a field that I am passionate about. If you are thinking about a career in coaching, I would highly recommend attending The Coaching Academy's free Introduction to Life Coaching webinar as it gives you a full understanding of the course and how you can use your new qualification and skills to create a flourishing career.
Thank you Angela for sharing your inspirational coaching journey and the work you are doing with us!
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