A Gentle Guide to Vagal Healing
I think so many of us are feeling more stressed… Shorter days, Longer lists, Busier minds… it’s endless isn’t it?
One thing I remind the women I work with is that the body already has its own built in calm button.
It’s called the vagus nerve.
Vagus comes from the Latin word meaning wanderer, because it travels from the brainstem through the face, throat, lungs, heart, digestive system and deep into the pelvis.
This nerve is the quiet messenger between your mind, body, hormones, digestion, immunity and emotions. Some even call it the second brain.
When the vagus nerve is supported, the whole body softens.
Breath slows. Heart rhythms steady. Digestion improves. Thoughts calm.
This is the rest and digest response. The place where healing is possible.
The beautiful part is that you can support it gently through your day, without force and without overwhelm.
Ways to support your vagus nerve
♡Breath work
Slow nasal breathing is deeply soothing.
Inhale to 4. Hold for 2. Exhale to 6.
Just a minute of this can calm the limbic brain and ease anxiety.
♡Gentle movement
Walking, stretching, mindful yoga and simple daily movement support circulation, digestion and heart rate variability. This naturally strengthens vagal tone.
♡Acupuncture
A beautiful support for the nervous system. It can improve heart rate variability and guide the body back into a calmer parasympathetic state.
♡Singing, humming or gurgling
These tiny practices activate the throat muscles that connect with the vagus nerve.
I often suggest humming in the shower or gently chanting while making your morning tea.
♡Gut support
Your vagus nerve is a main messenger between the gut and the brain.
Nurturing your gut with fibre, prebiotics and probiotics naturally supports vagal tone.
♡Aromatherapy
Essential oils are one of my favourite ways to soften the nervous system.
Oils like;
♡Bergamot
♡Lavender
♡Vetiver
♡Frankincense calm the limbic brain and encourage deeper breathing which naturally supports the vagus nerve.
You can inhale them from the palms, add a few drops to a diffuser or blend with a carrier oil and apply over the chest, neck or solar plexus.
Written by Rose Washington
🌍 Global Therapist | Educator | Mentor
𖤓 Trauma Informed Menopause Coach
🎓 BSc Hons | 40 yrs in Practice
The Womb Remembers What the Mind Forgets
So many women come to me saying, “I feel heavy in my lower belly,” or “I don’t feel connected to that part of me anymore.”
It’s not in their imagination.
It’s the body speaking.
When we’ve lived through trauma, emotional neglect, or years of over-giving, the womb remembers.
It’s a deep, intelligent centre that absorbs everything we’ve never had the space to express grief, disappointment, betrayal, exhaustion.
We can be in long-standing relationships that look enviable from the outside, yet inside we feel quietly unseen.
That’s the loneliness that can live even within love.
Unhealed experiences don’t simply disappear; they settle into the energy of the body, especially the womb, until we finally slow down enough to listen.
Often, that listening only begins when we become unwell, when life gives us no choice but to stop. In that stillness, the truth surfaces:the nervous system, the endocrine system & the emotional body are all trying to speak at once.
The Science of Remembering
When we live in survival mode, cortisol stays high.
Over time, this constant alert state disrupts communication between the brain & the ovaries & the HPA axis.
Cycles become irregular, moods swing, anxiety rises, exhaustion deepens.
The body begins to whisper: “Please listen.”
From the perspective of psychoneuroimmunology, every emotion has a chemistry.
When we don’t release that chemistry, it builds, creating disconnection, inflammation & dysregulation.
Womb healing is not abstract spirituality; it’s the science of reconnection.
The Role of Essential Oils
Essential oils can become gentle communication tools between the body & the mind.
When used intentionally through breath, reflex points, or massage they begin to rebuild safety within the body.
Clary Sage, the oil of clarity supports the HPA axis & soothes pelvic tension.
Geranium, for emotional balance, helps release suppressed grief & resentment.
Frankincense grounds the spirit, bringing the soul back into the body after trauma or dissociation.
Rose softens the heart, the womb & the voice, helping us reconnect with our worth.
These oils invite the body to exhale again, to remember its rhythm & its right to feel.
Healing as Reconnection
Womb healing isn’t a trend.
It’s a return.
A return to rhythm, chemistry, voice & confidence.
When we listen deeply to the wisdom held in the womb, we begin to rewrite the patterns that have shaped our nervous system for decades.
We learn that safety isn’t something given to us by others ,it’s something we rebuild from within.
This is the heart of my work.
Helping women remember that healing isn’t about fixing what’s broken — it’s about remembering what’s sacred.
Written by Rose Washington
🌍 Global Therapist | Educator | Mentor
𖤓 Founder, Rose Washington Atelier of Holistic Education
𖤓 Trauma-Informed Menopause Coach
🎓 BSc (Hons) | 40 yrs in Practice
Therapists Hurt Too
We hold so much.
Stories, pain, exhaustion, silence.
We sit with women who are unravelling & breaking open.
We listen. We hold. We help them find their way back to themselves.
But therapists hurt too.
Behind every calm face is a woman who has lived her own storms.
She has known grief, betrayal, loss & the ache of keeping it all together.
She has sat in her own darkness & still chosen to bring light to others.
We don’t get immunity from pain because we understand it.
If anything, we feel it deeper.
Our empathy runs through every cell.
Our bodies remember the stories we hold for others.
There are days when the healer needs healing.
When the therapist needs time to be quiet.
When the guide needs to be guided.
This isn’t failure.
It’s truth.
Healing doesn’t mean you never hurt again.
It means you meet the pain with compassion & curiosity.
It means you stop pretending you’re fine when your heart is tired.
To every therapist, coach, space holder & light worker who feels cracked open –
your heart isn’t broken, it’s working.
It’s learning to stay open in a world that keeps closing.
You don’t need to be endlessly strong.
You just need to stay real.
Because therapists hurt too.
& that’s what makes us human.
Written by Rose Washington, Holistic Therapist & Menopause Educator…explore more reflections in
White Haired at Fifty-Nine
At fifty-nine the mirror holds
a woman I both know & don’t,
her hair silvering into truth,
her face a map of weathered faith.
Independence has its quiet price,
a house where silence hums
like a second heartbeat,
a chair never warmed by another.
Yet I will not barter myself away
to fill the hollow with half-love,
will not bend to comfort
that costs the marrow of my soul.
Gratitude walks beside me,
for mornings, for breath,
for the freedom to choose
my own rhythm, my own room.
Still there lingers an ache…
not for a man, not for a name,
but for something shapeless,
a ghost of closeness
I cannot quite name.
So I stand here, white-haired,
a little lonely, a little luminous,
learning that to be alone
is not always to be lost..
sometimes it is simply
to be sovereign.
If these words resonate, I share more writing & resources on my Substack… a space for deeper conversations around menopause, healing & creativity.
👉 rosewashington.substack.com
The Quiet Confidence of Midlife
Confidence looks different in midlife.
It’s no longer the loud, striving kind that chases approval or applause.
It’s quieter now. Deeper. Rooted in truth.
It’s the kind of confidence that grows from everything you’ve walked through…the heartbreaks, the letting go, the sacred pauses that stripped away who you thought you were so you could remember who you’ve always been.
In this season of life, confidence isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.
It’s about walking into a room with your whole self intact,no pretending, no performing. Just an embodied knowing that you belong here.
Confidence through the Archetypes
Each stage of our Sacred Menopause journey invites us to meet confidence in a new form.
The Story Keeper remembers her worth. She no longer apologises for her sensitivity or her wisdom. She knows that gentleness is a strength.
The Wild Woman finds her confidence in truth-telling. She no longer shrinks to fit. Her voice becomes medicine.
The Alchemist transforms her pain into power. She realises that everything she’s experienced has refined her.
The Sovereign embodies the confidence that cannot be shaken. It’s not about control,it’s about trust. Trust in her timing, her choices, her voice.
Confidence & the Nervous System
True confidence begins in the body.
When your nervous system feels safe, your voice softens, your shoulders drop, your heart opens.
You stop performing & start living from truth.
Safety creates space for self-expression. This is why I always weave nervous system support into my work breath, grounding, essential oils, gentle movement.
Confidence can’t grow in a body that feels under threat. It grows in one that feels safe to rest, speak & receive.
A Ritual for Confidence
Take a quiet moment for yourself.
Breathe deeply & anoint your wrists with a few drops of this simple blend:
Clary Sage – for clarity & courage
Jasmine – for self-worth & sensual awakening
Bergamot – for the heart, to release fear & open to joy
Place your hand on your heart & whisper:
I am safe to be seen. I am safe to take up space. I trust my own timing.
Let the scent remind you of your strength. Let the ritual become your anchor.
A Closing Reflection
Confidence in midlife isn’t something we find,it’s something we return to.
It’s been within us all along, waiting for the noise to quiet.
When we stop chasing who we think we should be, we finally meet who we truly are.
Kundalini, Grief & Awakening Confidence
Honouring the light that waits beneath our grief
I’ve been reflecting a lot lately. On work. On grief. On loss. On the grief that was never fully processed. The kind that hides deep in the body & waits to be seen.
It’s brought me back to how much I need spirituality in my life. When I turn away from it, I feel disconnected. Life becomes too practical, too busy, too corporate. But my spirit longs for something more … something that reminds me I am not just surviving, I am here to grow. Without it, I feel stifled.
This is where Kundalini is patient. Her quiet energy rests coiled at the base of my spine. Waiting. Protecting. Holding her secrets until I am ready to listen.
When we go through trauma as children, or when loss & neglect weave themselves into our story, that energy can stay buried. It is as if our light is dimmed on purpose, because the body believes it is safer to stay small. I know that feeling, the sense that life might be passing by while I stand on the edge, longing to step in but held back by something unseen.
The truth is, Kundalini is never gone. She is simply waiting for us to create the conditions of safety. When I sit in ritual, when I honour my grief instead of running from it, I feel that spark beginning to rise. Slowly. Gently. Reminding me that confidence is not about pretending to be strong, it is about being rooted in who I am.
Spirituality is not a luxury for me. It is the medicine I need. Without it, I feel lost. With it, I feel guided, held, connected to something deeper than my own story.
The Women’s Health Initiative
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), launched in the early 1990s, was a large-scale clinical trial aimed at investigating the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other interventions on postmenopausal women’s health. Initially, it promised critical insights into managing menopause and reducing age-related diseases such as heart disease and osteoporosis. However, the abrupt and early termination of its hormone therapy arm in 2002, due to reported increased risks of breast cancer, stroke, and heart disease, caused widespread fear and confusion.
The WHI’s findings led to a dramatic decrease in HRT use, profoundly impacting menopausal women's health care. Many women who might have benefited from hormone therapy either avoided it or abandoned treatment prematurely. This shift resulted in an increase in untreated menopausal symptoms, leading to a decline in quality of life for countless women. Additionally, some have argued that the study's broad application of hormone therapy to an older demographic, rather than younger women closer to menopause onset, skewed the results and contributed to an overly cautious approach.
In light of these consequences, it’s essential to approach WHI findings as a starting point rather than a definitive verdict. Women’s health decisions, especially during menopause, benefit from nuanced, informed conversations that honour both scientific evidence and individual experience. The damage caused The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study initially shaped much of the medical community’s understanding of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), largely casting it in a negative light due to perceived risks such as increased incidence of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, subsequent research has revealed that the WHI’s conclusions were overly broad and failed to account for critical factors such as the age of initiation and the timing relative to menopause onset. Contemporary data now supports a more nuanced perspective, demonstrating that when HRT is started in women close to the onset of menopause, it can offer significant benefits with markedly reduced risks. This evolving evidence underscores the importance of personalised, archetype-informed menopause care rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.The WHI underscores the importance of integrating holistic understanding and archetypal wisdom alongside biomedical research to support women through menopause effectively.
A Holistic Approach to Burnout, Confidence, and Menopause
Burnout during menopause is a common yet often overlooked challenge. The physical and emotional shifts experienced can drastically affect confidence, leading to feelings of exhaustion and self-doubt. Understanding and addressing these changes holistically empowers women to reclaim their vitality and inner strength, fostering resilience through this transformative phase.
Essential Oil Blend for Burnout and Confidence Support
Ingredients:
5 drops Lavender essential oil
4 drops Bergamot essential oil
3 drops Frankincense essential oil
3 drops Geranium essential oil
2 tablespoons carrier oil (such as jojoba or sweet almond oil)
Instructions:
Combine the essential oils in a small dark glass bottle.
Add the carrier oil and gently roll to mix.
Apply a few drops to pulse points (wrists, temples, behind the ears) when feeling overwhelmed or low in confidence.
Inhale deeply to soothe the nervous system and uplift the spirit.
This blend harnesses calming and balancing properties to support emotional wellbeing throughout menopause, aiding in the reduction of burnout symptoms while gently restoring confidence.
Embracing Menopause: Wisdom, Strength, and Renewal
Confidence during menopause plays a crucial role in shaping self-worth. As the body undergoes significant changes, women often face challenges that can affect their perception of themselves. Embracing confidence amidst these transitions allows for a deeper acceptance of one’s evolving identity, fostering resilience and self-appreciation.
Menopause can bring fluctuations in mood, energy, and appearance, which may lead to feelings of insecurity or diminished self-esteem. However, when women cultivate confidence by recognising their intrinsic value beyond physical symptoms, they reinforce a positive self-image. This shift in mindset encourages a balanced relationship with one’s body and mind, reducing self-criticism and promoting emotional well-being.
Furthermore, confidence in menopause can empower women to seek support, engage in self-care, and advocate for their needs. This proactive approach not only enhances physical health but also reinstates a sense of control and purpose. Ultimately, confidence nurtures self-worth by affirming that every stage of life, including menopause, holds unique strength and beauty
Affirmations:
I honour the wisdom my body holds and embrace every change with grace.
Each day, I grow stronger in my journey through menopause.
I am connected to my inner power and trust its guidance.
My body and mind are in harmony, supporting my transformation.Title:
Embracing Menopause: Wisdom, Strength, and Renewal
Affirmations:
I honour the wisdom my body holds and embrace every change with grace.
Each day, I grow stronger in my journey through menopause.
I am connected to my inner power and trust its guidance.
My body and mind are in harmony, supporting my transformation.
I welcome renewal and new beginnings with an open heart.
Essential Oil Recipe:
Calming Menopause Blend
5 drops Clary Sage (supports hormonal balance)
4 drops Lavender (soothes anxiety and promotes restful sleep)
3 drops Geranium (uplifts mood and balances emotions)
2 drops Frankincense (grounding and nurturing)
Mix the oils in a 10ml roller bottle with a carrier oil such as sweet almond or jojoba. Apply to pulse points, wrists, behind the ears, and the inner elbows, whenever you need calm and centred energy.I welcome renewal and new beginnings with an open heart.
Mitochondria, Trauma & Essential Oils in Menopause
Menopause is often described as a hormonal change, but it’s much more than that. At midlife, the body’s stress system, nervous system and even our cells themselves come into play. One of the key players in this story is the mitochondria, the tiny “powerhouses” that sit inside every cell.
Mitochondria & Midlife Energy
Mitochondria create the energy our bodies need to function. They convert nutrients from food into ATP, the fuel that powers everything from our heartbeat to our brain. During menopause, fluctuating hormones, inflammation and chronic stress can affect how well mitochondria work.
When mitochondria slow down, many of the symptoms women report in midlife, fatigue, brain fog, low mood, joint pain…make more sense. It’s not just about oestrogen, it’s about the health of our energy systems.
Trauma & the Cellular Stress Story
Research in epigenetics shows that early life stress and trauma can leave an imprint on our stress response system. This imprint carries through to adulthood, shaping how our mitochondria respond under pressure.
Childhood trauma can lead to an overactive HPA axis (our stress regulation centre).
This overactivity pumps stress hormones into the system, which mitochondria are very sensitive to.
Over time, mitochondria become less efficient, which speeds up cellular ageing.
This is why women with a history of trauma often feel the weight of menopause more strongly the body is carrying decades of stored stress that now meets the hormonal transition.
Essential Oils & Mitochondrial Care
Essential oils can’t change our DNA, but they can support the body in profound ways:
Rose & Neroli - calm the nervous system, reducing stress signals that overload mitochondria.
Frankincense - supports deep breathing & oxygen delivery to cells.
Clary Sage - gently balances mood & hormones, helping the stress system rest.
Bergamot - shown to lower cortisol levels & uplift low mood.
Using oils in daily rituals - diffusing, adding to a bath, or applying with a carrier oil -invites the body into a parasympathetic, “rest & restore” state. This is when mitochondria repair and energy is replenished.
A Whole-Body Approach
Caring for mitochondria in menopause isn’t just about supplements or diet -though good nutrition, sleep and gentle movement matter. It’s also about;
Soothing the nervous system (breathwork, meditation, oils).
Releasing old trauma imprints (therapy, bodywork, reflective practices).
Honouring rest as a form of medicine.
When we see menopause through this wider lens, it becomes less about decline and more about healing.
✨ Closing thought:
Menopause is not the end of vitality- it is an invitation to deepen our relationship with our cells, our story and our spirit. By supporting mitochondria, tending to trauma and working with the plant allies of essential oils, we create the conditions for energy, clarity & resilience in the second half of life.
Restorative Menopause Bath Oil
Ingredients (for a 50ml bottle)
Carrier oil (base):
45ml Jojoba oil (skin-nourishing, stable, absorbs well)
Essential oils:
6 drops Neroli (soothes anxiety, calms heart rate)
5 drops Clary Sage (hormonal & emotional balance)
5 drops Rose (deep emotional comfort, supports grief & trauma)
4 drops Frankincense (slows breathing, aids mitochondrial repair through oxygenation)
3 drops Bergamot (uplifts mood, eases cortisol)
Directions
Add the jojoba oil to a dark glass bottle (50ml).
Drop in the essential oils, swirl gently to blend.
Label the bottle with date & ingredients.
To use:
Add 1 teaspoon (5ml) of the blend to a warm bath.
Mix into a small cup of full-fat milk (or unscented bath dispersant) first if you want it to disperse evenly in water.
Soak for 15–20 minutes, focusing on long exhalations to invite your body into parasympathetic rest.
Safety notes
Do not use undiluted oils directly in bathwater (they sit on the surface & can irritate skin). Always mix into carrier oil & dispersant.
Avoid Bergamot if skin will be exposed to sunlight immediately after bathing (it can be photosensitising).
Patch test before use.
Not suitable in pregnancy.
🤍 Rose
Vagus Nerve Reflexology
Vagus nerve reflexology is an emerging holistic approach that targets the vagus nerve through specific reflex points, aiming to enhance parasympathetic nervous system activity and promote overall wellness. The vagus nerve, a critical component of the autonomic nervous system, influences heart rate, digestion, mood, and immune response. By stimulating reflex zones related to the vagus nerve, reflexology practitioners seek to reduce stress, improve digestion, alleviate anxiety, and support emotional balance.
Techniques often focus on areas such as the ears, feet, and hands, where vagus nerve reflex points are believed to be present. Treatment involves gentle pressure and massage designed to activate the nerve's calming pathways. While scientific research on vagus nerve reflexology remains limited, many women, particularly those navigating menopause, report benefits including enhanced relaxation, improved sleep, and reduced symptoms of stress-related discomfort.
Incorporating vagus nerve reflexology within a broader menopause support strategy can complement body awareness and emotional wellbeing, aligning with holistic principles that consider mind, body, and archetypal wisdom. It is advisable for individuals to consult healthcare professionals prior to beginning any new treatment modality, especially those with underlying health conditions.
Embracing Menopause: A Holistic Guide for Women and Wellness Professionals
Mental health is intricately connected to the body’s physiological systems, particularly when considering the long-term effects of childhood trauma. Early traumatic experiences can dysregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the body’s central stress response system. This dysregulation often results in an exaggerated or blunted cortisol response, which impacts mood, anxiety levels, and overall emotional resilience.
The vagus nerve plays a critical role in modulating this stress response. As the primary component of the parasympathetic nervous system, it helps to calm the body after stress, promote relaxation, and facilitate healing processes. Dysfunction of the vagus nerve can be linked to the physiological imprint left by childhood trauma, leading to challenges in emotional regulation and increased susceptibility to mental health disorders.
Healing modalities that support the HPA axis and stimulate vagal tone are therefore essential in trauma recovery. Essential oils, used aromatically or topically within a holistic framework, may complement traditional therapies by promoting relaxation, reducing anxiety, and enhancing vagal activity. Oils such as lavender, frankincense, and chamomile possess anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe the nervous system and support emotional balance.
Incorporating essential oils into a trauma-sensitive self-care routine can aid the body’s natural healing mechanisms by encouraging parasympathetic dominance and reducing HPA axis hyperactivity. However, this approach works best when combined with other trauma-informed practices such as somatic therapy, mindfulness, and psychotherapeutic interventions.
Ultimately, understanding the interconnectedness of childhood trauma, the HPA axis, vagus nerve function, and the therapeutic potential of essential oils supports a holistic pathway to mental health restoration and resilience building.
Essential Oil Blend for Menopause Support
Ingredients:
5 drops Clary Sage essential oil
4 drops Lavender essential oil
3 drops Geranium essential oil
2 drops Frankincense essential oil
30 ml carrier oil (such as jojoba or sweet almond oil)
Instructions:
Combine essential oils in a dark glass bottle.
Add the carrier oil and gently shake to blend.
Apply 3-5 drops to pulse points (wrists, behind ears, and inner elbows) twice daily.
Alternatively, use in a diffuser to create a calming environment.
Benefits:
Clary Sage helps balance hormones and reduce hot flashes. Lavender promotes relaxation and eases anxiety. Geranium supports emotional stability, while Frankincense aids in grounding and overall wellbeing.
Always perform a patch test before use and consult a healthcare provider if pregnant or nursing.
Essential Oil Blend for Menopause Support
Ingredients:
5 drops Clary Sage essential oil
4 drops Lavender essential oil
3 drops Geranium essential oil
2 drops FrankincenseRose
Menopause, the Nervous System and the Quiet Medicine of Scent
As an aromatherapist and therapist of 37 years, I’ve seen again and again how scent holds women through the hardest of times. Essential oils are not just “nice extras.” They are one of the most direct ways the body remembers safety. A single breath of oil can bypass the thinking mind and speak straight to the parts of us that hold memory, grief, and emotion.
When we think about menopause, the conversation usually begins and ends with hormones. Yet underneath, another layer quietly shapes our experience,the nervous system.
The vagus nerve, sometimes called the soul nerve, runs like a hidden thread through the heart, lungs, gut and womb. It carries messages between body and brain, letting us know if we are safe or under threat. When well-regulated, the vagus nerve supports calm digestion, steady heartbeat, restful sleep and a sense of being grounded in our own skin. But when it is strained by years of stress, trauma, or burnout, the body struggles to leave survival mode. And menopause, with its natural shifts, can tip that system further.
This is why symptoms like anxiety, palpitations, brain fog, exhaustion and digestive issues can feel so loud during midlife. It isn’t only about declining hormones. It’s about the nervous system asking to be cared for.
Here, scent becomes a quiet medicine. Oils like Rose and Patchouli do more than create fragrance. Rose opens the heart, offering softness and compassion when we feel raw or lonely. Patchouli steadies us, reminding the body it can come back to ground even when the world feels uncertain. Together, they form a beautiful balance,tenderness, compassion and strength.
These practices do not have to be complicated. A drop of oil in the palm, inhaled slowly. A few moments of humming or gentle breathing. A ritual of anointing the skin at night. In these quiet ways, the body learns safety again. Over time, the nervous system begins to recalibrate, and menopause feels less like a storm and more like an unfolding.
Menopause is not just a hormonal story. It is also a nervous system story. And when we tend to both, this season can become one of healing, renewal, and even power.
✨ I share more reflections, rituals and resources over on my Substack: Sacred Menopause
Unpacking the HRT Controversy:
What Every Midlife Woman Deserves to Know
For years, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has carried a shadow, a sense of danger, uncertainty, and confusion. Many women, especially therapists, carers, and holistic practitioners, have internalised a silent fear of MRT. But where did it begin?
Let’s go back to 2002,the year everything changed.
The WHI Study: The Research That Sparked a Storm
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study made headlines worldwide when it claimed that HRT significantly increased the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Almost overnight, millions of women stopped taking HRT. Doctors grew cautious. Therapists and holistic professionals, in particular, turned to natural alternatives, not always from choice, but from fear.
But what most people don’t know is this:
The WHI study was flawed, deeply flawed.
Here’s What Went Wrong:
The study used synthetic hormones (not body-identical HRT that is now widely available).
The average age of participants was 63, and many were years past menopause.
The study was not designed to reflect real-world use for women entering perimenopause or early menopause.
Despite these flaws, the media coverage caused lasting damage to women’s health decisions.
The Truth About Modern HRT
Today’s HRT looks very different from the early 2000s. We now have body-identical hormones (also known as bioidentical), like Oestrogel and Utrogestan, that are molecularly identical to the hormones your body naturally produces.
When prescribed appropriately, ideally during perimenopause or within 10 years of menopause HRT has been shown to support long-term health, not harm it.
Evidence-Based Benefits Include:
Brain Health: Improved memory, mood, and reduced risk of dementia
Bone Health: Stronger bones + reduced risk of osteoporosis
Heart Protection: When started early, HRT can protect cardiovascular health
Symptom Relief: Hot flushes, anxiety, insomnia, and joint pain can all improve
Why It Matters (Especially for Therapists & Holistic Women)
I see so many women professionals, empaths, therapists, silently suffering through menopause, unsure if they “should” consider HRT because they were told it’s unnatural or risky.
But natural does not always mean better. And medical does not mean misaligned with your values.
You deserve to make informed choices.
Without fear. Without shame. Without outdated myths clouding your options.
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Menopause
My role as a trauma-informed menopause mentor is not to tell you what to do, but to help you make empowered, informed decisions that honour your mind, body, and nervous system.
Whether you choose HRT, holistic therapies, or a blend of both, your journey is valid.
Let’s leave fear behind and enter a new era of women’s health: clear, conscious, compassionate, and evidence-based.
Rose
The Menopausal Midbrain: Why We Lose Our Words And How to Get Them Back
A deeper look at memory loss, language, and voice in midlife
We’ve all joked about “menopause brain.”
The lost keys. Even my grandson who is only 2 says when we are ready to leave the house “Where’s nannies keys?”
The forgotten words… like I am often completely mortified when I get my words mixed up, I’m aware of it, but still, it just happens, it also frightens me a bit too… like is this the beginning of alzheimer’s/ dementia… you can’t help think these things when you hit 59 can you!
I tell myself it’s just brain fog, & have a think to see if I have taken my HRT…But what if it’s not just brain fog?
What if menopause is quietly reshaping how we use language, and what we’re really trying to say?
The Midbrain Shift
During perimenopause, fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone directly affect areas of the brain responsible for memory, focus, and verbal recall. These changes are real, and they’re not just inconvenient. They can feel terrifying.
You forget names.
Struggle to find the right words.
Or completely lose the thread of what you were saying.
And in a culture that already devalues older women’s voices, this loss of language can feel like losing power.
The Brain’s Protective Pause
What if this “mental pause” is the body’s way of asking us to pause on a deeper level?
Because what I’ve come to believe, both personally and professionally, is this:
Menopause isn’t a cognitive decline.
It’s a reorganisation.
We’re not becoming less intelligent.
We’re being invited to use our minds differently, less linear, more intuitive.
Less external, more internal.
The “loss” of sharp language often precedes the rise of deeper knowing.
The Voice Chakra + Midlife Silence
Many women also find themselves going quiet in midlife.
Not because they have nothing to say, but because they’re finally beginning to ask:
“Whose voice was I using all this time?”
“What truth have I silenced to survive?”
“What would it sound like if I spoke from my body, not just my mind?”
This is the throat chakra awakening.
And often, it’s not blocked, it’s just waiting for safety.
What Can Help?
If you’re in this stage, here are a few things I offer and suggest:
Essential oils for the throat chakra (like lavender, frankincense, chamomile)
Humming, chanting or gentle vocal release — to stimulate the vagus nerve
Speaking aloud what you fear — in safe, private spaces
Writing down your inner dialogues, without correcting or fixing
Reflexology & nervous system support to help you regulate and reclaim your clarity
This isn’t about “fixing” menopause brain.
It’s about understanding the sacred unravelling that’s happening within your nervous system and giving it the grace to reorganise.
In Closing
Midlife is not the end of your voice, it’s the beginning of your truest one.
You’re not losing yourself.
You’re being reintroduced to her.
If this resonates with you, you might also enjoy my free resources 👉 HERE
With Warmth & Wild Wisdom
Rose
Menopause Educator & Holistic Mentor
37 Years of Experience | Aromatherapist | Reflexologist | Sacred Reset Guide
Menopause, the Chakras & the Vagus Nerve
A Holistic Approach to Healing the Body’s Deeper Story
We often speak about menopause as if it begins in midlife…
But what if it actually began much earlier?
Not with hormones, but with the stories, stress, and survival patterns held in the body for years.
Many of the women I work with arrive in perimenopause feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and disconnected. They’re told it’s “just your hormones,” but deep down, they sense something more is happening. Something older. Something unresolved.
This is where chakra healing and the vagus nerve come in.
The Chakras: Where Energy Meets Emotion
The chakras are more than just energy centres, they are a subtle map of our emotional body. Each one corresponds to a specific theme or life experience. When those experiences were difficult, traumatic, or never fully processed, energy can become blocked or distorted.
The Root Chakra relates to early safety and survival
The Sacral Chakra holds emotions, creativity, and boundaries
The Solar Plexus speaks to our confidence and self-worth
The Heart stores grief, love, and the capacity to receive
The Throat holds our voice, the ability to speak our truth
The Third Eye reflects our inner knowing
The Crown connects us to meaning and something greater
As we move through midlife, many of these themes resurface. Especially if our younger years were shaped by trauma, stress, or disconnection.
The Vagus Nerve: A Pathway to Regulation
The vagus nerve is the body's built-in calming system. It links the brain to the face, heart, lungs, and gut, playing a key role in how we breathe, digest, and feel emotionally safe.
When the vagus nerve is dysregulated, often from chronic stress, overgiving, or unhealed trauma, we may experience:
Anxiety and overwhelm
Insomnia or poor sleep
Digestive issues
Fatigue and burnout
Feelings of being “on edge” or emotionally flat
These symptoms are especially common during menopause, yet rarely recognised as signs of nervous system exhaustion.
A Gentle, Trauma-Aware Approach
In my work, I support women through menopause not just as a hormonal event, but as a deeper initiation. A return to self.
Using:
Essential oils aligned with each chakra
Reflexology and vagus nerve stimulation to support regulation
Aromatherapy rituals for emotional release and grounding
Healing prompts to help the body feel safe again
This is not about quick fixes. It’s about soft, steady reconnection. The kind that honours your story and gives your nervous system a chance to breathe.
📥 Download the Free Chakra Reset Guide
To support your own journey, I’ve created a free guide:
Inside you’ll find:
Simple chakra explanations
Emotional patterns held in each energy centre
Gentle aromatherapy rituals
Essential oil suggestions
Vagus nerve care techniques
Reflective journaling prompts
👉 Click HERE to download the free guide
A Final Word
Menopause isn’t the end.
It’s a deep remembering.
Of your voice.
Of your needs.
Of everything your body has quietly carried, and is now ready to release
Rose
Aromatherapist | Reflexologist | Sacred Reset Mentor
BSc (Hons) Women’s Holistic Health
What is Holistic Menopause Support?
Menopause is not just a hormonal shift, it's a sacred transformation. For many women, it can feel overwhelming, misunderstood, or even dismissed. And yet it doesn't have to be that way.
Holistic menopause support offers an alternative to the clinical, one-size-fits-all approach. It honours your body, emotions, spirit, and story, treating menopause not as a problem to fix, but as a rite of passage to be respected.
In this blog, I’ll gently walk you through what holistic menopause support looks like, how it feels, and why it matters.
It’s More Than Hot Flushes
Menopause isn’t just a medical event, it’s a midlife awakening. You might be feeling:
Emotionally raw or unexpectedly weepy
Disconnected from your sense of purpose or voice
Exhausted beyond explanation
Ready to release old roles and reclaim yourself
These are not symptoms to be silenced, they are invitations to go deeper.
My Approach: Grounded, Soulful, Science-Informed
After 37 years as a therapist and coach, I’ve woven together a gentle but powerful framework to guide women through this time. My approach is:
1. Aromatherapy + Essential Oils
Plant wisdom can be a profound ally. I use essential oils to support:
Hormonal regulation (like clary sage or geranium)
Emotional steadiness (like frankincense, neroli, rose)
Sleep, libido, and stress
Each oil has an archetypal energy, a voice of its own, which can mirror your inner transformation.
2. Reflexology & the Body’s Wisdom
Reflexology offers physical relief from symptoms like:
Anxiety and overwhelm
Insomnia
Digestive discomfort
Mood swings
It also invites you back into your body, especially when you’ve been living in your head.
3. Nervous System Healing
Midlife can resurface old trauma, hidden stress patterns, or burnout. We explore;
The vagus nerve and polyvagal theory
Gentle somatic tools
Recovery for women with autoimmunity or adrenal fatigue
This part is about creating inner safety—not pushing through.
4. Archetypes & Menopause as Initiation
You are not your story. You are evolving.
I work with 4 core archetypes that honour each phase of menopause:
The Story Keeper (Reflect)
The Wild Woman (Release)
The Alchemist (Reclaim)
The Sovereign (Renew)
These offer a soulful lens to understand your emotional, physical, and spiritual journey.
🌕 You Deserve Support That Sees the Whole You
Holistic menopause support isn’t about fixing you, it’s about coming home to yourself. Whether you’re feeling lost, exhausted, curious or ready… this path meets you where you are.
If this speaks to you, I invite you to explore more:
Facebook page
Or browse the blog for more soul-led support
With Warmth & Wild wisdom
Rose
BSc (Hons) Complementary Therapies | Aromatherapist | Menopause Coach
When the Body Says "No More": Essential Oils, Autoimmunity & the Sacred Shift in Midlife
There comes a point in every woman’s life when her body speaks louder than her will.
For me, that voice came through exhaustion, grief, an autoimmune diagnosis, and the slow, unravelling wave of menopause. For me, it was a slow burn, gradually creeping up on me, yes U could see warnings here & there… but not that much.
I was a hands-on therapist for decades…always holding space, offering comfort, formulating blends, making things better. But something shifted when my own body stopped responding to the things I used to offer others. My nervous system was anxious, I could feel it. My energy was disappearing. I just felt an overwhelming urge to hibernate, from everyone. I had no energy for anyone, or anything.
It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with hashimoto’s that I realised this was more than burnout… it was a lifetime of avoidance that had caught up with me.
When Healing Isn’t Linear (and the Body Stops Whispering)
Hashimoto’s taught me that healing isn’t about pushing through.
It’s about learning a new language…one that speaks through fatigue, hormonal chaos, emotional overwhelm, & even fear.
For many of us, the nervous system has been on high alert for decades. Trauma, people-pleasing, care-taking, never quite feeling safe.
By the time menopause arrives, the mask can no longer stay up.
The body stops whispering.
It begins to scream: “I need rest.” I just knew… my god did I just know.
Essential Oils as a Sensory Bridge to Safety
What helped me reconnect wasn’t a grand healing protocol.
It was scent. Breath. Slowness. Ritual.
Essential oils work directly with the limbic brain…the seat of memory, emotion, and fear. When we inhale a blend like neroli, frankincense, or clary sage, we’re not just treating symptoms, we’re sending messages of safety to a nervous system that’s been in survival mode for too long.
This is why I call oils a sensory bridge.
They’re not a fix. They’re a way back… into the body, into breath, into a feeling of safety.
What I Now Offer (and Why I Had to Change)
I no longer offer as many treatments. My body asked me to slow down, and I listened.
Now, I mentor women who are navigating this same unraveling:
Women with autoimmune conditions who feel invisible
Therapists & healers on the edge of collapse
Midlife women in menopause, grief, or full-body overwhelm
Anyone who knows what it’s like to feel unsafe in their own skin
I create rituals, sensory tools, and digital guides that help women begin again gently.
For the Wild, Wise, and Weary
My digital shop on my website was born from this season. It's filled with printables, oil recipes, & soul reflections for women who are learning how to rest, recover, & reclaim.
I’m also writing more now, on Substack , where I share longer reflections on trauma, healing, sovereignty, & sacred ageing.
This blog, this space, is where I hope you’ll land when you’re tired of being “resilient.”
You Don’t Have to Push Anymore
Whether you’re here to browse, breathe, or begin again — you’re welcome.
Take what soothes you. Leave what doesn’t. And remember this:
You are not too late.
You are a woman in transition, it has taken you decades to get to this place, there’s no time to waste… & so yes, the time really is now
With love,
Rose x
🕊 Visit: www.rose-washington.com/shop
📖 Read more: Substack – @rosewashington
📷 Instagram: @rose.holisticmenopausecoach
The Forgotten Voice
The Forgotten Voice
Anointing the throat chakra in midlife and beyond
There’s a silence many women carry into menopause …
Not just the silence of night sweats and changing hormones,
but the deeper silence…
of years spent swallowing truth,
softening tone,
shrinking presence
just to keep the peace.
For years, I dressed how I was expected.
Spoke when it felt safe.
Held emotions in my throat until they became illness.
My diagnosis of Hashimoto’s wasn’t random …
It was a message.
This essential oil blend, The Forgotten Voice,
was born from that silence.
Crafted with clary sage, frankincense, lavender, geranium and chamomile,
this blend is both a balm and a boundary.
A ritual for women who are done performing.
Done apologising.
Done dressing for approval.
It’s for the woman rediscovering her voice,
and ready to anoint it, not hide it.
This is more than aromatherapy.
It’s reclamation.
Apply gently to the throat, wrists, or over your heart before speaking, writing, resting or praying.
Let the scent remind your nervous system that it is safe to be heard again.
Ritual: The Forgotten Voice
A throat chakra healing ritual for midlife women reclaiming their truth.
Evening, during a quiet moment
New moon or waning moon (symbolic of release)
When you feel unheard, unseen, or emotionally “clogged”
What You’ll Need:
A small bowl of warm water
A white or turquoise cloth or scarf
A mirror
Your “Forgotten Voice” oil blend (recipe below)
A candle (blue or white)
Optional: a turquoise crystal or piece of jewellery
Step-by-step Ritual
1. Set the space
Light your candle.
Place your scarf around your shoulders or neck.
Take 3 slow breaths, with your hand resting gently on your throat.
Say aloud or silently:
“I honour the voice that was silenced.
I now invite it to return, softly, safely, completely.”
2. Anoint your throat
Using your blend, apply gently to:
The centre of your throat
Behind your ears
Your wrists (pulse points for emotional flow)
Say:
“I no longer perform.
I express from presence.
I am safe to be heard.”
3. Mirror whisper
Look into the mirror and speak softly:
Your name
A truth you once held back
A word or phrase you long to reclaim (e.g. freedom, sovereign, enough, wild, healer)
Let tears come if they need to. Let silence follow if it feels good.
You are being witnessed by you.
4. Release with water
Dip your fingers in the warm water and gently touch your throat.
Imagine cleansing away old words, shame, or expectation.
Say:
“I cleanse what is not mine. I reclaim what is.”
5. Close gently
Wrap your scarf or cloth loosely around your shoulders.
Rest. Journal. Sleep.
Your voice has been heard.
Essential Oil Blend: The Forgotten Voice
A grounding, heart-opening, soul-centering blend to anoint the throat and soothe the nervous system.
10ml roller blend (diluted in jojoba or almond oil):
3 drops Clary Sage – hormonal harmony & emotional clarity
3 drops Lavender – calming the fear of being heard
2 drops Geranium – heart-truth and emotional balance
2 drops Frankincense – sacred connection, spiritual strength
1 drop Roman Chamomile – softening suppressed emotion
Optional: 1 drop Sandalwood or Vetiver for grounding
🌀 Add a tiny turquoise crystal to the bottle if desired.
Use before journalling, speaking, teaching, or resting.
This is not a perfume, it’s a remembrance.
You are softly transforming. And it’s gorgeous.
Why You're So Tired, And Why It's Not Just Menopause
You’re doing all the right things… eating well (mostly), moving your body when you can, trying to sleep.
But you still feel exhausted.
Not just tired…bone-deep weary.
Like your body’s been holding something for far too long.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And no, it’s not all in your head, and it’s not just “hormones.”
It goes deeper. Let me gently explain.
The Forgotten System Behind Burnout + Midlife Fatigue: The HPA Axis
At the heart of your body’s stress response lies the HPA axis, a communication loop between your brain (hypothalamus + pituitary gland) and your adrenal glands. It controls:
Your stress hormones (like cortisol)
Your energy levels + sleep rhythms
Your reproductive hormones (like oestrogen + progesterone)
Your response to long-term trauma or emotional load
When the HPA axis is out of balance , often after years of chronic stress, caregiving, childhood trauma, or pushing through,your body starts to slow down, switch off, or shout through symptoms.
Fatigue. Brain fog. Mood swings. Sleep disruption. Fibroid flares.
Even autoimmune flare-ups.
Melatonin: More Than a Sleep Hormone
We often think of melatonin as something that helps us drift off at night. But it does so much more:
Protects your brain from oxidative stress
Regulates inflammation
Supports the mitochondria (your cellular energy centres)
Helps reduce fibroid growth
Brings rhythm back to a dysregulated system
Low melatonin isn’t just about poor sleep. It’s about poor recovery. And many women in menopause, burnout, or chronic emotional stress have depleted melatonin — without even knowing it.
How Reflexology Can Gently Reset the System
This is where reflexology becomes so much more than a treatment — it becomes a way home.
Through specific pressure points in the feet, I support:
The HPA axis -calming the stress response
The pineal gland - stimulating natural melatonin release
The adrenal reflexes - supporting energy flow
The womb + ovaries - helping hormonal balance return
The vagus nerve - guiding the body into rest, not just survival
Each session is layered with essential oils, somatic presence, and decades of experience in holding women through transitions that feel invisible to the outside world - but deeply felt within.
You Don’t Need to Carry This Alone
Whether you're in the thick of menopause, experiencing fibroids, or feeling emotionally worn thin ,your body deserves care, not criticism. It’s trying to speak.
My job is to help you listen.
If you're local to me, I offer three levels of reflexology support, click on the link below for more information.
Reflexology packages here
And if you're not nearby, I offer custom oil blends, nervous system mentoring, and PDF guides to help you feel supported from afar. Just send me a note with the word “RESET.”
With warmth & Wild Wisdom
Rose
Menopause Mentor & Holistic Therapist
www.menopausemusings.co.uk
