Welcome to Meaningful Change Counselling
Hi, I’m Jodie.
I’m so glad you’re here
I am a Sydney-based counsellor who is passionate about helping women in midlife to rediscover their mojo.
So many women I talk to have spent years taking care of everyone else, only to arrive in midlife and suddenly feel completely and utterly overwhelmed. The demands on their time and energy seem to have amplified - from juggling the needs of their children, to taking care of ageing parents, to trying to find time to connect with their partners, all while trying to manage the demands of work both in and out of the home. It’s no wonder they’re exhausted and overwhelmed. And right when we need them most, our hormones take a nose-dive. Sound familiar?
What happens when all the coping strategies you’ve used before no longer seem to work? What do you do when you just don’t feel like yourself anymore?
When I was growing up, menopause wasn’t talked about widely and on the rare occasions it was, it was portrayed as something to be feared. It was something that happened to old ladies and meant you were past your used by date. I hadn’t even heard of perimenopause until I was right in the middle of it myself. We are finally starting to see a shift in how we talk about this incredible transition that every woman (and AFAB person) will undergo, thank goodness, and I am here for it.
For some, the menopause transition can be brutal. But what if I told you it didn't have to be this way?
What if instead of a mid-life crisis, you were to have a midlife awakening? What if “the change” was the start of the best chapter of your life?
It is possible. You might just need a little help.
It is possible to create a rich and fulfilling life while dealing with the unique challenges this time of life can bring. Maybe you’re dealing with the aftermath of a painful divorce and need support to heal and figure out what comes next. Maybe you’re thinking about changing careers or returning to the paid work force after a break and need someone to help you gain a little clarity and cheer you on. Maybe you’re grappling with infertility and need support to work through what a future of being childfree not by choice might look like. Maybe you’re grieving and need a safe place to feel and be heard. Maybe you’re looking to heal from trauma or abuse and find a way through the pain. Maybe you feel the weight of imposter syndrome and feel like nothing you do is good enough. Whatever you are experiencing right now, just know you are not alone.
If life has thrown you a curve ball that you need support to work through, or you’re feeling stuck and need a little help re-imagining what comes next - I’m here to help.
For some, perimenopause can trigger anxiety and depression, as well as brain fog and intense mood swings. While we will often seek treatment for the physical symptoms (and, of course, we absolutely should) sometimes we don’t prioritise our mental health enough during this transtion. Talk therapy, aka counselling, can be a really effective way to help manage these symptoms if they are a problem for you. I like to build on the strategies that have worked for you in the past and collaborate with you to add more skills to your toolkit. You don’t have to do this alone.
Sometimes the demands placed on women in midlife can reveal cracks in relationships that could become deeper if not addressed. Resentment can build up when you are the one shouldering the mental load and carrying out the bulk of caring responsibilities for everyone. It’s not uncommon to find women in midlife taking stock and wondering how everything became “her” responsibility, and start to wonder if there could be another way. As an intersectional feminist, I cannot help but apply this lens to my work with clients. I am particularly passionate about helping women deal with the impact sexism and misogyny has on their lives and empowering them to break free from gender stereotypes and expectations. I believe the patriarchy harms everyone and the only way to bring about real and meaningful change in society is to challenge the status quo and work towards true equality.
If you want to explore ways to create a more equitable division of labour and mental load within your household, or if you’d like to learn techniques to more productively channel your Meno-rage - I’m here to help.
Why meaningful change?
I remember when I was a child, older women in my orbit would refer to this thing called “the change”. The general impression I got, from the snippets of hushed conversations I overheard, was that this change meant we all needed to walk on eggshells around whoever it was happening to in order to avoid them flying into an uncontrollable fit of rage. I certainly got the gist that ‘the change’ was scary and to be avoided at all costs.
As I got older, popular culture didn’t really do much to alter this image of women in midlife either. Women were either portrayed as hysterical, or as having ‘let themselves go’. Or they were simply erased entirely from view. By contrast, according to the movies and television shows of the time, men of a similar age would have a mid-life crisis. You’d know they were having one because they’d buy a sports car and leave their wife for a younger woman. But once women reached midlife, they became invisible.
Of course nowadays we have a much better understanding of what these so-called ‘hysterical women’ were actually going through and can see them in a whole new light. As women of a certain age ourselves, we can recognise what the women who came before us went through and we want something different for ourselves and for the generations of women to come.
What if this time of great change could have a deeper meaning? What if it were to unlock something deep within us that would allow us live more authentically as ourselves?
My journey to becoming a qualified counsellor came about during my own midlife awakening. My path has been anything but conventional, but my deep desire to make meaningful change within my own life led me to want to be a conduit for change for other women. I truly believe that every struggle, every detour, every experience (good and bad) has led me to exactly where I’m meant to be.
For me, meaningful change is not just change for change’s sake, it is true transformation.
Let’s work together to explore what meaningful change could look like for you.
What if your midlife didn’t have to be a crisis?
Tailor-made mental health support from the comfort of your home
This season of life is often full of so many competing demands on our time, that it can be sometimes be a challenge to prioritise ourselves. But prioritise ourselves, we must. “We can’t pour from an empty cup” - it’s a cliche for a reason.
Counselling sessions are conducted online and as such provide you with the flexibility of being able to access support from wherever you are.
Recent research consistently shows that people who access therapy delivered online receive the same level of assistance and outcomes as they do when attending in-person sessions. You can get all the benefits of working with a counsellor, without leaving home.
It’s safe and confidential and there is no traffic!
“To be able to chat to Jodie from home has been so helpful. It’s become a bit of a ritual for myself to make a cup of tea, close the door and have some time for someone else to hold some space for me for a change.”
— Lisa R
A safe space to talk
Everyone experiences challenges at various stages throughout our lives and sometimes it can be hard to cope with them on our own. Sometimes we need to talk things through with someone other than our family and friends
Counselling provides a safe place for you to share your concerns without fear of being judged.
Is counselling right for me?
A safe place to explore options
Sometimes we need an impartial outsider to help us gain clarity about a situation we are facing. Someone who can help us identify the scope of the issue and workshop possible solutions.
Counselling not only helps to address your immediate issue, but also equips you with skills to tackle problems as they arise in the future.
A new way of thinking
People sometimes develop coping strategies that may have been necessary to get them through a particular crisis but are no longer helpful once the crisis has passed. It can be challenging to notice these patterns in ourselves let alone make changes on our own.
Counselling can help to identify patterns of behaviour and coping mechanisms that are no longer serving you and explore new ways of thinking to improve your life.
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Get started with Meaningful Change Counselling, today.
Acknowledgement of Country
In the spirit of reconciliation, Meaningful Change Counselling acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their continuous connections to land, sea and community. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. In particular, I’d like to acknowledge the Dharawal people on whose land I live and work on. I am inspired by the incredible resilience and grace of the world’s oldest continuing culture.
Always Was, Always Will Be.
Acknowledgement of LQBTQ+ Communities
I also wish to recognise and celebrate the rich and diverse experiences of LQBTQ+ communities. I aim to provide a safe and inclusive space where all are welcome, valued and respected. While I often refer to women, please note this is not at the exclusion of any trans, non-binary or gender non-confirming people who resonate with my approach and wish to seek counselling. All are welcome.