Finding Light After Menopause Darkness: Tracey Robertson's Honest Story of HRT, Healing and Purpose

In this episode, Lauren is joined by Tracey Robertson, a menopause coach and corporate legal PA who transformed her darkest moments into a mission to support other women through perimenopause and menopause.Tracey shares her raw and powerful story of hitting rock bottom at age 45—leaving a successful corporate career in London, experiencing crippling anxiety and depression, and sitting in a park in the rain because she couldn't bear to go home. Despite having access to private healthcare at Harley Street, blood tests, and multiple doctors, no one identified that she was in perimenopause. It wasn't until her personal trainer suggested HRT that Tracey's life began to change—feeling better within 15 hours of her first patch.This conversation explores Tracey's journey from that breaking point to becoming a certified menopause coach through Women of a Certain Stage, building workplace support programs, and helping other women avoid the isolation and confusion she experienced. Her story is a testament to resilience, the power of lived experience, and the importance of creating communities where women can be heard and supported.Key Points Covered:• The Breaking Point: How perimenopause manifested as severe anxiety, depression, inability to perform basic work tasks, and suicidal thoughts—all while doctors missed the diagnosis despite regular blood tests and private healthcare access.• HRT as a Lifeline: Tracey's experience of feeling improvement within 15 hours of starting HRT, emphasizing how life-changing appropriate treatment can be when hormonal imbalance is the root cause—not just anxiety or mental health issues.• Misdiagnosis & Inappropriate Treatment: Being prescribed anti-anxiety medications that made symptoms worse, undergoing CBT, and the dangers of treating perimenopause symptoms as purely psychological without addressing hormonal changes.• Finding Purpose Through Pain: How watching Davina McCall's menopause documentary and recognizing herself in other women's stories inspired Tracey to become a coach—determined that no one else should go through this alone and searching for support groups that didn't exist in London.• The Power of Listening: Learning through menopause coaching training that simply being heard and having space to process emotions can be transformative—practice clients experienced significant changes just from having someone listen without judgment, including a 36-year-old client who felt angry and let down by her body.• Building Workplace Support: Creating menopause support groups in her law firm, bringing in medical experts like doctors from Menopause Care (Dr. Andrews) and nutritionists, organizing coffee mornings and Q&A sessions, and working to establish group coaching programs in corporate environments.• From Quiet Introvert to Confident Coach: Tracey's journey from being too anxious to speak in large groups to now delivering presentations and running support sessions—proving that you don't need to be loud or extroverted to be an effective coach. Starting with breakout room confidence and building to full presentations.• The ADHD Connection: Exploring the intersection between ADHD, perimenopause, and how hormonal changes can unmask or exacerbate neurodivergent traits—a growing area of interest for future support work, particularly relevant as both her sons are being assessed for ADHD.• Practical Menopause Plan Tools: Implementing simple but effective strategies from coaching training like drinking more water, using sensory anchoring (lavender rollers for stress management), decluttering for mental clarity, and creating personalized menopause plans that address individual needs.• Live Learning Matters: Why Tracey chose Women of a Certain Stage for its live, interactive format with expert speakers rather than pre-recorded AI-generated programs—valuing the human connection, diverse expertise (breast cancer nurses, prolapse specialists, business mentors, confidence coaches), and ongoing 12-month support.• Community Connection: The power of meeting fellow graduates in person at events like The Pause gathering, building lasting relationships with women from different cohorts, and creating a global network of support.Timestamps:[00:01:00] Corporate breakdown and missing the diagnosis [00:03:00] The personal trainer who changed everything [00:06:00] Dark days: anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and finding hope [00:08:00] Discovering menopause through social media and podcasts [00:10:00] Returning to work with new purpose [00:13:00] Finding Women of a Certain Stage through AI search [00:15:00] The transformation of practice clients [00:17:00] Building confidence as an introvert coach [00:19:00] Workplace menopause initiatives and events [00:22:00] Meeting fellow graduates in real life [00:25:00] Future plans: ADHD and menopause specialization [00:28:00] Key takeaways from the Menopause Plan [00:31:00] Message to quiet women: you can do this tooResources:• Women of a Certain Stage Menopause Coaching Diploma: https://womenofacertainstage.lpages.co/menopause_coach/• Free guide: "Top 5 evidence-based menopause resources" → womenofacertainstage.com/menopause-resources• Davina McCall's menopause documentary (mentioned as a catalyst for awareness)• Dr. Louise Newson and Menopause Care resources• Dr. Naomi Potter's Menopause Care practice• Experts mentioned: Avril Bloom, Dr. Shahzadi Harper (Dr. Moco)Let us know if you're liking the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/tex...Support the show https://www.buzzsprout.com/2261882/su...Meet your Lauren:Lauren is the founder of Women of a Certain Stage and creator of the Become a Menopause Coach diploma program. With multiple coaching qualifications and a passion for supporting women through midlife transition, Lauren has created a live, interactive coaching program that combines expert knowledge with practical coaching skills and ongoing community support.Lauren's program is recognized internationally, with graduates supporting women in over 50 countries. She is dedicated to providing evidence-based menopause education, hands-on coaching practice, live expert Q&As, and 12 months of peer support to empower coaches worldwide.Meet Tracey Robertson:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracey-robertson-142209/Ready to transform your menopause journey or support others through theirs?Book a free discovery call today and find out how tailored menopause coaching can transform your organization and your life: https://bookme.name/womenofacertainstage/lite/tmshJoin the next cohort for hands-on coaching practice, live expert Q&As and peer support.Disclaimer: Information shared is for educational and entertainment purposes only and doesn't replace medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional.