Ep 26: Thriving Through Perimenopause and Menopause, with Clarissa Kristjansson

“When energy shifts, it’s not just your physical body. It’s your perspective on life, and how you see yourself.” -Clarissa Kristjansson, PhD

Have you ever found yourself in a difficult and confusing phase of life, wishing you had a guide—someone to sit you down, pour you a cup of tea, help you make sense of it all and show you the way forward?

If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause, Clarissa Kristjansson is your person.

Clarissa is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, educator, and an internationally recognized expert on perimenopause and menopause. She offers a wealth of practical advice and recommendations for weathering all of the changes that come with this phase of life, and encourages women to view this time as a holistic journey, and an opportunity for renewal and refocusing.

In this episode you’ll learn:

1. Why menopause is called the Second Spring in Chinese Medicine, and how it offers the perfect opportunity to rest, restore, and reflect on where you want to go

2. Why the TCM concepts of Jing (essence) and Ming (destiny) become even more important during this phase of life

3. Practical advice to help you feel your best amid the hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause, including deliberate nutrition, mindful movement, and living in harmony with the TCM body clock

4. How to create space for nourishing body and spirit through Yang Sheng Fa or “nourishing life practices”

There’s so much good stuff in this episode, and so many moments of gentle wisdom from Clarissa. Even if you’re not a person going through perimenopause or menopause, trust me—there’s something for you here too. As Clarissa reminds us, Chinese Medicine brings you back to the essence of you. That’s something we can all benefit from, in any stage of life.

Love and gratitude,

Your Acupuncturist

You can find Clarissa online at her website, on Substack, or on Instagram, and listen to her podcast, Thriving Through Menopause, wherever you get podcasts.

Clarissa Kristjansson, PhD, has been working as a holistic menopause practitioner for the last 8 years based in Sweden but working worldwide. This followed 28 years in corporate life and an academic background in nutrition and neuroscience. Her approach is rooted in Chinese medicine, Daoism and the practice of self-cultivation. She works works clients to offer a safe and supportive environment for thriving through menopause and stepping into the Second Spring. Her healing tools include Medical Qigong, Chinese food energetics and aroma point therapy to nourish life through food, movement and stillness. Clarissa hosts the Thriving Through Menopause podcast, and offers online consultations and workshops, including Medical Qigong, at her website https://clarissakristjansson.com

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Huge thanks to Clarissa Kristjansson for the great conversation, and to AudioCoffee for the music in this episode.

And endless love and gratitude to my paid subscribers for contributing to the sustainability of my work!

References:

7 Times a Woman, by Dr. Lia Andrews

All About the Chinese Body Clock