Heal, Evolve, Reignite: Navigating Midlife Mental Health

In this episode, Dawn Van Berkel, LPC, CCTP, CST, a mental health counselor and founder of H.E.R. Therapy, joins us for a discussion to explore the emotional challenges and opportunities women face during midlife and menopause. 

Dawn shares her inspiring story of going back to school in her mid-40s to earn a master’s degree in counseling, proving that reinvention is possible at any age. She wants women to know it’s never too late to make a career change, to go back to school to obtain a degree that will focus on what will make you thrive and always be learning. 

Dawn is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a perimenopause mental health specialist, certified clinical trauma professional therapist (CCTP), certified sex therapist (CST) specializing in sexual assault and advocate for women’s mental health, she helps women navigate the complex changes of midlife to reclaim and celebrate their sense of self through her practice, HER Therapy (Heal, Evolve, Reignite). In addition, EMDR and a parent coach for families with autistic children.

It’s important to recognize that the midlife and perimenopause phase of life is challenging, so each woman needs to first accept it and find ways that work best for them to move forward. Many women don’t realize symptoms like heart palpitations, debilitating anxiety, or mood changes can be connected to perimenopause and that they often go unheard by healthcare providers and feel unvalidated.

She discusses:

• The profound emotional shifts caused by hormonal fluctuations that often accompany perimenopause and menopause including anxiety, depression, and the heavy "mental load" women carry, managing both home and work life.
• The realities of trauma, not just catastrophic events, but the buildup of everyday stressors that wear down emotional resilience over time. 
• The “light at the end of the menopause tunnel” -- that research shows postmenopausal women often experience greater life satisfaction, patience and inner peace. It’s not the end, it’s a reinvention.

Dawn emphasized the importance to find the best first defense (e.g., talk therapy, antidepressants / SSRIs, hormone therapy, etc.) and to find a medical provider who understand women’s midlife health and will help you on your menopause journey. She offers practical tools like breathwork exercises (make the exhale longer than the inhale), meditation and radical self-care strategies to help women reclaim their well-being.

Connect with Dawn:

• Websites: 
  • https://www.hertherapyva.com
  • https://www.lifedoesntpause.org/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-van-berkel 
• Instagram:
  • https://www.instagram.com/hertherapyva 
  • https://www.instagram.com/lifedoesntpause