A Biopsychosocial Approach to Menopause Symptoms Application of a Cognitive Behavioural Approach
Introduction
On Friday September 12, 2025, Dr. Melanie Smith will deliver a half-day workshop on the biopsychosocial approach to menopause symptoms within the context of CBT.
Workshop Outline
Menopause is a natural event that takes place within a broader psychosocial context and research shows that women’s experiences will vary considerably. Common symptoms including vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats), insomnia and fatigue are time limited but for 16-40% have a significant impact on quality of life and wellbeing.
The biopsychosocial perspective moves away from a primarily biomedical model, and recognizes other factors that influence women’s experience of menopause, including stress, cognitive behavioural responses to symptoms, and beliefs and expectations about the menopause itself. This is important for women who are unable to take hormonal therapies due to concurrent or historical health issues, or for women who wish to seek alternative non-hormonal strategies.
Cognitive behavioural therapy is a biopsychosocial approach to menopausal symptoms that aims to equip women with information to normalize their experience of menopause, and give them strategies to manage troublesome symptoms. It has been endorsed as an evidence based approach by the British Menopause Society and the North American Menopause Society.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will learn to:
- Understand the role of a biopsychosocial approach to menopause and psycho-sociocultural factors that influence women’s experience of menopause
- Gain an overview of a cognitive behavioural approach for menopause symptoms, including hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, and stress
- Support women in order to normalize their experience and develop coping strategies to support themselves through the menopausal transition.
Can’t attend the live streamed version of this workshop? All of our workshops are also available as pre-recorded on-demand videos that you can watch when you want. All are available 10 working days after the live date presentation for up to one year.