We begin with an introductory session to set the stage and guide you through what’s ahead.Â
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We will dive into 5 weeklynutrition & lifestyle lectures,
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These are complimented with 5 weeklyyoga, breath, meditation & relaxation practices.Â
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After every session, there’s space for Q&A, so your questions are heard and answered.Â
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You’ll also receive practical handouts to keep the insights close at hand and easy to apply in daily life.
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As the weeks unfold, we’ll come together for a closing integration discussion, bringing everything full circle and helping you carry these tools forward.
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The course is designed to fit your life, learn at your own pace, on your own schedule, with lifetime access so you can revisit the content whenever you need it.Â
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And you won’t be doing this alone: our WhatsApp group connects you with women walking the same path, offering support, encouragement, and understanding.
Session 1: Understanding the Transition: More Than a Hormone Deficiency
Discover what’s actually happening during perimenopause and menopause. We will cover:
Changing hormone patterns
Symptom triggers and why symptoms fluctuate
The role of stress, inflammation and gut health
The importance of foundational nutrients
How to reframe this transition as a time of recalibration rather than decline
Session 2: Energy, Blood Sugar & Weight: Resetting Your Metabolism
Learn how shifts in insulin, cortisol and thyroid function can influence energy, appetite, cravings and weight. You’ll learn:
Simple strategies for blood sugar balance
How to support stable energy throughout the day
How thyroid health impacts symptoms
How nutrition, sleep and stress impact weight and metabolism
Session 3: Mood, Mind, Sleep & Pelvic Health: Supporting the Nervous System
Understand why brain fog, low mood, anxiety, poor memory and sleep disturbances become more common during this transition. We explore:
Hormones and neurotransmitters
The gut–brain connection and why gut health matters
The vagus nerve and its role in calm and resilience
Practical strategies for restoring calm, clarity and better sleep
Pelvic health including loss of libido and vaginal health
Session 4: Heart & Bones: Foundations of Long-Term Health
Explore how hormonal shifts influence cardiovascular and bone health, two key pillars of long-term wellbeing. You will learn:
How oestrogen supports vascular health and why heart health needs attention at this stage
Modifiable lifestyle and nutritional factors that support cardiovascular health
How bone remodelling changes during perimenopause and menopause
Key nutrients and habits that support strong bones
Session 5: Pulling It All Together: How to Thrive in Midlife and Beyond
We’ll integrate everything you’ve learned, identify your personal priorities, and create realistic, sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will serve as your blueprint for the coming years.
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Yoga Workshops Â
with Valerie SmythÂ
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Session 1 - Yoga for hot flushes & night sweatsÂ
Session 2 Â - Yoga for Menopause Rage & Irritability
Session 5 - The Menopause Bridge (bringing it all together)
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Each yoga practice is woven into the themes explored throughout the course, creating a seamless journey of movement and reflection.Â
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Sessions blend dynamic poses with restorative postures and deep relaxation, offering both energy and calm.Â
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Breathing techniques are carefully chosen to support the psychological and physical symptoms of menopause, helping you feel more balanced and at ease.
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You’ll discover how menopause can be understood through the lens of Yoga Philosophy, and explore Eastern cultural perspectives that frame this life stage as part of a woman’s true purpose.Â
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Alongside the practices, you’ll be introduced to theoretical frameworks from both Ayurvedic science and Traditional Chinese Medicine, opening up alternative ways of seeing and experiencing this transition.
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Every class includes meditation, mindset training, and space for self‑reflection.Â
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Journalling is encouraged, both during sessions and at home, as a way to deepen your insights.Â
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And at the end of each practice, we gather in a Women’s Circle — a supportive space to share, connect, and feel heard.
Yoga has been at the heart of Valerie’s life since her early twenties, and sharing its benefits has become her greatest passion. After years in the corporate world of science and finance, she realised that life no longer aligned with her values. Following the birth of her second child, she retrained as a yoga teacher — a decision that transformed her path.
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Motherhood has been one of Valerie’s most profound journeys, and from the beginning she felt called to support women through pregnancy and the postnatal period. As she and her clients have grown older together, she has witnessed the challenges women face in midlife and beyond, deepening her commitment to guiding them through every stage.
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Valerie believes yoga is for everyone. Each woman is unique, and the “one‑size‑fits‑all” approach doesn’t reflect that. Over the years she has seen that most women aren’t seeking acrobatic poses — they want a safe, supportive space to slow down, rest, and reconnect with themselves.
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Her teaching style helps women uncover the tools they already hold within. Grounded in Yoga Philosophy, her classes create space to listen to the body, honour intuition, and move in ways that feel right in the moment. This approach fosters lasting change, helping women connect more deeply to themselves, to others, and to the world — carrying peace, stillness, and grace off the mat and into daily life.
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Community is central to Valerie’s work. Many women return to her classes with their second or third babies, finding strength in the shared journey. She believes the old saying still holds true: it takes a village to raise a child. In today’s disconnected world, women need spaces to come together, share wisdom, support one another, and honour their experiences — so these learnings can be passed down to the next generation.
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Qualifications & CredentialsÂ
240 Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Appleyoga, UK
100 Hour Prenatal, Postnatal & Baby Yoga Teacher Training with Appleyoga, UK
40 Hour Menopause Yoga Teacher Training with MenopauseYoga, UK
Valerie has undertaken many other yoga trainings including Anatomy & Physiology, Yoga Philosophy & Yin Yoga.
She also has a BSc (Hons) degree in Biological Sciences and Chartered qualifications in Accountancy & Corporate Taxation. Â
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“If you've had enough of feeling battered by the hormonal changes in peri-menopause and tired of being tired while watching the weight creep up,Â
I couldn't recommend Charlotte Bennett highly enough."
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About CharlotteÂ
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Charlotte Bennett is a Nutritional Therapist with a strong foundation in Functional Medicine and my work is rooted in a very personal journey. When Charlotte's daughter became chronically unwell aged 6, she spent years searching for answers: endless specialists, countless tests and no clear explanation or diagnosis for her constant pain and fatigue. That experience ignited her drive to understand the deeper, evidence-based links between nutrition, lifestyle and long-term health.
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This led Charlotte to train at The College of Naturopathic Medicine in London, where she immersed myself in the science of nutritional therapy. It was during this time that she connected with a Functional Medicine practitioner who identified the root cause of her daughter’s symptoms - she had chronic Lyme Disease. With targeted treatment and a nutrition plan personalised to her needs, her symptoms slowly began to ease and it then transformed the way Charlotte approached health.
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Today, Charlotte specialises in supporting women through perimenopause and menopause, helping them feel more balanced, energised and in control of their bodies again. Her personalised approach blends evidence-informed nutrition with compassionate, practical support, so women can make realistic changes that fit their lives and lead to meaningful, lasting results.
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Qualifications & Credentials Diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition, The College of Naturopathic Medicine, London Registered with BANT, ANP & CNHC Currently training in Functional Medicine with FMU