Understanding & Thriving Through Perimenopause

Understanding & Thriving Through Perimenopause

Presented by Princess Cole, owner of Aikido Enchanted Apothecary

with special guests:

Ahanti Rivera: Doula, Midwife, and Placenta Encapsulation Specialist.

Siri Lorece: Artist and Sound Bath Practitioner

Perimenopause is not the end. It's a powerful threshold into your next level of wisdom, vitality, and self-awareness. But most women are left confused, dismissed, or flat-out unprepared for this phase of life.

This workshop is your sacred toolkit for reclaiming the perimenopausal journey with clarity, power, and support.

1. Welcome & Grounding

• Opening intention: creating a sacred, safe space
• Quick grounding: breath + body check-in (optional short meditation or sound chime)
• Brief intro: Who you are, why this matters to you, and what participants will walk away with
• Optional: Invite attendees to drop in their age + one word describing how they feel about perimenopause in the chat

2. What Is Perimenopause?

• What perimenopause actually is and what it isn’t
• When it starts, how long it lasts, and early signs
• Hormonal shifts explained (estrogen, progesterone, and their ripple effects)
• The difference between perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause

3. Common (and not talked about) Symptoms

• Physical changes: irregular cycles, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness
• Emotional/mental shifts: anxiety, irritability, mood swings, forgetfulness
• Sleep disruptions, libido changes, hair thinning, and weight fluctuations
• Princess, Ashanti, and Siri will share all of their symptoms.

4. Rooted Remedies & Natural Support

Lifestyle Shifts

• Sleep hygiene for hormone balance
• Movement & strength training (especially over 35)
• Stress reduction: yoga, sound healing, nervous system regulation
• Whole foods approach: blood sugar balance, gut & liver support

Herbal Allies for Perimenopause

• Nervines: for anxiety & sleep (e.g., skullcap, lemon balm, passionflower)
• Adaptogens: for hormone/adrenal support (e.g., maca, ashwagandha, shatavari)
• Hormone-supportive herbs: vitex, black cohosh, dong quai, nettles, red clover
• How to take them: teas, tinctures, capsules, infused oils

Mindset & Emotional Support

• Reframing perimenopause as initiation—not decline
• Journaling, ancestral connection, affirmations, therapy
• What to do when you feel like you’re “losing it“

5. When to Get Help + Navigating Medical Gaslighting

• What labs to request (Princess will share real lab results)
• Functional vs traditional approaches
• Knowing when something’s not right (thyroid, PCOS, fibroids overlap)
• Advocating for yourself with providers, especially as Black women (Princess will be sharing a real conversation between her and her doctor)
• Why Black women often start perimenopause earlier and experience more intense symptoms
• How systemic racism, stress, and medical bias impact your hormonal health
• Cultural silence and breaking the “strong Black woman” conditioning
• Reclaiming the Wise Woman phase with ancestral tools and community care

6. Closing: What Comes Next?

• Perimenopause is a phase, not a punishment
• Honoring this season