Second Spring

by Kate Codrington

Overview

The ultimate positive, practical guide to menopause.

‘The ‘Artists Way’ of menopause’ Sophie Fletcher, author of the bestselling Mindful Hypnobirthing, Mindful Mamma and Mindful Menopause

It’s time to re-frame menopause.

Perimenopause can sometimes feel like the rug has been pulled from under our feet and this can leave us feeling disempowered and lost. Second Spring is a new kind of menopause book, bringing the radical notion that with small changes and a clear-eyed look at what’s no longer serving you, you can reclaim your vitality and joy in life.

Second Spring offers a new vision for menopause, mapping the psychological phases and showing how this period in your life can be a time of personal growth. Like your slightly sweary best friend, Kate Codrington guides you through managing physical challenges with lifestyle changes and understanding what might be causing them. Whether you choose a natural route, HRT or a combination of both, there’s a wealth of self-care practices available here to soothe your symptoms. These include journaling prompts, practical tips and soulful enquiries real-life solutions for managing symptoms with kindness, helping you to become the person you always longed to be.

What we need in challenging times is not shame or pushing through, but to treat ourselves with care and compassion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780008469757
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	05/03/2022
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 9.21(h) x (d)

About the Author

Kate Codrington is a menstrual and menopause mentor and workshop facilitator and has been a therapist for more than 25 years. She has featured in Time Out, The Evening Standard, the London Metro and written for wellbeing publications including Well Doing, Juno Magazine, Counsellors Cafe, Mind Body Green Rebelle Society and Massage Magazine.

Kate was the first person in the world to graduate as a Medicine Circle facilitator and is one of the most experienced practitioners of the method. Now, in partnership with Leora Leboff she runs Woman Kind retreats, facilitating virtual and real-life retreats for groups of menstruating and menopausal women and therapists to build more kindness into their lives.

Table of Contents

Foreword 11

Introduction 15

Life Seasons

1 The Life Seasons 28

2 The basics 36

3 It's your hormones 37

4 A horrible history of menopause 49

5 Menopause gives us an evolutionary edge 57

6 You can prepare for the perimenopause 58

7 Honour the blood and tears 65

8 Suicide 66

9 Symptoms vary by culture 70

10 When to use HRT 77

11 What to ask your doctor 83

12 Complementary allies 86

13 Multi-gendered pause 89

14 Learning to rest 94

15 Yoga nidra - the ultimate rest 99

16 The Menstruality Medicine Circle 103

Separation

17 Separation: the first phase of menopause 116

18 The gifts of Separation 125

19 Is this it? 126

20 It feels like you're going mad, but in fact you're growing sane 130

21 There are some symptoms that no one tells you about 134

22 What about early menopause? 138

23 What about induced menopause? 141

24 You are not alone 149

25 Your body knows how to do this 152

26 Teenage kicks 154

27 Meet the Autumn woman 158

28 Food and mood 160

29 Eat well, feel well 165

30 Our culture makes it worse 173

31 Environmental damage 176

32 You will be hotter 179

33 Tame your inner critic 182

34 Sense and sensitivity 189

35 Your brain is growing 194

36 Your sleep may suffer 197

37 You will shed identities 201

38 No more babies 207

39 Rage and grief 213

Surrender

40 Surrender: the second phase of menopause 222

41 Be with the Unknown 230

42 Let go and listen 232

43 Birth your self 236

44 Self-care for Surrender 238

45 Heal those wounds 241

46 Small kindnesses make for big change 248

47 Your menopausal partner needs you 251

48 Sex can get worse 253

49 Sex can get much, much better 257

50 Contraception 261

51 Lunar charting 267

52 How to change 271

53 You need your girlfriends 275

54 Love your bones 280

55 The womb speaks 284

56 Your 'downstairs' department speaks 290

57 We need a gap year 294

58 Menopause at work 298

59 The power of NO to say YES to yourself 304

60 You will be asked to let go some more 309

Emergence

61 Emergence: the third phase of menopause 314

62 Learning to trust 321

63 Holding the charge 324

64 Learning to receive 327

65 Finding your calling 330

66 Make friends with death 334

67 Redefine how to be a woman 337

68 We need role models 342

Second Spring

69 You will enter Second Spring 348

70 Caring for your Second Spring self 360

71 You need a party 364

72 Welcome home to yourself 366

Acknowledgements 369

Notes 371

Resources 392

Editorial Reviews

‘The best book on menopause out there’ Kimberly Ann Johnson

‘Frank, smart, friendly. As comprehensive as they come’ Independent

‘This is a wonderful book to accompany you through menopause’

Alexandra Pope, Red School

‘Thank you Kate for bringing this beauty to us all, as you know, we need it!’

Jane Hardwicke Collins, The School of Shamanic Womancraft

‘I finally have a book I can wholeheartedly recommend’

Jane Bennett, Chalice Foundation

"I love this book, we NEED this book … Thank the goddess for Kate who has offered up a new vision, a more inspiring and positive approach, anchored firmly in self-care, self-kindness and most importantly, self-power."

Lisa Lister, author of Code Red, Love Your Lady Landscape and Witch

‘A wealth of guidance to navigate and celebrate the mind body and spirit aspects of the menopausal journey.’

Tami Lynn Kent, author of Wild Feminine

‘I can think of dozens of women I want to send this book to!’

Karen Brody, author of Daring to Rest

‘Lives will be changed via the research, stories and clear pathways that this book provides. I consider it a 'map to menopause' and I’m so excited it exists.’

Claire Baker, author of 50 Things You Need to Know About Periods

Kate's inside knowledge is a must-read

Helen Rohlicek, School of Abdominal-Sacral Massage

Thoughtful and reflective and yet at the same time celebratory and humorous

Suzanne Yates, Well Mother

‘Kate Codrington’s guide knits individual experiences and sound advice into a rich patchwork telling of women’s varied transitions through menopause. It is hopeful, truthful and wise.’

Susie Orbach, psychotherapist and author of Fat Is A Feminist Issue

From the Publisher