Menopause retreats and classes are on the rise

Hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, vaginal dryness and weight gain are all common symptoms of menopause. And for the most part, talking about it has been taboo.

But the mood has swung, and “the change in life” that’s been shrouded in secrecy all these years is being met head on — even celebrated — with treatments, workshops and camaraderie.

The menopause movement is also trending in travel. There are resorts and hotels offering tailored amenities and programming including experts advising how to cope with menopause with solid tips about supplements, nutrition and exercise. The idea is to help women with take-away advice while also providing a vacation to relax, meet others who are also going through the second spring and leave with coping skills to deal with the uncomfortable symptoms.

“Menopause retreats are a welcome new trend,” says Kathleen Jordan, chief medical officer at MIDI Health, a virtual clinic for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. “The wave of recognizing menopause as a very real stressor is here and retreats are part of the solution.”

A menopause retreat done well is women talking to other women — sharing their stories and creating community — but also sharing information and engaging in conversations on best practices to navigate this time of life, Jordan says.

For participants, it’s a good idea to understand the agenda, Jordan says. Are you looking for pampering and a more spa-like experience? Or are you seeking expert information? Or is it a time to form a community and practice and learn self-care? Each of these can be included in a menopause retreat but to different depths and lengths.

“I personally love when I get asked to stop by a menopause retreat and answer questions,” Jordan says. “As a clinician and menopause provider, questions for me are often centered around the role of hormone replacement therapy, supplements or just reviewing the evidence on a variety of interventions.”

Menopause happens in midlife — when both stressors and responsibilities run high, including caring for aging parents, dealing with child care and sometimes dealing with layered financial and job responsibilities. These factors can contribute to poor sleep, high stress levels and just overall not feeling well, says Jordan.

“Layer on top of those signs and symptoms of hormone depletion, which adds physical stressors, and you have all the makings of someone who could benefit from a retreat. These retreats often include a component of mindfulness, meditation and exercise, which each can be powerful tools in self-help.”

For some, the idea that they are not alone is golden for many women. “The sense of community can be in itself healing,” Jordan says, “and the communal orientation on taking care of self is palpable, and what I hope lives long after the retreat itself — women helping other women, what’s not to love about this?”

Brooklynite Gabriele Sewtz attended fitness influencer Hannah Eden’s Dare2Be: Empowered Retreat in Spicewood, Texas (just outside of Austin) in January.

“Before committing to the retreat, I had endured four years’ worth of unpredictable perimenopause symptoms starting around February 2020,” Sewtz says. “Despite living a healthy lifestyle, I found my body changing inexplicably with bloating, fatigue and elevated body temperature. My daily running on the treadmill helped to some extent. Still, I soon realized that the exercise of my youth was no match against the menopausal bulge.”

At a crossroads of what else to do to help, Sewtz signed on for the holistic programming and embraced the mentorship at the retreat. She participated in morning guided meditations, exercise classes and healing modalities, including two breathwork workshops, a sound healing session, cold plunge therapy, and mindfulness seminars with open discussion during meals and on walks.

“At the retreat, it became clear that while we all experience a range of menopausal symptoms, many women struggle to openly discuss them,” Sewtz says. “The fear of not being believed or understood continues to silence women from sharing their real-life experiences. The community, for many at the retreat, was one of the first spaces where they could speak freely without judgment.”

Other menopause-focused wellness retreats have included “Thrive Through Menopause” in December 2023 in Tucson, by Stacy London, former co-host of “What Not to Wear.” The program proved popular and is planned again this year with topics ranging from stress resilience, self-compassion and emotional growth to brain health with practical strategies to help reduce brain fog to ideas for help with sexual health issues like vaginal dryness and pelvic floor strengthening.

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Mass., is another spot for a menopause retreat. And it speaks especially to women who crave a natural approach to menopause. In November, the center will host “Unearthing the Wisdom of Menopause: Rituals for Self-Care and Discovery.”

“We just started offering this program last September recognizing the need in the market to help women navigate the journey of menopause,” says Tracy Williams, senior director of marketing. The program offers yoga, share circles, breathwork and Ayurvedic principles. All-natural meals also are offered daily with an emphasis on herbs, foods and self-care methods to “tame the heat and encourage sleep.”

“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see people talk openly about menopause,” says Mindy Pelz, author of “The Menopause Reset.” “For years I’ve heard the same story from my clients, over and over and over — their doctor didn’t take their menopause symptoms seriously, they felt like their body and brain had completely changed overnight, and they didn’t talk to other women about it because they thought they were alone,” Pelz says. “But that’s finally changing and it’s so amazing to see.”