Shared Medical Appointments-Mastering Menopause course

Mastering Menopause with Dr Ivana Matic-Stancin

Dr Ivana offers group appointments on Saturdays to women experiencing symptoms of perimenopausal transition. Dr Ivana is a fellow of the Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society and a member of the Australasian Menopause Society and the British Menopause Society.

MASTERING Menopause course/SMA:

SMA is a group session with Dr Ivana and 5-10 perimenopausal women. SMA is a private clinic named Mastering Menopause.

SMA complies with Medicare requirements and requires all participants to sign and adhere to a confidentiality agreement. It offers a valuable opportunity to spend 60-90 minutes with a health professional and a group of women experiencing similar menopausal symptoms.

SMA provides a different approach to understanding the physiology of Menopause and ways to improve health and ease symptoms during this natural hormonal transition, which can sometimes be quite challenging. SMA is delivered through a 6-week program.

The six-week program is based on the most common psychological tool, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT, explained simply, is about how we think and feel about body sensations, and how to connect with and understand our thoughts and feelings. That connection means that once we know our body and mind, we can gain better control over our thinking and behaviour, ultimately reducing symptoms. CBT is a useful tool for building emotional awareness and regulation. The program is a valuable adjunct regardless of whether one is on HRT (MHT).

This program is an evidence-based, proven, non-pharmacological intervention for managing hot flashes, mood swings, and night sweats in perimenopausal women. The British Menopause Society endorses the program.

This program is offered several times a year in a small group setting. It runs over six consecutive Saturdays from 1 to 2.30 p.m.

Dr Ivana is offering a free information session a few weeks before the program begins. For dates and details, please ring the clinic.

The groups are small, and places are limited. Any woman can enrol in the program, even if she is not a regular patient at Maxwell Medical Group.