Menopause, Brain Fog and Emotional Overwhelm: How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Can Help
If you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s or early 60s and you’re quietly thinking, “Why can’t I cope like I used to?” — you are not alone.
Many female professionals and business owners experience perimenopause and menopause as a time of unexpected emotional and mental strain. Symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, mood swings, sleep disruption and emotional imbalance can creep in gradually, leaving you feeling overstimulated, mentally exhausted and not quite like yourself anymore.
And yet, on the outside, you’re still showing up. Still working. Still caring for everyone else.
So what’s really going on — and how can solution focused hypnotherapy help?
Menopause Is Not Just About Hot Flushes
When people talk about menopause, hot flushes are often the symptom that gets the most attention. But for many women, the most distressing effects are actually neurological and emotional.
Hormonal fluctuations, particularly changes in oestrogen, affect the brain areas responsible for:
Stress regulation
Emotional processing
Sleep-wake cycles
Focus, concentration and memory
This is why so many women experience:
Brain fog and scattered thinking
Low energy and mental exhaustion
Mood swings and emotional sensitivity
Sleep disruption
Feeling overstimulated and unable to switch off
A sense of “not feeling like myself anymore”
These changes are not a sign of weakness or failure. They are a biological response to hormonal shifts that place extra pressure on the nervous system.
A Real Client Story: “I Didn’t Recognise Myself Anymore”
Susie came to see me feeling completely overwhelmed and at the end of her tether.
She was a capable, intelligent woman — a business owner, a mother and a partner — who had always described herself as positive, trusting and emotionally secure. But over the previous few years, she felt as though she had slowly lost herself.
Susie began experiencing intense insecurity and jealousy in her relationship. When her partner went out, her thoughts would spiral and her body would react with anxiety and panic. Although she knew her reactions felt irrational, she couldn’t seem to control them. These emotions would eventually surface as anger and conflict, leading to frequent arguments.
At home, Susie found herself constantly exhausted and easily overstimulated. She became snappy and impatient with her children. Her 19-year-old daughter even threatened to move out, telling her she no longer recognised her mum.
Work, which had once felt manageable, now felt overwhelming. Susie experienced brain fog, difficulty concentrating and scattered thinking. She missed deadlines, doubted her decisions and felt deeply embarrassed that she couldn’t function as she once had.
Her biggest fear was this:
“What if this is just who I am now?”
How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Helped
Through Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, we didn’t dwell on analysing everything that had gone wrong in Susie’s life.
Instead, we focused on reducing stress and supporting her nervous system.
When stress levels are high, the brain remains stuck in survival mode, which intensifies menopause symptoms such as hot flushes, sleep disruption, emotional reactivity and fatigue.
Using deep relaxation and solution focused techniques, Susie’s nervous system began to settle. As her stress levels reduced:
Her sleep quality improved
Her emotional reactions became more manageable
Her focus and concentration increased
She felt calmer and more in control at work and at home
Most importantly, Susie told me:
“I feel like myself again.”
Not a different person — just a steadier, calmer version of who she already was.
The Evidence for Hypnotherapy and Menopause Symptoms
Hypnotherapy for menopause is not a “quick fix” or a placebo-based approach. It is supported by robust clinical research.
Studies led by Dr Gary Elkins at Baylor University found that clinical hypnosis resulted in an average 70% reduction in hot flush frequency and intensity.
Participants also reported:
Improved sleep quality
Reduced anxiety
Better emotional regulation
Improved overall quality of life
Importantly, these benefits were maintained at follow-up, suggesting long-term effectiveness.
This research highlights how hypnotherapy works directly with the brain systems affected by hormonal change, helping the nervous system regain balance.
Even High-Achieving Women Struggle During Menopause
Menopause does not discriminate.
Well-known women such as Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow have all spoken openly about their experiences of menopause, including emotional overwhelm, brain fog, anxiety and sleep disruption.
These are women with access to exceptional resources — and they still found it challenging.
If you are struggling, it does not mean you are failing. It means your body and brain need support.
You Don’t Have to “Just Cope”
If you are experiencing perimenopause or menopause symptoms such as:
Brain fog and poor concentration
Fatigue and low energy
Mood swings and emotional imbalance
Sleep disruption
Hot flushes
Feeling overstimulated or not like yourself
Please know that help is available.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy offers a calm, practical and evidence-based way to support your nervous system, improve sleep, restore emotional balance and help you feel more like yourself again.
If you would like to explore how hypnotherapy for menopause could support you, you are very welcome to get in touch.
You deserve to feel clear-headed, emotionally steady and in control — not just coping, but truly well.