A Leeds menopause specialist is offering free workshops to school staff across West Yorkshire to help them recognise symptoms, seek appropriate care and access support at work. Melissa Sookia, a pharmacist prescriber, registered British Menopause Society menopause specialist and Founder and Clinical Director of LIVVE, has launched the offer to mark Menopause Awareness Month. The sessions will focus on chronic pain at midlife, the theme of this year’s World Menopause Day on 18 October, alongside the wider impact of perimenopause and menopause on staff wellbeing.
Muscle aches, joint pain and worsening headaches or migraines can occur during the menopause transition. Together with disrupted sleep, fatigue, anxiety and difficulty concentrating, these symptoms can make the demands of working in a school harder to manage. The workshops will help staff understand which symptoms may be associated with menopause, when further investigation is needed and what treatment and support options are available. They will also explore practical ways managers and colleagues can help.
Melissa said: “Working in a school can be physically and mentally demanding. If you are also dealing with pain, poor sleep or brain fog, getting through the day can become much harder. “Women don’t always recognise that some of what they are experiencing could be linked to perimenopause or menopause. Equally, pain should not automatically be put down to hormones. We want to help staff understand the possible connections and know when to seek further assessment.”
Schools can arrange sessions as part of INSET days, CPD programmes, staff wellbeing initiatives or after-school events. Workshops are free and can be delivered online or in person where practical, with timings arranged around the school day. The programme will cover HRT and non-hormonal treatment options, reliable sources of information and opportunities for staff to ask questions.
Melissa brings more than 20 years’ experience across community pharmacy, hospital practice and GP settings, including over 15 years as a prescriber. She is also a member of the International Menopause Society. She founded LIVVE after seeing women struggle to access specialist hormonal care, with symptoms sometimes minimised or considered separately rather than assessed together. The clinic provides perimenopause, menopause, HRT and weight management services, combining digital consultations with individual assessment, prescribing and ongoing monitoring.
Melissa added: “We want staff to leave with information they can use — whether that means having a more informed conversation with a healthcare professional, asking for support at work or better understanding what a colleague is going through. “Schools already do a great deal to support their teams. We hope this free offer gives them a practical way to put menopause awareness on the agenda.”
