Neurodiversity-Affirming,
Non-Diet & Weight-InclusiveDeparture Coaching Sessions:
Perimenopause & Menopause Health & Body Image Coaching
The hormonal shifts of the menopause transition can profoundly affect our relationship with food, our body, and our sense of self.
You don’t need to do this alone.
You deserve support; here’s how we can work together.
Menopause, Food, and Body Image
If you're navigating the complexities of peri/menopause, and the impact on your health, it's understandable that your relationship with food and your body might need some extra attention.
Years of food rules, restrictive diets, a rush of new midlife changes, symptoms, and emotions create challenges around nutrition and body image.
Our relationship with food profoundly affects our well-being. I’m here to partner with you while you rebuild your skills, confidence, and self-trust.
Together, we'll untangle the stories, conflicting advice, and social pressures surrounding food and body image.
We'll tailor strategies to create change, improve your health based on your individual needs and goals, and lower the stress around nutrition.
Hormone therapy, eating plans, supplements, testing, therapy, coaching, movement, mental health, sleep.The amount of menopause advice is staggering.
While these strategies can certainly help, Big Menopause wants us to spend our time thinking we’re broken and that a magic pill exists - either in a diet plan, unaccessible wellness, or supplement checkout cart.
Brain fog, menopausal mood shifts of anxiety and depression, and lack of sleep can make us wonder who we even are in this phase.
The menopause transition is going to happen to every individual who’s lucky to live long enough to go through it.
And it’s a unique ride for everyone.
Using someone else's roadmap for food, health, and body image at this age doesn’t make sense. They haven’t lived your experience.
Discover and uncover food and body image with your unique neurodivergent wiring in mind.
What can be different with
Food & Body Image Coaching🌒
Your meals and snacks are more consistent, releasing perfectionism throughout the day.
You take specific and aligned actions, demonstrating your confidence and belief in yourself.
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You allow yourself space and grace and grief for the messy, menopausal feelings.
You find acceptance in a shifting body, which doesn’t mean giving up on your values, goals, health, and yourself.
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You spend more of your precious time feeling at ease and calm around food and in your body - at dinner, on vacation, and at rest.
Let’s take a whole person approach.
Factors at Play in a Neurodivergent Menopause
Bio
Sleep challenges
Hot flashes and night sweats
Hormonal changes
Body changes
Neurodivergent wiring
Chronic dieting
Disordered eating
Nutrition status
Chronic pain
Disability
Trauma
Social
Family structure
Education
Gender
Behavior differences
Communication
Food rules
Diet culture
Medicalization of menopause
Socioeconomics
Work
Food access
Weight stigma
Trauma
Psycho
Neurodivergent wiring
Values
Beliefs
Stress
Feelings about menopause & aging
Alexithymia
Self-esteem
Ageism
Life plans & goals
Trauma
This coaching is especially for you.
You have a history of chronic or yo-yo dieting or disordered eating.
You’re looking for a non-diet, weight-inclusive, neuro-affirming menopause health coach.
You’re seeking actionable change and a personalized menopause health plan.
You’re early, late, or self-diagnosed neurodivergent, and food and body image have always felt weird, unique, or different.
You know there’s another piece to your menopause food and body image puzzle beyond hormone therapy.
You feel resourced to sit with the discomfort of resistance, internal and external factors around neurodiversity, weight bias, and weight stigma.
Coaching is not the right fit at this time if -
You have an active eating disorder and don’t have a team in place.
You’re seeking help for a clinical mental health condition and aren’t currently supported by a therapeutic team.
Your primary goal is dieting or intentional weight loss.
You’re already a client of Melinda Staehling Nutrition.
I’m so excited to support you.
Departure Coaching Sessions are 75-minute calls, and the investment is $250 -
After clicking the link below, you’ll fill out a brief inquiry form. I’ll be in touch within 48 hours to go over our next steps.
Then, you’ll book the call and I’ll send over a new client assessment form to clarify your coaching direction.
We’ll meet on Zoom for our call.
After the Session, you’ll receive feedback, a To-Do list, and coaching resources.
Click the button below to head to the inquiry form.
I’m all in!
Let’s Get Started.
Meet Your Coach
Hello, hi! 👋🌝👾 I’m Melinda Staehling, MS, CNS®. I’m a coach, private practice owner, and educator. I’m the founder of Departure Menopause.
Since 2018, I’ve been growing and refining my coaching and values around nutrition and body image, supporting hundreds of people on their menopause path.
My coaching sessions are compassionate, supportive, and creative, with just the right amount of challenging growth.
I’m looking forward to working with you - to close the gap between the health change you want and taking that next step.
FAQs
How much do Departure Coaching Sessions cost?
The initial session 75-minute session is $250.
When do sessions take place?
Sessions are usually Monday, Tuesday, or Thursdays between 10am-4pm, PST
What challenges do we work on in the sessions?
If we’re meeting for the first time, we can review your menopause plan, including your symptoms, action steps, and healthcare team, to identify any gaps or next steps.
We might develop scripts for weight-inclusive approaches with your healthcare providers to get the most out of appointments and minimize healthcare avoidance. We can also examine nutrition, movement, stress, and sleep and create change to implement through a coaching lens.
I work with people who are at the very beginning of their journey to changing their relationship with food and body image after years of chronic dieting. I also work with people who are farther along on that path, like clinicians, who want to take actionable steps with a trusted partner.
Is anything off-limits?
While I welcome open discussion and will keep all information confidential, coaching is not medical advice or nutrition therapy. Melinda does not offer specific recommendations on the dosage of pharmaceuticals or supplements, and there are no personalized, medically tailored meal plans. Departure Menopause will never partner with a supplement company for affiliate sales.
Do you work with eating disorders?
If you have an eating disorder, are in recovery, or are seeking a diagnosis, we can work together if we determine as a team that it’s safe to proceed with coaching at the virtual outpatient level of care.
This usually means that, at a minimum, you are working or have worked with a dietitian, a therapist, and your medical providers. Other providers on the team might include a psychiatrist or trainer.
How long does coaching take?
The length of time can vary from person to person. Some clients are interested in a single coaching session to address specific goals related to peri- or menopausal health and body image, while other clients stay on for longer for connection and in-depth support.
What if I want to lose weight?
In a weight-centric world and at a time in life when body changes and body image shifts can feel overwhelming, I welcome discussion around the desire for weight loss, coupled with the impact of weight bias and weight stigma.
However, we aren't the best fit if you seek weight loss as the primary intention of coaching.
Is coaching like nutrition counseling or therapy?
Coaching is a framework to work with situational issues like the menopause transition, establish a coaching relationship, and work toward specific outcomes and goals through reflection and the change process.
This work offers different evidence-based interventions and explores what feels most relevant to your life and health goals.
Coaching is not a substitute for support from your medical team. Coaching does not provide advice on hormone therapy or act as a substitute for mental health therapy.
I’ve had my first session, and I’m ready for more; now what?
After the initial 75-minute session, follow-up sessions are $200 for each 50-minute session and are available in packages of 1, 3, and 5 sessions.
How do I book my first session?!
👉Click here to go to the inquiry form.