Embracing Menopause… 5-week online course

Join Swami Karma Karuna together with Dr Marissa Kelaher, Shanti Smith, Ana Norambuena, and Rita Scholten for a 5-week online course!

Discover new ways to relate to and navigate this chapter of your womanhood. Empower your unique journey with deepening your understanding of what is moving within you at this time through this interactive, educational and nourishing online workshop series with experienced New Zealand health and wellbeing practitioners.

For women from peri-menopause into and through menopause, for any ages of 35+. All are welcome!

Timing & Schedule

5 live sessions on Tuesdays: April 28 – May 26

Times for various timezones:

UK & European morning: 8-10am BST, 9-11am CEST

Australia & NZ afternoon/evening: AEST 5-7pm, NZST 7-9pm

Recordings of theory content of the live sessions will be made available following each session.

Investment

5-week course participation: NZ$115/165/235 (community supported / sustaining rate / pay-it-forward)

Recordings only: NZ$75

We also have 3 koha tickets for those who cannot afford either of the above rates.

Session Overview

28 April: Session 1 – The Thresholds of Menopause: The journey from cocoon to rebirth – with Rita Scholten

5 May: Session 2 – Hormones during Perimenopause/Menopause – with Dr Marissa Kelaher

12 May: Session 3 – The Nervous System Toolkit: Yogic Support for Regulation, Sleep and Vitality – with Karma Karuna

19 May: Session 4 – Hormonal Balance and the Gut-Brain-Connection, plus key nutrients for on-going wellness – with Shanti Smith

26 May: Session 5 – Menopause and the Emotional Body – with Ana Norambuena

Session Content

Session 1: The Thresholds of Menopause: The journey from cocoon to rebirth: These are the pre and menopausal years where a reversal is happening from the teenage years. Again wings are spreading yet this time through a longer period as many life stages are purified, brought to the mirror and the sword. After many years a whole new human being has emerged. This is an interactive exploration guided by Rita Scholten.

Rita facilitates threshold ceremonies to consciously mark life stages. Mainly through the Rites of Passage Foundation as well in private life she assists young people to become a young adult. Recently, she is embarking on the path to become a fledging Elder, a life stage that is knocking on her door.

Session 2: Hormones during Perimenopause/Menopause – Marissa will cover what occurs to hormones during perimenopause/menopause, how these impact on health and well-being (and what/why common symptoms occur), plus lifestyle and nutrition strategies that can help. She also has a section on when to consider HRT, types available, pros and cons.

Dr Marissa Kelaher is a qualified practicing medical doctor, who also has extensive additional training in Lifestyle Medicine; Nutritional and Environmental Medicine; and Integrative Health. She has a passion for teaching people how to improve their health naturally. Dr Marissa also regularly runs health workshops, and speaks at retreats and events NZ wide.

www.yourlifestylemedics.com

Session 3: The Nervous System Toolkit: Yogic Support for Regulation, Sleep and Vitality – This session will cover theory and practice. The first part focuses on the nervous system and menopause, the importance of sleep and nervous system regulation to support the menopause transition. Includes time for questions and answers to meet your unique needs.
Then we will practice a series of practical yoga movements, breathing, mindfulness and self care techniques to manage a variety of menopause symptoms that may arise during this life change such as digestive issues, joint stiffness, headaches, changes to the skin, emotions, weight gain and insulin resistance and more. No previous yoga experience required.

Swami Karma Karuna Saraswati is an experienced yoga and meditation teacher, inspirational speaker, writer and IAYT-certified Yoga Therapist with over 30 years of experience. She also holds a certificate in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy and specializes in stress management, restorative practices, yoga psychology and women’s health. Her approach blends traditional practices with psychological insights and brain science.

Session 4: Hormonal balance and the gut-brain-connection

You will discover why gut health and a thriving microbiome are powerful allies through every stage of peri- and menopause. Explore how the gut-brain connection shapes hormonal balance, mood, and energy, and learn practical, nourishing strategies—plus key nutrients—to support resilience and ongoing wellness. Expect warmth, clarity, and a dash of humor, because this journey is about empowerment and thriving, not just surviving.

Shanti is a Naturopath, Herbalist, Colon Hydrotherapist, and holistic wellness guide with over two decades of experience. She weaves gut health—and the vital role of the microbiome—into the foundation of her work, guiding others to lasting vitality by reconnecting body, mind, and spirit in a way that feels both natural and sustainable. She provides a variety of functional testing options, including comprehensive hormone panels and in-depth gut microbiome analysis, with appointments available both online and in person.

https://thrivetherapies.co.nz/

Session 5: Menopause and the Emotional Body / Discovery into the transition of who you are becoming

Menopause is not just a physical transition — it is a significant process that invites honest reflection and opens the doorways to personal transformation. Together, we will explore how this transition can become a powerful opportunity to pause, re-evaluate, and re-design life in alignment with who you are now — and who you are becoming.

Ana meets women where they are — raw, real, rising. She brings presence and love, welcoming both the cracking open and the fierce clarity that often comes with it. In her space, you’re not asked to be less — you’re invited to become more of who you truly are.

Teacher

Swami Karma Karuna Saraswati is an engaging, intuitive yoga and meditation teacher, inspirational speaker, writer and IAYT certified Yoga Therapist with 30 years of experience in the yoga field including significant training in Nepal and India and ongoing training in the ashram with her teachers.

She is also certified by Yoga Alliance and is a senior teacher of Yoga Australia/New Zealand. A Bachelor of Arts in Interpersonal Communications with a minor in Psychology determined an early interest in working with groups and individuals. Swami Karma Karuna specialises in a range or areas such as Yoga Nidra, Restorative Yoga, Prana, Chakras, Yoga Psychology and Women’s Health. She is also a co-founder and director of Anahata Yoga Retreat, New Zealand and travels throughout the world, leading workshops, training yoga teachers, presenting at international events, guiding spiritual sadhana retreats and offering therapeutic one to one yoga sessions.

Swami Karma Karuna is passionate about sharing an authentic and down to earth approach, weaving together the ancient practices with a touch of psychology and brain science aimed at motivating people to live their yoga here and now.