Menopause-Informed Therapy: Finding Support with the EMBERS® Model
Written by: Aprill Moxley, LMHC
Navigating the Menopause Transition
Perimenopause and menopause bring a unique mix of physical, emotional, and lifestyle changes. Sleep may be disrupted, moods can shift, energy often dips—and at times, it can feel like you’ve lost a sense of who you are. While these challenges are very real, they don’t have to define your experience.
As a menopause-informed therapist trained in EMBERS® Menopause-Informed CBT, I take a holistic and integrative approach, curating care to each woman’s unique needs. This means drawing from different therapy modalities, focusing on resilience, meaning, and healthier lifestyle practices that support both mind and body. I also work with clients to notice unhelpful patterns, build sustainable new habits, and—importantly—learn to become their own best advocates.
At the heart of this work is helping women grow through this transition. The focus is on cultivating self-compassion, rediscovering joy in life and relationships, and moving forward with greater optimism and well-being.
What Is EMBERS® Menopause-Informed CBT?
The EMBERS® model is a structured, six-stage framework designed to help women regain balance, confidence, and clarity during perimenopause and menopause. By looking at the body, mind, and environment together, EMBERS® gives you practical tools to manage symptoms while building resilience and creating habits that last.
Here’s a closer look at the six stages of EMBERS®:
E – Essentials
Brings balance back to the body through lifestyle adjustments and CBT tools—things like breathwork, movement, nutrition, rest, and play. This stage supports restorative sleep and helps manage common symptoms.
M – Mind and Mindset
Shifts unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that often show up during menopause, with strategies to ease patterns of anxiety, depression, irritability, or mood swings.
B – Becoming
Encourages reflection on values, goals, and priorities to help you reconnect with your identity and purpose in midlife—supported by small, sustainable habit changes.
E – Emotional Fitness
Builds emotional resilience and regulation skills so you can ride out mood swings, reduce reactivity, and better cope with feelings like sadness, anxiety, or irritability.
R – Relationships and Resilience
Strengthens your support system and deepens connection with others, while cultivating optimism, self-compassion, and the resilience you need to thrive.
S – Shape-Up
Helps identify areas of life ready for renewal and offers strategies to boost motivation, sustain habits, and make lasting change.
How Therapy Can Help During Menopause
If you’re moving through perimenopause or menopause, know you don’t have to go through it alone. With the right support, this transition can be a powerful new beginning—an opportunity to care for your whole self and embrace some of the most rewarding years ahead.
If this resonates with you and you’re curious about how menopause-informed therapy could support your journey, I’d love to connect. Whether you’re just starting to notice changes or already in the thick of it, you don’t have to navigate this alone. Together, we can find practical tools, new perspectives, and lasting habits that help you feel more like yourself—and even discover new possibilities in this next chapter.
Ready to feel supported through perimenopause or menopause?
At Health Psychology Associates, Aprill Moxley, LMHC is specially trained in the EMBERS® Menopause-Informed CBT framework to help women ease symptoms, build resilience, and embrace this season of life with confidence.
You don’t have to navigate this transition alone. Aprill offers a compassionate, evidence-based approach designed to support both your emotional and physical well-being.
CLICK HERE to book an appointment with Aprill and learn how menopause-informed therapy can make a difference for you.
