No. The Intentional Pause is an educational and experiential group series. It is designed to help you understand what is happening in your body during perimenopause, explore nervous-system–informed practices, and reconnect with yourself during this transition.

While topics includes a guest Menopause Doctor to discuss hormone therapy and healthcare navigation, this program does not replace medical care or therapy. It complements them by giving you context, language, and agency.

No formal diagnosis is required. Diagnosis is its own whole can of worms anyway.

Many women and AFAB enter perimenopause years before it is named or recognized. If you are noticing changes in your mood, energy, sleep, cognition, emotional resilience, or relationship with your body and suspect hormones may be part of the picture, this retreat is likely relevant.

You do not need to be certain. In fact, if you’re not sure but know it’s coming, this would be a great place for you to gain the skills, knowledge necessary to prepare.

Curiosity is enough.

Information alone rarely leads to integration.

This experience offers:

• In-person connection and conversation

• A small group

• Space to reflect, process, and make meaning

• Nervous-system–informed practices, not just content

• Guidance and facilitation throughout the retreat

Many of us already have information. What is often missing is space, support, and context to integrate it.

Very.

This transition often brings uncertainty, vulnerability, and questions about identity, health, and the future. Feeling hesitant does not mean this is the wrong choice. It often means you are standing at the edge of something meaningful.

You do not need to have everything figured out to begin.

The Intentional Pause is designed for women and AFAB in midlife who are curious about what is changing in their bodies, energy, mood, or sense of self and want informed, grounded support through this transition.

You do not need to know whether you are in perimenopause or menopause to participate.

The ideal participant may:

• Have heard about perimenopause but feel unsure how it applies to them

• Be noticing subtle or confusing changes and want clarity rather than guesswork

• Want evidence-based education to better understand hormones, stress, and the nervous system

• Value reflection, self-awareness, and learning in community

• Feel ready to slow down and listen more closely to what their body is communicating

Some participants will arrive with a clear understanding of where they are in this transition. Others will arrive with questions, curiosity, or uncertainty. Both are welcome.

Yes. This program is open to women and AFAB (assigned female at birth) individuals navigating perimenopause, menopause, or the midlife transition.

While experiences of midlife and hormonal change can vary widely across gender identities, this space is grounded in respect, consent, and inclusion. My facilitation approach centers nervous system awareness, autonomy, and honoring each person’s lived experience.

I also want to name that I continue to learn alongside participants. If you have specific needs, language requests, or questions about fit, please reach out at chrissy@chrissychard.com. I’d love to chat.

You can reach me anytime via our contact page or email at chrissy@courageousparents.com. We try to respond quickly—usually within one to two business days.

My approach is grounded, relational, and evidence-informed. I bring together nervous system science, exercise physiology, developmental psychology, leadership coaching, and lived experience to create spaces that are both structured and human.

You can expect:

• A calm, steady presence that does not rush or fix

• Clear facilitation with room for reflection and honest conversation

• Practical education alongside space to integrate what you are learning

• Respect for autonomy, choice, and different lived experiences

I am not here to tell you what to do or who to be. My role is to help you slow down, make sense of what is happening in your body and nervous system, and reconnect with your own wisdom and self-trust.

This work is thoughtful and supportive, and it is also real. We name what is hard, we stay grounded in evidence, and we make space for growth without pressure to perform or “do it right.”

There is no single “right” choice, and no verification process. I trust participants to choose the tier that aligns with their current financial reality.

If paying the full cost feels accessible and does not create stress, that helps sustain this work and allows scholarship spots to exist.

If a lower tier feels more realistic and allows you to participate without stretching yourself thin, the Community-Supported Tuition is an appropriate choice.

Scholarship Tuition is intended for those who would otherwise be unable to join.

This retreat is designed to support regulation, reflection, and growth. Choosing a price point that allows you to arrive grounded and present is part of the work.