I find myself increasingly drawn to the company of women. It feels right, natural and easy. And now is the time for women to come together, listen to one another and learn from each other's experiences.
For many years, I have had the privilege of hearing hundreds of women's voices through my research, podcast, book and community work. My research has mainly involved surveys and focus groups to hear how women feel about various topics, such as menstruation, menopause, wild swimming, drumming and attending a wellness festival. On my podcast, Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me This?, women have generously shared their experiences and wisdom. While researching my book, Your Joyful Years, I interviewed 50 remarkable women, learning from their journeys through midlife and beyond. On my book tour, I have continued those conversations in small communities around the country, learning from the experiences of women from all walks of life.
For more than eight years, I have hosted a monthly women's group, The Purple Tent, where women come together to connect, reflect and support one another. More recently, I completed a coaching course, creating another opportunity for women to explore their challenges, aspirations and hopes in a one-to-one setting.
A quote from Your Joyful Years
“The importance of women’s circles lies in their ability to provide emotional healing, reduce feelings of isolation, and offer strength in times of need. Research shows that social connections improve mental health, reduce stress, and boost physical wellbeing. In women’s circles, participants gain wisdom from shared stories and experiences, empowering one another to grow, reclaim their voices, and navigate life’s challenges. In an era where many women feel overwhelmed by the pressures of modern life, women’s circles offer a return to community, belonging, and shared human experience. Whether through sacred rituals, collective activism, or simply shared emotional support, these gatherings remain timeless pillars of female empowerment, resilience, and sisterhood.”
This belief in the power of shared stories and connection has inspired me to create opportunities for women to come together in small groups. I have taken this beyond my immediate community by offering several retreats in the coming year, which I am running with brilliant women including Sophie Messager, Stella Duffy and Wendy Yorke. Some of these are especially for women who feel that they have been silenced for too long – to give them the space to speak about their experiences, including childhood, puberty, menstruation, fertility, perimenopause, love, anger, grief, lifestyle and much more. All of the retreats are for no more than 12 women. We have our 1-day Menopause Ceremony, a 3 day retreat Your Joyful Years: Being the Change Through Menopause and Beyond and our sell out 7 day Wild swim and yoga retreat. Full details can be found here.
Through these retreats I am hoping that when we come together with other women, we may find opportunities to nourish one another, listen, connect, reconnect, nurture, cry, laugh, sing, and share our stories. Many say that their creativity comes alive during these times and they get in their flow, which may have been suppressed for a long time.
And then there is dance. Dance has always been very important to me. I did ballet and tap as a child and often performed. I would have loved to be a professional dancer. I've never stopped dancing and still regularly go to day raves and music festivals. I have loved leading ecstatic dance, taking women through the stages of their life cycle. I have named this the Dance of the Sisterhood, with each piece of music carefully curated to reflect this journey. Some women have told me that this is the most powerful part of the events I run.
How do you connect with other women in your life? What role has sisterhood played in your journey?
The photo is from our first menopause ceremony.
This blog was inspired by an amazing weekend spent with 30 women at an event called Tribe, organised by the brilliant Melonie Syrett, the Drum Woman.
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