“I just wanted to send a quick note to thank you for putting together the MSP program. Tonight was amazing! I am having a super stressful week with my full time job …and it’s really bringing my motivation for my passion down. Your class tonight reminded me of my why.
You are so warm and loving and supportive and I really admire you. Just wanted to say thank you again!”
~ K.N, certifying Menopause Support PractitionerÂ
It’s no secret that fertility and support does not start and end with conception and birth. Our fertility experience extends well into life and can have continuous ups and downs.
Peri-menopause and menopause are life experiences that many persons mitigate through their sometimes 30s, into their 40s and well beyond their 50s.
During this course you will learn how to support an individual through the process and experience of peri-menopause and menopause, and the many different paths their journey might take them.
The Menopause Support Practitioner workshop, co-offered with the course creator and instructor Shaunacy King, is like no other workshop offered … anywhere in the world!
Designed through careful research, community partnerships, expert feedback, and firsthand knowledge from those who have undergone the experience of peri-menopause and menopause this course will deepen your confidence in compassionate support and practices related to life’s later adjustments in female fertility, physiology, and emotionality.
Welcome to the Menopause Doula program, a program created by and led by long-time doula and reproductive advocate, Shaunacy King (former Director of DTC, current psychotherapist in the province of Ontario).
Shaunacy has created a course that is specific to supporting persons experiencing perimenopause and menopause. Shaunacy aims to provide a course that is knee-deep in research and open-ended enough to provide you with a launch pad for reaching your own goals as a community support and menopause practitioner!
Questions about this course? Please feel free to reach out directly to Shaunacy at any time.
Modules:
This course will be divided into 10 different modules with a variety of topics related to your support as a Menopause Support Practitioner.
Quizzes and Assignments:
Each section of your 10 module certification program will have a quiz at the end (done online), and a total of 6 assignments. Â The quizzes are to test your knowledge, and the assignments will be designed to help you prepare for a job helping individuals with peri-menopause and menopause support in your community.
Practicum:
There will be a two person (20 hours minimum) practicum that relates to your knowledge of your online modules. This practicum will be completed at the end of your modules, and pending submission of all other assignments. The practicum hours will take all the knowledge and skills you have developed and allow you to work on case studies in your community to further develop your confidence as a Menopause Support Practitioner.
Pre-recorded Lectures:
There will be a total of 4 pre-recorded lectures which will cover 2 module sections and will be found readily available in your Module system. As a requirement for graduation students will be asked to post on the online Menopause Practitioner
Online Forum/Chat Requirement:
Forum on a weekly basis (minimum 4 times per program). This is an opportunity to learn, check in, and ask questions. Review of the lecture and participation in the weekly Forum discussions is mandatory for all 4 weeks of recorded lecture materials and students are encouraged to use the Forum outside of those weekly requirements.
Required Reading:
There is one book for required reading, and a book report must be submitted. The book can be found HERE.  The cost of the one required reading is an additional cost.
Total time to complete the full program:Â 24 months (max.)
6-12 months for modules, webinars, and assignments (average time)
2-4 months for practicum
Sample of topics covered in your Menopause Doula program include, but are not limited to:
Code of Ethics, Conduct, Scope of Practice & Jurisprudence
Terminology, Anatomy and the Hormone CycleÂ
- Introduction to Peri-menopause and Menopause
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Hormones
- Phases of menopause
- Introduction to charting and transitional awareness
Peri-menopauseÂ
- How to identify symptoms
- Common terms and experiences in peri-menopause
- Emotional Preparation and Considerations
- Education Preparation
- What this type of support looks like
- Physical Preparation
- Sexuality and relationships
- Charting awareness and health questionnairesÂ
- Traditional models of peri-menopause support and
- What this type of support looks like
Creating Vibrancy in Peri-menopause
- Furthering awareness of holistic options
- Introduction to exercise in the 40s and 50s
- Nutrition and peri-menopause
- Relationships, intimacy, and sex
- What this type of support looks like
Menopausal Obstacles (example of some topics discussed)
- Brain fog and delusional disorder
- Hypothyroidism
- Mood Swings and other psychological experiences
- Menstrual adjustments
- Muscle loss and bone fragility
- Systemic changes
- Hormone therapy
- Vaginal changes and sexual drive
- Grief and LossÂ
Reducing Symptoms in Menopause
- Types of specialist options
- Holistic modalities
- Nutrition for menopause
- Introduction to exercise in the 50s and 60s
- Relationships, intimacy, and sex
- Ongoing support
- What this type of support looks like
Surgical or Medically Related Menopause Considerations
- Â Oophorectomy
- Hysterectomy
- Primary Ovarian Inefficiency
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
Holistic Support Options & Alternatives
- Detoxification
- Diet, exercise, and environment
- Body therapies
- Herbalism
- Acupressure or acupuncture
- Mindfulness, meditation, and spirituality
Additional Topics covered:
- Emotional Considerations
- EducationÂ
- Sleep
- Skin, Sight, and Sound
- Community resources and support questionnairesÂ
- Traditional models of menopause support
- What this type of support looks like
Post Menopause
- Common concerns and options for support
- Furthering awareness of holistic options
- Introduction to exercise in the 60s and 70s
- Nutrition and post menopause
- Relationships, intimacy, and sex
- What this type of support looks like
The Business of Being a Menopause Support PractitionerÂ
- More details and resources on what support will look like
- How to work with clients at different stagesÂ
- How to tie in with other birth-worker or fertility businesses
- Considering value, marketing, and educating our peersExample of one of our many hand outs in this program:
Upon completing this program students will have completed a minimum of 32 contact hours, including assignments and online module work.
Each student has 10 months to complete the following practitioner requirements:
- Complete the all designated online course modules
- Achieve a minimum grade of 80% on all module quizzes
- Obtain 8 approved Educational Units and provide a written summary about your experience (within or outside Doula Canada)
- Completion of all core assignments – 6 in total
- Complete required reading, with review
- Practical assessment hours for at least four clients, totalling a minimum of 20 hours
​​Cost of any chosen educational units costs are not included in registration fee. Doula Canada does not charge any outside fees, membership fees or recertification fees.
Students who do not complete the program in the 24 month timeframe may request a continuance to the next session (a $150 administrative fee will apply).
Our Menopause Support Practitioner program is set at a one-time membership and certification fee of ​$395 (+ tax) for full recognition and completion with Doula Canada.
We do not charge annual membership or renewal fees.
The cost of the required readings (1 total) and the cost of educational unit workshops for EU credits (8 total) are additional costs to the student. We encourage you to seek out free or low cost options.
Approximate costs for EU workshops: We can help support questions about any budget! There are great no-cost and low cost educational options out there.
​
Your one time fee will cover:
- Student access to online modules, video lectures, audio lectures, originally created content, and curated content (e.g. research articles and resources)
- Assignment grading
- Instructor fee
- Online, email, and phone mentorship (as requested to shaunacy@doulatraining.ca)
- Administrative costs
- Membership into an exciting International peer network
- Canadian developed, but internationally focused
- No annual membership or renewal fees
- A dedicated instructor that takes time with each student, as requested
- Carefully created and curated content designed to help you become a confident practitioner.
- Topics on a thorough and variety of interests, philosophies, and teaching strategies… all realted to perimenopause and menopause!
- ​Self study start makes it easy to dive in!
- Online access to resources, learning modules, and continuing education
- Collaborations that facilitate international connections at home and abroad
- One time fee of $395, plus applicable taxes (non-refundable, strict cancellation policy applies)
- Payment can be made by Credit card, PayPal, or Email Money Transfer. More details on this will be sent when registration is processed.
*applicable taxes not included in base fee*
