24/03/2026
I don’t usually share posts like this.
But this has felt too important not to name.
I’m a social worker.
I’m Laura. I’m 43.
I’m also a woman navigating perimenopause.
And if I’m honest, it’s been a lot.
There are days where I feel grounded, present, connected, doing the work I care deeply about.
And then there are days where I feel like I’m losing my footing.
Aches. Pains.
Brain fog. Forgetting things.
Mood shifts. The tears.
That sense of feeling, a bit lost at times.
Changes in my body that don’t always make sense.
Palpitations. Sweats.
Sleep that just isn’t what it used to be.
Overwhelm. Anxiety. Stress.
Not feeling as social.
A loss of joy in moments that used to feel easy.
And this quiet tension between knowing what I’m capable of, and moments where I can’t access it in the same way.
That part has been confronting.
Because social work asks a lot of us.
Presence. Clarity. Emotional regulation. Attunement. Advocacy.
All the things perimenopause can quietly (or not so quietly) disrupt.
There’s an irony in holding space for others while trying to steady yourself at the same time.
In talking about self-care, boundaries, regulation, and then finding it genuinely hard to practice them.
In knowing how to advocate, and then finding yourself dismissed… then heard… then dismissed again.
It’s been a back and forth.
And I’m still learning to sit in the in-between.
But here’s what I also know:
Social work hasn’t just been challenged by this, it’s also what’s kept me going.
The values.
The connection.
The purpose.
The reminder that being human isn’t a limitation in this work, it’s part of it.
Even when it’s messy.
Even when it’s uncomfortable.
Even when it looks different.
I’m also learning how hard it is to acknowledge this.
To open up. To talk about it.
But when you can, even a little, it helps.
So here’s to the women navigating this quietly.
To those starting to share.
And to those already speaking about it, thank you. I’ve heard you, and I hope to join you.
We’re in this together.
I’m still here.
Still showing up.
Still doing the work.
And maybe,
that’s part of the work too.
Laura 💜
