Hi, Carly here!

When I turned 40, it seemed like things started changing in my body and I was not thinking about perimenopause at all.

“You’re too young” I would hear from various providers. After a while I noticed my friends were experiencing the same changes and frustrations. Menopause-focused ads started popping up all over my feeds. I started to read more articles and books. I terminated with my gynocologist who finally told me she thought this was perimenopause, and then never followed up with me on how to manage. I found myself connecting to an online menopause tele-med practice and finally felt seen and heard….but also so confused. Everything they told me and prescribed was the exact opposite of what my physicians had said. This made me doubt EVERYTHING.

My PCP told me that I should “just accept the changes as they come” and I looked at her with tears in my eyes and nodded. My new gynocologist seemed more compasionate….at first. I left my last visit and sat in the car and cried for 45 minutes because I felt so shamed and insulted by her for wanting to feel better. Her condescending tone when she told me “ I honor the women who came before us and they navigated this phase of life with grace and did not need all this intervention” left me stunned.

The more I thought about what she said, the angrier I became. The insinuation that honoring women who came before us by suffering silently seemed like the worst way to honor them! I want to honor women by listening, validating, responding, supporting and considering new opportunities that exist because of research and modern medicine. It feels like the Wild West in a lot of ways. I don’t want to be coming up with my own treatment plan, but I do want to have confidence that those involved in my care actually CARE about the experience I am having.

I have observed too many otherwise highly intelligent and strong women crumble in the face of addressing their peri/menopause concerns. This group is meant to change that through empowerment and support. It’s what we as women do best. We see a need, a lack of resources, and we respond to fill the gap. Join this Circle and change the way you navigate this phase of life. Do it for the women who came before us, but most importantly do it for YOURSELF.

In some ways I am grateful for how enraged my gyno MD made me because she inspired me to pursue a Menopause Behavioral Health Certification, which will help my clients and me better face this phase of life.

Registration will be open in the coming weeks. BOLO! Here is a sample of what this Circle will offer:

The Six In-Person Sessions

1. Understanding the Transition — Sunday, September 27, 2026

2. Mind & Brain— Sunday, October 25, 2026

3. Grief & Letting Go — Sunday, November 15, 2026

4. Relationships & Boundaries — Sunday, January 24, 2027

5. Reclaiming Self — Sunday, February 21, 2027

6. Wisdom, Integration & Legacy — Sunday, April 4, 2027

Sessions run 1:00–4:00 PM at Moonstone Counseling — Westlake, Austin, TX. (No sessions in December or March.). Final session may be conducted at an alternative site in Austin for celebration.

Reflections in between sessions will be provided as a way to deepen connection or encourage inner work. Format TBD.

Session topics subject to change based on speaker availability.

This group is developed and guided by Carly Bassett, LCSW-S who is currently pursuing a Menopause Behavioral Health Certification (MBH-C) and is co-founder of Moonstone Counseling. Moonstone is a women-owned and social-worker-led group practice operating in Austin since 2020.

Carly has been a social worker since 2008 and her current passion is curating workshops, groups, retreats and creative experiences to enrich the work, lives and relationships of people. She practices from a relational lens, has passion for grief & loss work, and maintains a steady practice using Ketamine Assisted Therapy.

The expert speakers are being scheduled. Here is who you can expect to hear from:

• Dr. Ashley Maltz, MD

• Genevieve Saenz, LMFT

• Ayesha Macon, PMHNP

• Faviella Parrilla of Inner Heart Shine

• Vielka Kano, LPC, CST

• Blair Hunter of Salt & Soul

• Alexis Ramirez of Sol y Luna Diosa 

The cost for this series is $250 per month. An early bird rate will be set for those who register in July for $175. The rate will go up to $225 in August and $250 in September. Secure the most affordable rate by signing up now.

We acknowledge that financial commitments can be hard for many people and hope to offer some scholarship spots.

Your fee covers:

• Three hours of in-person gatherings once per month (6 months in total)

• Honorarium for the women expert speakers

• All art and creative expression supplies

• Snacks

• Group space

• Final celebration meeting at Salt & Soul with wellness experientials

• Development of this program and content

The commitment to the group for the series is expected. If you miss a session, we will do our best to provide you with the information you missed and share with you any tangible items we can.

The fees to participate cover the series, so your spot is held specifically for you, whether you attend of not. We hope you can attend all! Because of the busyness of December and March with holidays and Spring Break, we will not have in-person meetings those months. This hopefully helps with your schedule.

You do not need a formal diagnosis of perimenopause or menopause to join this Circle.

Generally speaking, this group will attract women who are in their 40s or early 50s and are experiencing changes in their bodies, mental health or relationships due to “mid-life.” Even if you do not feel like you are struggling or suffering, but want to prepare for this phase and equip yourself with knowledge and resources, you are welcome to join.