The Midlife Journey gets messy. The Menopause Transition, well it's not a bad thing

The Midlife Journey is about a new becoming. Forging new roads often unexpectedly. For women, it's an ongoing challenge of barriers in women's health care, silence and stigma.

There's no roadmap. Just a series of pivots, awakenings, and creative bursts that don't always make

sense--until they do. For me, this stage of life has been about unraveling and reimagining, letting old roles fall away and experimenting with what wants to emerge. The amount of creativity that has emerged has been remarkable. It's also been uncomfortable, honest, creative, and ultimately... clarifying.

And now--this is where I've landed.

New Logo. New Look of the Reimagined Heartscapes, LLC.

Heartscapes, Reimagined

I started Heartscapes with the vision of nature-based gatherings, artful mandalas, and community rituals. I was in the raw aftermath of induced menopause, burnout recovery post being mental health through the COVID19 pandemic, the new shift of having experienced the loss of both of my parents, and a longing for something more embodied and sacred than traditional therapy frameworks could offer.

Those offerings were deeply healing. And they're still a part of me. But as I moved deeper into this chapter of life--navigating hormonal shifts, identity change, and nervous system recovery--I realized what I needed, and what I wanted to offer, was changing too.

Heartscapes has now become a space for integrative wellness coaching--a blend of science and sacred, nervous system and nature, education and embodiment. A place to support women like me--like you--who are walking through the midlife portal wondering: "What now? What's next? And who am I becoming?"

One of the Hardest Things About Menopause?

Not knowing.

Having no clear answer for who you are in the midst of it all.

I've spent years being the expert, the guide, the professional--and yet there came a time when I looked in the mirror and thought: "I don't recognize this body. I'm not sure who I'm becoming."

The external body was shifting--softening, changing, reshaping itself, and to be honest in ways I still struggle with understanding and taking care of. And that mirrored the internal body--also reshaping, forming, releasing old stories, and moving through layers of lived experience.

This process isn't linear. It's not clean.

It's unfurling, unfolding, becoming.

The Unfurling and Unfolding Journey of Menopause and Midlife Transitions. Ancient Wisdom in the mind, body and spirit.

What Menopause Gave Me

One of the greatest gifts of menopause has been:

Freedom.

Freedom from the pressure to perform.

Freedom to reform and renew.

Freedom to find a new radiance, a new light emerge through me.

And with that freedom came creativity.

A return to ritual, to writing, to mandalas, to nature. Yes--those things are still here. They're in everything I do.. That's what holistic and integrative really means to me:

Not a formula. Not a fix.

But a custom design for your life--your story, your rhythm, your body's wisdom.

No diagnosis.

No deep dive into the past.

Just this sacred question: Who are you becoming?

From Therapist to Wellness Guide

I've spent over 20 years as a trauma therapist, EMDR consultant, and nervous system educator. I

still value that work deeply. But this new chapter isn't about clinical roles or root causes -it's about walking with women who are ready to reclaim their wellness and rewrite their next chapter.

This is for the woman who feels like her body, mind, and soul are asking for something more whole,

more sacred, more true.

Through coaching, courses, rituals, and resources, I offer tools for navigating:

- Perimenopause and postmenopause

- Emotional and energetic depletion

- Burnout, Rust-Out, and recovery

- Identity shifts and reinvention

- Reconnection to the body, breath, and nature

This isn't therapy.

This is a wellness journey for the woman becoming.

So This Is Where I've Landed at this point on the journey.

It took time.

It took letting go.

It took creativity, courage, and rest.

But I've landed in a space that feels honest, nourishing, and whole.

Heartscapes is no longer just about the outer rituals.

It's about the inner redesign.

So if you're in a messy, in-between moment--know that's okay.

That's where the magic is. That's where creativity begins.

And maybe, just maybe, it's where you begin again too.

Let's Connect - Get on the Coaching Waitlist

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© 2025 Julie Cardoza | Heartscapes LLC. All rights reserved.

About the Author & Disclaimer

Julie Cardoza, MS, RYT, Certified Menopause & Perimenopause Health Coach is an integrative wellness guide and midlife coach specializing in burnout recovery, menopause transitions, and creative renewal. She brings over 20 years of experience in behavioral health and is also a Registered Yoga Teacher and Certified Morning Altars Teacher. Through Heartscapes LLC, Julie offers courses, coaching, and seasonal workshops that blend nervous system science, nature-based rituals, somatic tools, and holistic midlife support.

Julie is also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. However, her work through Heartscapes is offered exclusively as coaching and education—not psychotherapy.

To work with Julie as a coach, visit www.heartscapesllc.com.

To explore therapy or EMDR consultation, visit www.juliecardoza.com.

This site and its content are for educational and coaching purposes only. While Julie Cardoza, MS, RYT, is a licensed therapist, her role through Heartscapes LLC is not as your therapist. This is not a substitute for mental health care. If you're in crisis, please call 988 or visit a local provider.