Inner Bloom with Catherine O'Keefe

Catherine O’Keefe is the founder of Wellness Warrior and is Ireland’s first menopause coach. She has helped countless women to embrace their menopause through her talks and online course.

Today I chat with Catherine about how she came into this work and how she juggles a busy work and home life with her own self care. I gleaned some great tips from this interview and I hope you do too!

Can you share how your own wellness journey began Catherine and what led you to focus on supporting women through menopause?

I was always interested in well-being, but hormones became a big part of my story quite early. I had very painful periods when I was younger, and in my early twenties, after moving to London, I was diagnosed with PCOS. That experience really shaped my understanding of how deeply hormonal health influences our day-to-day lives.

Years later, when I entered perimenopause myself, I realised how few people were speaking openly about it. It felt like there was a shared silence around something affecting so many of us. I started blogging simply to break that silence — to start breaking the taboo — and to talk about the things women weren’t yet saying out loud. That grew into my passion for helping women feel informed, supported, and empowered through this transition.

How do you guide women to embrace this transition with more ease and self-compassion?

Understanding your body is the first step. When you know what’s happening hormonally and emotionally, you stop blaming yourself and start meeting yourself with more gentleness.

Menopause is also a deeply psychological chapter. There can be shifts in identity, confidence, and sense of self. When women are supported to navigate those changes — while also managing symptoms in a way that works for them — the transition can be grounding and even transformative. Everyone’s toolkit is different, whether that’s HRT, acupuncture, herbs, therapy, or lifestyle medicine.

What are your go-to practices to manage stress and stay centred?

Movement is my anchor — hiking, the gym, long walks. I was running a lot before I picked up an injury, and I’m hoping to get back to it in January. Movement resets me instantly.

Food is another big pillar. Preparing nourishing meals and enjoying food is a huge part of my every day.

And then there are the quiet pauses — five or ten minutes in the garden, a moment of mindfulness, listening to the birds. Just stopping.

Could you describe your favourite self-care rituals?

Friday afternoons are my mountain time — the phone goes away and I get out into nature. I’m very sensory, so I touch the trees and leaves, listen to the birds, feel the wind. It brings me straight back into my body.

On Saturday and Sunday mornings, I journal. I burn palo santo incense, the house is still quiet, the light is soft, and I’ve usually cleansed my face with the balm and applied my oil. It’s the calmest way to start the day.

And on Sundays, a coffee with friends has become one of my favourite simple rituals — grounding, easy, and full of connection.

How do you feel after you practice your favourite rituals?

Grounded. Calm. Completely centred.

For you, what’s the hardest part about prioritising self-care in midlife, and how do you overcome it?

Midlife is full-on for most of us — teenagers or children on one side, ageing parents on the other, and a lot of responsibility in between. Making space for yourself can feel impossible.

But you have to protect it. My gym sessions, walks, and journaling are all in my Google Calendar as non-negotiables. My family know that on weekend mornings I’ll be in the garden or kitchen with my journal — or out for a Sunday coffee with friends — in my own little zone. That protected time helps me show up better for everyone else.

Is skincare part of your daily ritual?

Absolutely. I grew up with skincare — my mum was a beautician — so it’s always been important to me.

Cleansing is my favourite step. Then a nourishing oil, followed by a good moisturiser — Nunaïa’s Earth Blossom Moisturising Cream is gorgeous. And SPF every single day.

Does your skincare ritual influence your emotional wellbeing?

Yes. It makes me pause. The scent of the balm, the warmth of the water, the act of massaging my skin — it’s incredibly grounding. A small ritual with a big emotional impact.

Your Nunaïa desert island product?

The Superfood Cleansing Balm. For the smell alone! It’s the product I most look forward to using.

How does connection to nature support your own healing journey — and the way you support women through menopause?

Nature regulates me instantly. Every Friday I’m up a mountain somewhere, and even a five-minute walk can shift your mood completely. The sea, the woods, the wind — nature pulls you into the present moment.

It’s one of the first tools I encourage women to use. It’s free, accessible, and incredibly powerful.

What advice would you give women who are new to self-care or struggling with symptoms?

Start tiny. Five quiet minutes in the morning — with tea, with silence, with your breath.

Add ten minutes of movement daily — even walking around the house counts.

And nourish yourself with good food. Build a gentle, kind relationship with what you eat.

Small rituals add up to meaningful change.

You do incredible work through Wellness Warrior helping women feel empowered through midlife. Can you share your current projects and where readers can connect with you?

My work is very much twofold.

Firstly, through Wellness Warrior I support women directly with courses like Weight & Wellness, community programmes, and educational resources. I’m currently working on an e-book on menopause-related anxiety, which I plan to release early in the new year.

And secondly — a huge part of my work is in the corporate world. I’m in workplaces all year round delivering menopause training, wellbeing programmes, and organisational supports. Creating cultures where women feel understood and supported at midlife is something I’m deeply passionate about.