My endometriosis journey

Like so many girls and women I was told pain is a normal part of menstruation and I simply accepted that for many years. But I now know that pain is not normal. It’s a message from your body that something is wrong and you don’t need to live with constant and chronic pain.

I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 30 and it was at such a serious stage I underwent five surgeries including a hysterectomy. When my gynecologist told me that I was facing the possibility of surgery every 12-18 months to manage my condition I knew I had to take action. I started looking at other ways to manage my endometriosis pain through diet and lifestyle changes.

I have been pain free for seven years now and provide nutritional and lifestyle coaching to empower women to help take control of their health and wellbeing.

nib Women’s Wellness Programme

Through the nib Women’s Wellness programme I have helped many women with endometriosis reduce their pain and improve their quality of life. The three month programme is fully funded for eligible nib members who have recently undergone surgery for endometriosis or been diagnosed with the condition.

Through one-on-one coaching I work with women to address the common symptoms of endometriosis, such as painful periods, bowel problems, infertility, fatigue, PMS, UTIs, abnormal menstrual bleeding and pain.

I specialise in developing a nutrition and lifestyle plan that suits each woman's individual needs and works alongside their medical advice and treatment plans.

The Women’s Wellness Programme includes:

• 3-month one-on-one coaching programme with Helen Cross

• 45-minute initial consultation with Helen Cross

• Six fortnightly zoom sessions, each lasting 45-minutes

• A focus on a bio-individual diet and lifestyle changes

• Tools and resources to support and track members’ health journey

• A specialised Women’s Wellness journal

Empowering Victoria

nib member Victoria completed the Women’s Wellness program following her endometriosis diagnosis.

Victoria said, “Helen's program was a gentle yet empowering way to enable me to reconnect with my body after struggling both physically and mentally on my journey to an endometriosis diagnosis. She helped me understand more about the condition and provided strategies to support me in regaining a sense of autonomy over my overall wellbeing. Helen understands there is no "one size fits all" approach to health. I would highly recommend the Women's Wellness program to anyone looking for more direction in how they can achieve their health goals on their own terms.”*

*This testimonial reflects the individual experience of this nib customer. This testimonial has been edited in length to enable it to be used on certain media platforms.

To find out more about the nib Women’s Wellness program, including eligibility criteria, see our health management programmes page.