Sarah Darwen

Founder, Halcyon Women’s Health – Supporting Women’s Health, Strengthening Workplaces

Supporting organisations with issues like women’s health training, menopause awareness, fertility and family-forming support, and workplace wellbeing strategies so that organisations can retain and promote female talent.

I work with growing small and medium-sized organisations that want to create healthy, more human workplaces – where people can thrive through the real life events that often impact silently at work.

My work supports leadership, workplace culture and women’s health issues within your teams – helping organisations better understand and support the life stages and experiences that influence employee wellbeing, engagement and performance.

The key workplace life events and health topics I support with include:

• Menstrual health and hormone awareness – helping staff understand their cycles, manage symptoms such as fatigue, pain or brain fog, and maintain productivity and confidence at work.
• Menopause awareness and support – equipping managers to recognise menopause transitions, have supportive conversations, and implement reasonable workplace adjustments so employees can continue to thrive at work.
• Fertility journeys and family-forming – increasing awareness of the emotional and physical impact of trying to conceive, IVF and assisted conception, enabling organisations to support staff compassionately while maintaining engagement and retention.
• Pregnancy loss and baby loss – providing guidance for managers and colleagues on how to respond sensitively and appropriately, helping organisations create psychologically safe workplaces during times of grief.
• Domestic abuse and relationship safety – helping leaders recognise signs that someone may be struggling and understand how to respond safely, confidentially and in line with workplace safeguarding responsibilities.
• Caring responsibilities – supporting employees balancing work with caring for children, elderly parents or family members with health needs (even pets!), helping organisations reduce burnout and improve staff wellbeing.
• Women’s health conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, PCOS and PMDD – raising awareness of how chronic health conditions can affect attendance, energy and concentration, while empowering staff with knowledge and support options.
• Workplace wellbeing and life transitions – helping organisations build cultures where employees feel able to talk about health and life challenges early, reducing long-term absence and supporting sustainable performance.

When leaders understand these issues and build supportive cultures around them, organisations retain talent, reduce absence and create workplaces where people feel genuinely valued.

How I help

I support organisations through a combination of training, advisory work and practical support, including:

• Wellbeing framework development
• Leadership and manager training on women’s health and life-event awareness
• CPD-accredited workplace workshops
• Lunch & Learn briefings to spark conversation and understanding
• Staff wellbeing clinics and consultation sessions
• HR and leadership advisory support for complex staff situations
• Menopause & Women’s Health Champion training to build internal support networks

This work can be delivered as stand-alone interventions or as part of longer-term culture and wellbeing initiatives.

Why organisations bring me in

Across my workplace training and wellbeing programmes:

• 83% of participants rate workshops as excellent
• Average helpfulness score of 9.2/10 across workplace sessions
• 100% of staff attending 1-1 clinics or online self-care programmes report feeling better and more in control of their symptoms

These results reflect the importance of creating safe, informed conversations around experiences that are often invisible in the workplace.

Generally, organisations who work with me typically see:

• improved retention of experienced female talent
• reduced absenteeism and presenteeism
• stronger leadership confidence in handling sensitive situations
• healthier, more supportive workplace cultures

Testimonials

“I knew that Sarah’s experience and positive attitude would be the perfect fit for us. I want to make sure that the human-centric way we’ve started this company continues as we grow, and we are already grateful for Sarah’s expertise and enthusiasm.”
Founder & CEO – Project to develop a Health & Wellbeing Blueprint embedding a culture of wellbeing and respect as the company grows.

“Already Sarah has helped us get one team member back to work from long-term sick and helped another avoid it. We are a small charity so every absence impacts. We pride ourselves on looking after our people but hadn’t even realised women’s health was a big issue.”
Managing Director – Project delivering a series of workshops on menopause and women’s health, alongside monthly wellbeing clinic sessions.

“Sarah’s sessions are engaging and informative and sensitive topics are handled with care.”
HR Manager – Workshops on women’s health & hormones, fertility and baby loss.

“Having the opportunity to talk with someone about my health, particularly at a time when I was personally struggling, was a great help.”
Frontline factory worker – Women’s health drop-in clinic sessions.

I help organisations create workplaces where people can bring their full selves to work and do their best work as a result.

About me

My work brings together three strands of experience.

I have supported women’s health for more than 15 years through my clinical work, workshops and educational programmes.

I was diagnosed with endometriosis over 20 years ago and have since navigated early enforced menopause, fertility challenges, hormonal flares and cysts – and most recently my own natural perimenopause journey. This lived experience allows me to speak about women’s health with honesty, realism and compassion.

Alongside this, I built my business while working in local government and charity-sector leadership roles, managing teams from diverse backgrounds and achieving ILM Level 5 alongside a Postgraduate Diploma in Health & Social Care Management.

This blend of clinical expertise, leadership experience and lived reality means I understand both sides of the workplace conversation – those needing support and those responsible for providing it.

Halcyon is built on the belief that workplaces work best when they understand the realities of the people within them.

Collaboration

I also collaborate with HR consultants, leadership trainers and wellbeing specialists who want to bring deeper women’s health expertise into their programmes.

I’m always interested in connecting with other consultants and trainers who want to strengthen the way organisations support people through life’s major transitions.

Next steps

If you’d like to explore how this work might support your organisation, you’re very welcome to get in touch.