Meet Cheryl Penna: Menopause Naturopath in Melbourne
Cheryl Penna is a degree-qualified Naturopath and Medical Herbalist based in Preston, Melbourne, with more than 20 years of clinical experience. Through her practice Urban Sense Wellness, she works with women in their 40s, 50s and beyond – focusing on the hormonal, metabolic and lifestyle shifts of perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause.
About Cheryl
In plain terms: Cheryl is a Menopause Naturopath in Melbourne who takes a whole-body view of midlife — looking at sleep, stress, nutrition, family history and underlying health patterns alongside the hormonal changes themselves. She works collaboratively with women's medical teams rather than in place of them.
Cheryl holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy and Herbal Medicine, with specialised training in menopause care and additional qualifications across skin health and integrative medicine. Her clinic, Urban Sense Wellness, sees women in person in Preston and online via telehealth across Australia.
She is a Founding Provider of Menopause Resource Hub. You can view her directory listing here: Urban Sense Wellness — Preston.
Why this work
Cheryl’s path into menopause care was shaped by her own experience. In her early 50s, life felt steady – her cycles were regular, and she had quietly assumed the transition would be straightforward.
“Out of the blue, my life changed due to a few personal issues that were out of my control – and just like that, hot flushes and night sweats had me running on empty. I was barely sleeping, and it was impacting my day-to-day functioning.”
It took several years to bring her symptoms, weight and sleep back under control. Menopause Hormone Therapy was part of the picture, but it was not a single fix – getting the dose right took time, and weight and anxiety lingered well after the acute symptoms eased. The experience left her with a much deeper appreciation of how layered this stage of life can be, and a clear sense of where she wanted her clinical work to sit.
Today, that lived experience underpins how she works with clients in clinic.
Cheryl’s approach to menopause naturopathy
Cheryl’s approach is whole-body and history-led. Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, she looks at the lead-up to this stage of life: lifestyle, stress load, sleep quality, nutrition, family history, and underlying health patterns that may be shaping how a woman is experiencing the transition.
Her clinical toolkit includes naturopathic medicine, herbal medicine, dietary and nutritional support, functional pathology, and lifestyle medicine. She also provides education and guidance around Menopause Hormone Therapy – helping women understand their options and the timing of treatment — and, where appropriate, works alongside the woman’s GP or menopause specialist who is responsible for any prescribing.
“Clients often tell me they feel genuinely heard and supported. Many women feel confused by their symptoms or unsure where to start, and part of my role is helping them understand what is happening in their body while building a clear, personalised path forward.”
Her practice areas extend beyond hormones alone – she also works across skin health (as a qualified corneotherapist), gut health, and metabolic and weight changes that often emerge in midlife.
What Cheryl wants women to understand about menopause
Asked what she most wishes was better understood about this life stage, Cheryl returns to scope.
“One of the biggest misconceptions is that menopause is simply about hot flushes and night sweats. In reality, hormonal fluctuations can begin much earlier – sometimes in the late 30s or early 40s – and the symptoms can be wide-ranging. Joint pain, persistent fatigue, sleep disturbances, changes in mood or memory, weight gain, muscle loss, inflammation. Understanding that hormones influence many systems in the body allows us to take a broader approach.”
The Australasian Menopause Society lists more than thirty symptoms associated with the menopause transition, and emphasises that perimenopause typically begins around four to six years before the final period – although it can begin earlier. The Jean Hailes for Women’s Health national surveys consistently show that women want clearer information and more time with practitioners who take their symptoms seriously.
Cheryl’s clinical lens is whole-body for that reason: she wants to understand which systems are under pressure for the woman in front of her, not just which symptoms are loudest.
On collaboration with other practitioners
Cheryl is firm about the importance of a wider care team.
“Menopause can influence many areas of health – hormonal balance, cardiovascular risk, bone health, metabolism, mental wellbeing. Because of this, women often benefit from working with a team of practitioners rather than relying on a single perspective.”
cheryl penna
In practice, she sees that team as potentially including a GP or menopause specialist, naturopath, nutritionist, psychologist, physiotherapist or other allied health professional, depending on the individual woman. The Menopause Resource Hub directory is built around exactly that idea – a curated, multidisciplinary view of menopause care, rather than a single discipline working in isolation.
When practitioners communicate openly with each other, she notes, the woman at the centre of that care has a much more supportive and effective experience. You can see other menopause naturopaths in our directory, each vetted for a genuine menopause focus.
Working with Cheryl Penna
Clinic: Urban Sense Wellness, 84 Hotham St, Preston VIC 3072
Focus: Perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause; hormonal health, sleep, weight, gut and skin
Format: In-person consultations + online (telehealth) across Australia
Phone: 0417 308 863
Connect: urbansense.com.au | Instagram | Facebook
View Cheryl’s full listing on the Hub: Urban Sense Wellness — Preston, Melbourne
Frequently asked questions
What does a menopause naturopath do?
A menopause naturopath supports women through perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause using naturopathic medicine, herbal medicine, nutrition and lifestyle strategies. In Australia, naturopaths do not prescribe Menopause Hormone Therapy – that responsibility sits with medical practitioners – but a naturopath can provide education, complementary support and work alongside the woman’s medical team.
Can a naturopath prescribe MHT or HRT?
No. In Australia, prescribing Menopause Hormone Therapy is the role of a medical practitioner – typically a GP, often with menopause-specific training, or a specialist. A naturopath such as Cheryl can provide education about MHT options and timing, and work collaboratively with the prescribing doctor, but does not prescribe.
Where is Cheryl Penna based?
Cheryl consults from Urban Sense Wellness at 84 Hotham St, Preston, in Melbourne’s north. She also sees clients online via telehealth across Australia. Her full listing is on the Menopause Resource Hub directory.
When can perimenopause start?
Perimenopause typically begins several years before the final menstrual period, often in the early to mid-40s, but can start earlier – sometimes in the late 30s. The Australasian Menopause Society notes that the transition can last anywhere from a few years to a decade, and symptoms can change in nature and intensity across that time.
Who is Cheryl’s care best suited to?
Women in their 40s, 50s and beyond who want a whole-body, history-led approach to perimenopause and menopause – particularly those navigating multiple overlapping issues such as sleep, weight, hormonal symptoms, gut concerns or skin changes. Women already working with a GP or menopause specialist often find naturopathic care a useful complement to medical treatment.
Why this matters
Founding Providers are the practitioners who chose to back the Menopause Resource Hub before it was easy to do so. Their willingness to be visible, named and reviewable is part of what makes the directory worth trusting. Cheryl is one of them – and her measured, whole-body, collaborative approach is exactly the kind of midlife care the Hub was built to make easier to find.
Provider Spotlight is an editorial series featuring practitioners listed on the Menopause Resource Hub. Listings and Spotlights are not clinical endorsements. Always discuss your care with your treating practitioners.
Author: Menopause Resource Hub
Menopause Resource Hub connects Australian women with specialists, clinics, and support networks that truly understand perimenopause and menopause. Whether you’re looking for medical guidance, wellness support, or community, we’re here to help you find it.