It won't be a meeting where you sit around in a circle and share your problems.

Tauranga's new Insight Endometriosis volunteer, Katie Bear, is aiming to nurture a fun and informative space for women to feel heard.

Katie says she knows all too well what it's like dealing with regular chronic pain like Endometriosis and not feeling like anyone understands.

Recently, she was told by her doctors that there might be a chance that she has Endometriosis, but she will have to go through a laparoscopy to identify and diagnose the source. She has also suffered from chronic back pain caused by a herniated disk for many years.

'I may have Endo,” says Katie. 'My doctor has said that she thinks I do, but it hasn't been confirmed.

'For me it's really painful. I get a lot of pain before and after, but it will be going down my legs and everything.”

The 32-year-old says she's usually quite good at dealing with pain, but the combination of her back issues and Endo symptoms can make some days a struggle. Because of this, she understand what many other women are going through.

'It's not affecting my life too badly, even though I do have a chronic back condition,” says Katie. 'I don't think it's a severe case though because I have a child, and with severe ones you can't get pregnant.”

Katie recently graduated, with an honours degree in psychological science, and has done volunteering work in Australia. She plans to do further studies in clinical when her daughter gets a bit older.

She says she was looking at doing volunteering work and found Insight was advertising for a position in Tauranga.

'The meetings aren't just for women who have been diagnosed with Endo, but people who think they may have it or support people,” she explains.

'I want to cover different topics each time, like mindfulness and nourishment, and in the next meeting I'll ask what sort of support and information people want and outsource from there.”

A health nutrition consultant, Pauline Thomas will also be helping Katie during the meetings.

'So many women are undiagnosed with it and, like in my case, are brushed off when they go to the doctor,” says Katie.

'I want people to get what they want out of the meetings and feel heard.”

The Tauranga Insight Endometriosis meetings will be held on the last Tuesday of every month. This month's meeting will be on Tuesday, October 30 at 7pm at the Sports BOP meeting room at 406 Devonport Road.

People can register their interest by liking the Insight Endometriosis BOP Facebook page, and clinking on the meetings event.