Welcome To Mindful Cycles
Hi everyone,
I’m so glad you’re here. I want to take a moment to introduce myself and share the story behind Mindful Cycles—a space dedicated to the intersection of mental health and the menstrual cycle.
My name is MC, and I’m a Registered Psychologist based in Calgary, AB. I’ve been practicing for 12 years in various settings, but over the last five years, my passion has deepened in understanding how mental health and the menstrual cycle are profoundly connected. This journey, however, began with my own personal experience.
When I was 29 years old, I began experiencing excruciating menstrual migraines. Every month, right before my period I would be crushed by pain, nausea, vomiting, the whole nine yards. I went out into the medical system looking for help but instead I was met with semi-apologetic looks and something along the lines of “sorry this is happening to you but you’re a woman and this is your lot in life”. I became increasingly frustrated and outraged that even in this day and age, nobody knew anything about menstrual migraines and nobody could tell me how to treat them. So, like many people frustrated with the medical system, I took matters into my own hands and began researching and looking into alternative therapies and treatments. I tried new diets, relaxation exercises, massage, chiro, acupuncture, the list goes on. Many of those treatments were helpful to a degree but I knew something was missing.
At 35, after years of searching, I began to sense that my menstrual cycle was trying to tell me something. That’s when I discovered the work of Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer at Red School in the UK. Through their books and courses on Menstrual Cycle Awareness, I uncovered a whole new understanding of my body’s rhythms. Slowly, my migraines changed—some months they were still there, but others they weren’t. Something was shifting.
This experience led me to explore how the menstrual cycle and mental health intertwine, an area largely overlooked in psychotherapy. I dove into research, attended trainings, and uncovered how the four phases—or “seasons”—of the menstrual cycle each contained their own unique set of possible challenges but also immense powers and strengths that could be worked with to support mental health.
And that’s how Mindful Cycles was born.
I created this practice to provide a space where the menstrual cycle is acknowledged, celebrated, and used as a powerful therapeutic tool. Our cycles are like built-in nervous system regulators, yet many of us have never been taught how to work with them.
At Mindful Cycles, my goal is to help you:
Understand the connection between your cycle and mental health
Learn how brain changes throughout the cycle impact emotions and mental well-being
Harness your cycle’s natural rhythms to manage anxiety, improve mood, support trauma healing, navigate perimenopause and more.
Develop personalized strategies aligned with your cycle to support your therapeutic goals
I truly believe in this work. I have seen how reconnecting with the menstrual cycle has helped people navigate even the most complex mental health challenges. If this resonates with you, or sparks curiosity, I’d love to connect.
