46 - Why Meditation Won't Work During a PMDD Meltdown

For 17 years, Anna felt trapped in a cycle dictated by PMDD. All aspects of her life were affected, from her relationships to her sense of self. It wasn't until she desperately sought out specialized help that she found a way to transform her struggle into a journey of healing. Anna spent years battling with her PMDD symptoms, which included debilitating anxiety, depression, and fatigue. She worked night shifts as a nurse and pushed through without recognizing the need for sustainable changes. Her breaking point came after quitting her job and experiencing emotional burnout and suicidal ideation while living with her parents at 30. Feeling misunderstood and dismissed by healthcare professionals, Anna hit a low when she realized she couldn't fight these battles alone. The turning point came when Anna found Her Mood Mentor and began working with Jes and her team. Their understanding approach and tailored program allowed Anna to face her PMDD head-on with compassion and the right support. This included focusing on nutrition and identifying core values, sparking a transformation she didn't think possible. Now, Anna experiences fewer days of severe symptoms per cycle and has regained 15 days of feeling like herself again. Her relationships are deeper, and she has returned to work, saying yes to more activities with newfound confidence. The program has given her the agency and strength to write the next chapter of her life. 👉 "I want to live and I feel like I can do things again." 👉 "I feel so much more settled and aligned." 👉 "My life feels more like my life, you know. I think this has been such a process of taking some power back." Anna's story is a powerful reminder that PMDD is only a chapter, not the whole story. Her journey to self-compassion and healing can inspire others to choose action and support over resignation. For listeners, remember that even when PMDD feels like an insurmountable challenge, there are paths to relief. As Anna learned, support, and a commitment to self-compassion can change the trajectory of your life. If you feel like you're stuck in PMDD's grip, know that transformation is possible with the right help. ❤️ If this story resonated with you, please subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/ _________________________________ Looking for more support? ✦︎ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦︎ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_sessionResults vary. This is one woman's experience, not a guarantee of yours. PMDD has no cure. Our work aims to support the reduction and better management of symptoms over time, alongside your medical care, not in place of it. Her Mood Mentor does not provide medical advice or medication management.

✦ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_session _________________________________ In this eye-opening episode, Jes sits down with Aaron Kinghorn, a dental surgeon and advocate, to discuss his journey alongside his wife through PMDD. Aaron shares poignant insights from their experience and offers hope and guidance for partners on how to navigate the challenges of supporting a loved one with PMDD. Tune in to hear how their relationship held up through PMDD, and what helped them both. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Aaron Kinghorn's personal journey as a partner to someone with PMDD.How to recognize PMDD as a separate entity in relationships.The importance of communication and listening in PMDD partnerships.Strategies for navigating PMDD outside symptomatic periods.Insights from Aaron's co-authored study on PMDD's impact on relationships.The significance of hope and resilience in overcoming PMDD challenges.The role of caregiver support and resources available for partners. Key Quotes from This Episode: "PMDD might feel like your whole story, but it's just a chapter, and you get to write what comes next." "I think partners love them, that they have people close by them who really want to support them often, and who are trying their best in very difficult situations." "The aspects of love and commitment were completely unaffected, you know, and they are synonymous." "I feel like the follicular phase is more like leadership. It's like, where are we going? What's the direction?" Resources Mentioned: See links below for all HMM resources. HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/

In this thought-provoking episode of PMDD Pep Talk, Jes takes us on a deep dive into why PMDD can often be mistaken for narcissism. With empathy and expertise, she explores how PMDD symptoms impact our ability to connect with others and how this can be misconstrued as narcissistic behavior. If you've ever wondered if PMDD shapes how you see yourself and how others view you, this episode will provide clarity and understanding. What You'll Learn in This Episode: The difference between narcissism as a trait and as a clinical disorder.How PMDD symptoms can mimic traits associated with narcissism.The impact of cognitive empathy deficits in women with PMDD.Understanding the distinction between survival states and stable personality traits.Why the diagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorder may not adequately reflect women's presentations.How relationship dynamics can complicate perceptions of narcissism in those with PMDD.The role of personal distress in altering empathetic responses during the luteal phase. Key Quotes from This Episode: "Your empathy isn't missing. You are in a distressed state which is flooding you with inputs." "The problem is that you're swamped by your own distress, so much so that you can't really climb out of it far enough to see another person's side and perspective." "PMDD might feel like your whole story, but it's just a chapter, and you get to write what comes next." "A survival state can look like a trait that’s cranked up, but a trait doesn’t crank up and crank down." Resources Mentioned: See links below for all HMM resources. HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://hermoodmentor.com/podcast _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/ _________________________________ Looking for more support? ✦︎ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦︎ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_session

In this heartwarming and empowering episode, we dive into Jamie's transformative journey with PMDD. After struggling in silence for 17 years, Jamie found herself on a quest for help amidst relentless symptoms that had hijacked her life. She shares her emotional path from feeling like her world was falling apart to redefining her relationship with her body and reclaiming her life. For years, Jamie was trapped in a cycle of exhaustion, grumpiness, and memory lapses. Despite trying various medications, her symptoms persisted, tearing through her relationships and haunting her daily existence. Feeling misunderstood and overwhelmed, she faced significant life challenges with little relief or support. The turning point came when Jamie discovered Jes and the PMDD rehab program. Through personalized coaching and a holistic approach, she learned to understand her symptoms, dig deep into the root causes, and prioritize her needs, something she had never dared to do before. Today, Jamie's life is a testament to resilience and transformation. Her sleep has significantly improved, reducing her PMDD symptom days from ten to just three each month. Nutritional changes and targeted exercises have empowered her, bringing a newfound self-respect and peace. Jamie is now able to embrace her life's challenges with hope and joy, rather than fear and shame. 👉 "I feel like a whole different human than when I started with you." 👉 "The world isn't crashing down on me anymore." 👉 "I'm nicer to myself, I'm nicer to my family, my body is happy." 👉 "I'm not carrying the guilt and shame anymore." 👉 "I feel like I can love myself like someone who doesn't have PMDD." Jamie's story is a beacon of hope for women worldwide battling the shadows of PMDD. It speaks to the power of understanding, the importance of the right support, and the impact of loving oneself enough to fight for a better life. If you're feeling trapped by PMDD like Jamie once did, this story is for you. Remember, there is a community ready to support you, and solutions tailored to your needs await. You are not alone, and with the right help, you too can transform your life. ❤️ If this story resonated with you, please subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://hermoodmentor.com/podcast _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/ _________________________________ Looking for more support? ✦︎ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦︎ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_sessionResults vary. This is one woman's experience and is not a guarantee of the results you may experience. Although there is currently no cure for PMDD, our work aims to support the reduction and improved management of symptoms over time. Our services are designed to work alongside care from appropriately licensed healthcare providers, not in place of it. Her Mood Mentor does not provide medical advice, medical treatment, or medication management.

In this episode of PMDD Pep Talk, Jes dives into how understanding and aligning with your core values can help you navigate the challenging waters of PMDD. Discover how these deeply personal guideposts can bridge the gap between who you are at your core and the person PMDD sometimes makes you think you are. You won’t find a cure-all solution, but you’ll find a meaningful compass to steer you back to yourself. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How PMDD alters perception and self-identity beyond just mood.The role core values play in anchoring your identity despite PMDD symptoms.How your values can help break cycles of guilt and shame.Why values work is crucial and where it fits within therapeutic approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.How reflecting on values improves decision-making and emotional regulation.The importance of doing values work before high-stress PMDD episodes. Key Quotes from This Episode: "PMDD might feel like your whole story, but it's just a chapter, and you get to write what comes next." "Your core values are the compass that points you back to who you really are." "The compass doesn't keep you from taking a wrong turn, but it can help you to find your way back." "When you repeat those behaviors over and over, it becomes your quality of life, so it is a little self-fulfilling prophecy with PMDD." Resources Mentioned: See links below for all HMM resources. HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://hermoodmentor.com/podcast _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/ _________________________________ Looking for more support? ✦︎ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦︎ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_session

In this episode of PMDD Pep Talk, Jes unpacks why PMDD often makes us push loved ones away, using the powerful metaphor of drowning. Discover how to navigate these turbulent waters without feeling overwhelmed by guilt or shame, and learn practical strategies for creating a support system that truly understands your challenges. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Understand the metaphor of the "drowning girl" and how it relates to PMDD.Differentiate between shame and guilt, and learn how each affects your healing.Discover the importance of preparing a support system on "dry land" before PMDD symptoms strike.Recognize the instinctive survival responses during PMDD episodes.Identify tools and strategies to communicate and coordinate with your support network effectively. Key Quotes from This Episode: "You cannot heal from a place of 'I am broken, I am the problem, I am bad...'" "Drowning does not look like drowning, and neither does PMDD." "A drowning person will drown the lifeguard... this is just so relevant for PMDD." "We need more self-compassion, and that starts with understanding the drowning girl metaphor." Resources Mentioned: See links below for all HMM resources. HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://hermoodmentor.com/podcast _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/ _________________________________ Looking for more support? ✦︎ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦︎ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_session

When Jo joined us on the podcast, she shared her journey with PMDD, a condition she had been living with since age 13 but couldn't name for most of that time. For over two decades she was dealing with debilitating hormonal mood symptoms that were affecting her relationships, her memory, her sense of self, and nearly every area of her daily life. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How Jo spent more than 20 years with PMDD before she had a name for what was happening.The intense irritability and rejection sensitivity that strained her relationships with family and partners.Why brain fog, memory loss, and a persistent mental block became some of her hardest symptoms to live with.What a full week of recovery after every PMDD episode actually cost her.How years of doctors, SSRIs, and a copper IUD left her feeling worse instead of better.The moment on Instagram when PMDD came up and everything finally made sense.Why she calls her HTMA the most productive test she has done so far.How mineral correction, dietary shifts, and personalized support changed her memory, her mornings, and her relationships. Key Quotes from This Episode: "My memory has gotten so much better. That's been a big thing." "I'm a lot happier now than I have been most of my life." "I can find support for myself and I don't have to worry or feel ashamed of myself." "I don't take things as personal, I feel more connected, not so distant." "This is the happiest I've ever been." The Bigger Picture: Jo's story shows that 20+ years of suffering doesn't have to be the whole story. Through root cause testing, mineral rebalancing, nutritional shifts, and a community that finally understood what she was going through, Jo found a version of herself she had never fully met before, and she's still becoming her. What This Means For You: Jo's transformation shows that PMDD doesn't have to run your life, your relationships, or your sense of self. With the right approach and support, you can: Finally understand what's actually driving your symptomsReclaim your memory, focus, and emotional steadinessShow up differently at home, at work, and in your relationshipsBreak free from the shame spiral that keeps so many of us stuckExperience a version of yourself that feels secure, connected, and genuinely happy ♥ If this podcast has ever made you feel seen, less alone, or more hopeful in your healing, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review PMDD Pep Talk. Your words don't just help us grow, they help someone in the depths of their cycle find this support when they need it most. Every subscribe click, rate, and review helps us reach more people who are still suffering in silence. Resources Mentioned: See links below for all HMM resources. HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://hermoodmentor.com/podcast _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/ _________________________________ Looking for more support? ✦︎ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦︎ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_session Results vary. This is one woman's experience and is not a guarantee of the results you may experience. Although there is currently no cure for PMDD, our work aims to support the reduction and improved management of symptoms over time. Our services are designed to work alongside care from appropriately licensed healthcare providers, not in place of it. Her Mood Mentor does not provide medical advice, medical treatment, or medication management.

In this episode of PMDD Pep Talk, Jes introduces the concept of "state changing," a powerful, yet simple approach to managing PMDD-related rage and overwhelm. Drawing from personal experiences and insights, Jes shares practical tools that can help shift your body's response during heightened emotional states. Discover how you can navigate these challenges with proactive strategies that go beyond traditional calming techniques. What You'll Learn in This Episode: The importance of state changing for PMDD management.Why calming down or meditation may not work during high escalation states.Simple, effective state change strategies you can use anywhere, anytime.The role of physical activity in managing stress hormones and emotions.How changing your environment can powerfully affect your mental state.The benefits of small acts of kindness during emotional spirals.How somatic techniques like humming can help reset your nervous system.The difference between state changing and avoiding feelings. Key Quotes from This Episode: "When your alarm is loud, you are moving out of a conscious ability to be in a thinking state." "A state change is when you deliberately do something that shifts your physical state or your surroundings so that your emotional state has something to follow." "You change your kid state, you change your animal state. You are allowed to change your own state." "The spiral was anchored to the place that you were physically in." Resources Mentioned: - Episode 46 - Escalation Patterns with PMDD - Episode 33 - Nervous System Regulation - Episode 40 - Building Your PMDD Emergency Kit HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://hermoodmentor.com/podcast _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/ _________________________________ Looking for more support? ✦︎ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦︎ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_session

When Allie joined us on the podcast, she shared how PMDD hijacked her life for nearly two years, starting after a concussion that triggered symptoms so severe and relentless she was suffering for 25 days out of every cycle. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How a concussion became the trigger point for nearly two years of severe PMDD symptoms.What it looks like to be symptomatic for 25 days out of every cycle.The severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and intrusive thoughts Allie lived with.Why paranoia, brain fog, and disorientation left her feeling completely outside her own body.How sleep paralysis, nightmares, headaches, tinnitus, and worsening Crohn's symptoms stacked on top of each other.What countless ER visits and scans did and didn't tell her.Why temporary relief through birth control still wasn't her long term answer.How symptom mapping, nutrition, supplementation, nervous system regulation, and cycle phase education reduced her moderate to severe symptoms by roughly 8 days per cycle. Key Quotes from This Episode: "Living felt like a fight every single day, just to get up in the morning, take a shower, go to work. That was pulling teeth." "The doom and irritability is at an all-time low. And no cramps, which I loved." "It is possible to work through this. It's possible to feel better. It takes a lot, but the natural approach is every penny worth it." "You're not alone. Stay in that fight. There is light at the end of the tunnel." The Bigger Picture: Allie's story shows that PMDD, even when it spans nearly your entire cycle and every doctor has sent you home with no answers, can be understood, reduced, and managed with the right root cause approach. What This Means For You: Allie's transformation shows PMDD doesn't have to be your whole story. With the right support, you can: Reclaim days, even weeks, of your month from severe symptomsUnderstand your cycle phases and stop being blindsided by your own bodyBuild nervous system tools that work before symptoms escalateAddress root causes like gut health and nutrient depletion keeping you stuckFinally have the energy and capacity to pursue the life you want ♥ If this podcast has ever made you feel seen, less alone, or more hopeful in your healing, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review PMDD Pep Talk. Your words don't just help us grow, they help someone in the depths of their cycle find this support when they need it most. Every subscribe click, rate, and review helps us reach more people who are still suffering in silence. Resources Mentioned: See links below for all HMM resources. HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://hermoodmentor.com/podcast _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/ _________________________________ Looking for more support? ✦︎ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦︎ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_session Results vary. This is one woman's experience and is not a guarantee of the results you may experience. Although there is currently no cure for PMDD, our work aims to support the reduction and improved management of symptoms over time. Our services are designed to work alongside care from appropriately licensed healthcare providers, not in place of it. Her Mood Mentor does not provide medical advice, medical treatment, or medication management.

In this episode of the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast, Jes dives into why meditation may not be your friend during a PMDD meltdown. Through her personal experience and professional expertise, Jes reveals the importance of understanding your PMDD symptom escalation scale and matching the right tools to your current state. By tuning into this conversation, you'll equip yourself with practical strategies for navigating PMDD more effectively. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Discover the 4 zones of PMDD symptom escalation from regulated to crisis.Understand why certain tools, like meditation, may be ineffective or even detrimental during high-intensity moments.Explore the trigger loop, including anchors, triggers, feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and their impact on your cycle.Learn the critical difference between managing symptoms and transforming your life with PMDD.Get practical advice on building a personalized escalation scale menu for accessible, real-time support.Why co-regulation is essential in the crisis zone and how to have a plan in place before reaching this state. Key Quotes from This Episode: "PMDD might feel like your whole story, but it's just a chapter, and you get to write what comes next.""Meditation at an 80 is like pouring water on a grease fire. It doesn't put it out, it makes it spread.""The tools have to match your state, or they backfire.""Awareness is everything, and then the action you take on the awareness is what actually changes things.""Your PMDD support needs to meet your stage of escalation." Resources Mentioned: See links below for all HMM resources. HMM Resources + Services https://portal.hermoodmentor.com _________________________________ Listen to the PMDD Pep Talk Podcast https://hermoodmentor.com/podcast _________________________________ You can find Jes: Instagram: @hermoodmentor https://www.instagram.com/hermoodmentor/ Youtube: @hermoodmentor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScMMMsmLZDfzjZEQ-1l9lA Website: https://hermoodmentor.com/ _________________________________ Looking for more support? ✦︎ Map your symptoms for free. Our Symptom Mapping tool shows you where your symptoms fall in your cycle, so you and your care team can see your pattern. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/?start=symptoms ✦︎ Work with us. Book an Intro Session with our team and we'll go through your symptom assessment together. https://portal.hermoodmentor.com/buy?offer=intro_session