Finding Balance: Reclaim Your Cycle, Reclaim Yourself

Psychotherapy + Holistic Support for Premenstrual Disorders (PMDD & PME) in Person in El Dorado Hills and Online Throughout California.

It happens every month—like clockwork. One moment, you’re yourself, living your life, handling things as best you can. And then, almost without warning, something shifts. You become someone you don’t recognize—someone you hate being. The version of you that feels raw, volatile, and completely out of control. Your emotions swing wildly—rage, panic, sadness, guilt—as if they have a life of their own.

Your body feels tense, almost electric, like you might explode at any moment. The smallest things set you off. A sound, a comment, a delay in plans—suddenly, it’s all too much. Your mind races, your patience disappears, and before you know it, the people you love the most are caught in the crossfire. And then, just as intensely as it arrived, the storm lifts.

But in its place? The shame. The deep, unbearable guilt of what you said, what you did, how you acted—how impossible it was to control. You promise yourself you’ll do better next month. You’ll hold it together. But when the cycle starts again, the pattern repeats itself.

You are not alone. You are not broken. And you are not imagining this.

.

This is PMDD.

You may feel powerless right now, but it does not have to control your life. Support is here when you are ready.

What is PMDD

PMDD symptoms are often very overwhelming and usually start around ovulation (mid-cycle) and intensify until your period begins. They’re not just physical—they hijack your mind, emotions, and relationships:

  • Deep sadness, hopelessness, or suicidal thoughts

  • Uncontrollable mood swings and irritability

  • Explosive anger or emotional numbness

  • Panic attacks and racing thoughts

  • Crushing guilt and self-doubt

  • Insomnia, exhaustion, and physical tension

PMDD doesn’t just affect you—it affects your relationships, your work, your ability to function. And yet, because awareness is still so low, many people spend years being misdiagnosed.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe, hormone-based mood disorder that impacts around 2-10% of people of reproductive age. It’s not “just PMS.” It’s a disorder rooted in how your brain and body respond to hormonal shifts, often worsening over time and after major reproductive events (like pregnancy or perimenopause).

What is PME?

Premenstrual Exacerbation (PME) happens when an existing mental health condition—like depression, anxiety, ADHD, or PTSD—worsens in the luteal phase (the week or two before your period). Unlike PMDD, where symptoms ONLY occur during this phase, PME amplifies symptoms of a condition you already have, making them feel unbearable during this time.

If you’ve ever wondered why your usual coping strategies seem to stop working before your period, or why your anxiety, mood swings, or depressive thoughts suddenly intensify, PME could be the reason. Understanding the difference between PME and PMDD is crucial for finding the right treatment, and you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Let’s Talk about How We Can Help.

At The Path Wellness Center, we get it—because we’ve lived it, and we’ve helped others navigate it. Our approach to PMDD therapy isn’t about “fixing” you (because you are not broken). It’s about helping you understand your cycle, your triggers, and how to work with your body—not against it.

PMDD can make you feel like you’re drowning in emotions you can’t control—trapped in a cycle of overwhelm, guilt, and exhaustion that comes crashing down on you every month. Therapy won’t change your hormonal shifts, but it can change the way you experience them.

Understanding Your Cycle & Triggers – The first step to managing PMDD is recognizing how it shows up for you. Therapy helps you map out your emotional patterns, pinpoint your triggers, and figure out what makes symptoms worse (or better). Knowing what to expect can make all the difference in preparing for the storm rather than being blindsided by it.

Here’s what Therapy can Offer:

⟶

Emotional Regulation & Nervous System Support – PMDD hijacks your brain, making even small stressors feel like life-or-death situations. We use somatic techniques, mindfulness, polyvagal-informed strategies, Brainspotting and EMDR to help you soothe your body’s stress response and shift out of survival mode faster.

⟶

Guidance Through Treatment Options – The world of PMDD treatments—medications, supplements, cycle syncing, nutrition—can be overwhelming to sort through alone. Therapy provides a space to explore your options, figure out what works for you, and find a treatment plan that fits your body, mind, and lifestyle.

⟶

Healing Relationships Impacted by PMDD – You’re not the only one affected by your symptoms—your partner, family, and friends feel it too. Therapy can help you navigate communication, boundaries, and repair so that your loved ones understand what’s happening without making you feel guilty for it.

⟶

Releasing Guilt & Shame – One of the hardest parts of PMDD is the emotional aftermath—the deep guilt, shame, and self-blame that lingers after an episode. Therapy helps you separate yourself from your symptoms, rewrite the negative self-talk, and move forward without carrying the weight of of each cycle.

⟶

Coping Strategies That Actually Work – You’ve likely tried everything to keep yourself together in the worst moments, only to feel like nothing truly helps. Therapy offers personalized coping tools—ones that work with your nervous system, emotions, and relationships—so you can manage symptoms instead of being consumed by them.

⟶

You Deserve Support.

You Deserve Relief.

PMDD can be isolating, especially when the world tells you to “just push through it.” Here, you don’t have to explain or justify what you’re feeling—we already get it. Therapy is a place where you can be seen, be heard, and never be judged for what PMDD puts you through.

PMDD may be part of your cycle, but it doesn’t have to control your life. With the right support, you can learn to move through it with more understanding, stability, and self-compassion.

You don’t have to do this alone. Let’s find a way forward together.

  • PMDD is more than just mood swings or bloating before your period. It severely impacts your emotions, thoughts, and relationships in ways that feel overwhelming or out of control. The key difference is intensity and duration—PMDD symptoms begin around ovulation, get progressively worse, and typically resolve a few days after your period starts. If your symptoms are disrupting your life every month, it’s worth exploring a PMDD diagnosis.

  • Yes. While therapy won’t change your hormonal shifts, it can help you understand your patterns, regulate your emotions, and develop coping strategies that make PMDD more manageable. Therapy can also help with the guilt, shame, and relational struggles that often come with PMDD.

  • PMDD and PME can look very similar, but there’s a key difference:

    • PMDD symptoms only occur during the luteal phase (the 1-2 weeks before your period) and disappear once your period starts. It’s caused by an extreme sensitivity to natural hormonal fluctuations.

    • PME (Premenstrual Exacerbation) means an existing mental health condition—such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, or PTSD—worsens during the luteal phase, but the underlying condition is still present at other times of the month.

    How Do I Know Which One I Have?

    A good way to tell the difference is by tracking your symptoms throughout your cycle:
    ✔     If you feel relatively fine outside of your luteal phase, but experience intense mood and emotional shifts before your period, it’s likely PMDD.
    ✔     If you struggle with symptoms all month long, but they get significantly worse premenstrually, it’s more likely PME.

    Understanding whether you have PMDD or PME is important for getting the right treatment. If you’re unsure, therapy can help you track your symptoms, identify patterns, and find strategies to manage either condition. You don’t have to figure it out alone.

  • There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but common treatment options include:

    • Medications: SSRIs, birth control, or hormone therapy, also some antihistamines

    • Holistic Approaches: Nutrition, supplements, body movement, sleep regulation

    • Therapy & Nervous System Support: IFS, brainspotting, EMDR, mindfulness, and polyvagal regulation

    • Lifestyle Adjustments: Cycle tracking, stress management, and self-compassion work

    The key is finding the right combination that works for you.

  • PMDD doesn’t currently have a cure, but it is manageable. Many people find significant relief through the right combination of medical, therapeutic, and lifestyle interventions. You don’t have to suffer alone—there are ways to regain control and feel like yourself again.

FAQs

Other questions? We’ve got answers.

  • At The Path Wellness Center, we take an integrative approach tailored to your needs. Our work often includes:

    • Cycle Awareness & Emotional Regulation to help you predict and manage your symptoms

    • Somatic and Nervous System Approaches to calm the body’s intense responses

    • Trauma-Informed Therapy for those with past trauma or sensitivity to stress

    • Relationship Support to navigate the impact of PMDD on your personal life

  • While we are all trained mental health professionals (and should have honorary medical degrees from the countless hours spent educating our selves on the body!) we are not medical providers and therefore cannot prescribe medications or hormone replacement therapy. We can, and will, go over ALL of your treatment options and help you decide the best place to start for your unique set of symptoms and experiences. We will also support you in advocating for the treatment you deserve and need from medical providers.

  • No, you don’t need a formal diagnosis to seek support. If you suspect you have PMDD based on your symptoms, we can help you track your cycle, identify patterns, and advocate for medical care if needed. Many people struggle for years without a diagnosis—getting support now can make all the difference.

  • Absolutely. PMDD affects not just you, but your relationships. Therapy can help your loved ones understand what you’re going through, improve communication, and set boundaries that support both you and them.

  • Getting started is simple. Begin by scheduling your free consultation call with one of our specialized therapists. During this call, you'll discuss your needs and learn about our approach. If you decide to proceed, we’ll schedule your initial assessment and begin creating your personalized treatment plan. Click the link below to sign up.

Start by scheduling a FREE 20-minute phone consultation HERE now so we can chat about how you can be supported. 

If you are still unsure if you may have PMDD, here are some quotes from courageous women who chose to share their experience, describing what PMDD feels like to them:

“I felt deep misery and severe panic attacks, and when in the thick of it, I felt as though I would always be this miserable and it wouldn’t go away.” - Marie, 31

 

“When I am in the worst of it, I feel as if my body could literally explode with the amount of tension I experience. The littlest things will completely overwhelm me to the point of inability to function and do daily tasks.” - Jennifer, 37 

“I tend to be a perfectionist naturally but when it is the week before my period I am wholeheartedly convinced I am failing at everything in life, and that EVERYONE feels the same way. I am a complete irrational mess.” - Anita, 29 

“I cry for a week… I am wrecked by any and all emotions. Songs, commercials, certain sounds, I’m crying.  And not just a few tears shed, a deep, raw, ugly cry!” - Kendra, 40 

“My husband was fearful of this time of the month, every month. Before we knew what was happening to me, and before we even knew what PMDD was, we used to fight a lot about how bad I got. It was so hard to explain to him what was happening for me when I didn’t even know myself. I felt GUILT like I’ve never felt about anything else in life.” - Lisa, 39

See what more women say about their experiences with PMDD here. 

If you relate to these women, I hope this helps you know, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  You are not broken, you are not crazy. 

BOOK FREE CONSULT

BOOK FREE CONSULT

READY TO GET STARTED?

You don’t have to figure this out alone.