Curious how I got here?

Here’s the short version…

In my late teens, I was pursuing a career as a ballerina. Despite my accomplishments, I came to the conclusion that losing weight would benefit my career. What began as a simple yet uneducated plan to shed five pounds quickly spiraled into a full-blown eating disorder. A few months later, I found myself in a doctor’s office with pink eye and a resting heart rate of just 42 beats per minute. My body was working so hard just to keep going. Those years were an uphill battle. I eventually left the ballet world, but I continued struggling to properly nourish myself and lost my menstrual cycle entirely. Eventually, doctors suggested I try birth control, assuring me it would “regulate my menstrual cycles.” If you’re reading this, you may know that is the exact opposite of what hormonal birth control does…

For years I experimented with various hormonal birth control options, but I unfortunately experienced terrible side effects, including severe anxiety and depression. My body became inflamed, I developed adult acne, and I had significant gut issues. Fed up, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I began experimenting with diet and lifestyle changes, and slowly but surely, my cycle returned.

A few years later, during an incredibly stressful period post grad school, I was really struggling with my mental health, burnt out from school, and the hardships that come with pursuing a career as a musician. Eventually I went to see a psychiatrist who suggested I might have bipolar disorder and recommended I take medication. Uncomfortable with the idea of relying on medication, I explored other possibilities. I noticed that my mood issues were highly cyclical. After further discussions with other doctors, I was diagnosed with PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). Although relieved that I didn’t "need" medication, I knew the road ahead would be long and challenging.

For the past eight years, I’ve immersed myself in learning everything I can about hormones and the menstrual cycle. My mission has been to manage my PMDD symptoms and restore hormonal balance within my body. The more I’ve learned, the more passionate I’ve become about women’s health care. Our medical system knows shockingly little about managing hormonal health. Women are often dismissed and gaslit in medical settings, with the only solutions offered being birth control and SSRIs. Although it’s been a long journey, now I consider myself fortunate that my curiosity led me to discover alternatives, and I feel compelled to help other women explore these options too.

For me, this journey has been about more than just healing; it’s been about reclaiming my body and my health. I’ve come to understand the power of body literacy—the ability to truly know and understand our biology and cyclical nature. This knowledge is transformative, and it’s my mission to share it with as many women as possible. By empowering women with the tools and understanding they need, we can break free from the limitations imposed by a system that often overlooks us. Whether you’re trying to conceive, recovering from the effects of hormonal birth control, or managing severe PMS/PMDD symptoms, understanding your body is the key to taking back your power and finding the balance you deserve.