Menstrual Researcher, Speaker, Writer and Facilitator

At the core, I am a nature based, seasonal and slow living advocate - these foundational elements became so deeply enhanced when I began to work with them alongside a deeper awareness of my menstrual cycle, after the birth of my children over 10 years ago. At a similar time I began to consider what I was experiencing against the backdrop of what I had been taught about menstruation through cultural messaging to that point. My curiosity around the cultural narratives, patriarchal conditioning and capitalism, particularly around the menarche experience, continue today and is the foundation of my research, offerings and curiosity.

What became evident in my exploration of menstruation is that the tendrils of patriarchy exist in far flung places in our psyche, bodies and culture; cultivating a distance and disassociation with what it means to be a womb bearer. Whether its through research, writing, academia, story-telling, facilitating groups or designing one-to-one programmes my work is currently aimed at those who are already menstruating but not yet honouring or experiencing their cycles as something ‘other’ than they have previously been taught.

Whilst the emotional and spiritual connection to my menstrual cycles remain personally and deeply significant to me, an important aspect of what I offer in my programmes is addressing the context of why we experience menstruation as we do, without acknowledging why we are where we are, we fall short of really being able to fully engage with our cyclical experience and all that it has to offer.

Two significant parts of professionalising my menstrual awareness journey were training in Womb and Fertility Massage with Clare Spink, linking my experience of bodywork and massage to the womb space and gaining a clearer understanding of what fertility means in its broadest sense. More recently completing a Masters level study in Contemporary Menstrual Studies with Dr Lara Owen has opened new depths of understanding around the importance and knowledge gained from evidence based research.

You can hear more via the Reclaiming Menarche Podcast, a 10 part series with those who have influenced or inspired my journey so far, or you can explore my work and ways to work with me via the links below.