The 4 Phases Of Your Menstrual Cycle - Part 1 (Overview)

Hello and welcome to the Wild Womb Medicine Podcast. I'm Claire, and today we’ll talk about how looking at your entire cycle can help heal PMS and PMDD. This is part one of a five-part series where we’ll explore how each phase of your cycle can support you in reducing premenstrual symptoms.

Your Menstrual Cycle: An Overview

Many people only focus on the premenstrual phase when it comes to healing PMS or PMDD. While it’s understandable to want relief during that time, focusing solely on it can miss the bigger picture. Your menstrual cycle isn’t linear—each phase influences the others, and they are all deeply interconnected.

There are four phases in your cycle:

1. Inner Winter (Menstrual Phase)
• Your cycle starts on day one of your bleed, which is the beginning of your inner winter. This is a time for rest and renewal. If you don’t allow yourself to rest here, it’s likely your premenstrual symptoms will worsen because the inner critic will be frustrated by unmet needs. Just like winter in nature, where the earth rests to nourish itself for future growth, this phase is all about replenishing yourself.
2. Inner Spring (Follicular Phase)
• After your period, you enter inner spring. This is your follicular phase, where the energy is lighter, playful, and more creative. Cherishing yourself here builds resilience for when the inner critic emerges later in your cycle.
3. Inner Summer (Ovulation Phase)
• Ovulation brings your inner summer, a phase for being fully seen and expressing yourself. For extroverted people, this could mean socializing, while for introverts, it might be about witnessing your own fullness. How you express yourself here also builds a buffer for your inner autumn.
4. Inner Autumn (Premenstrual Phase)
• Your inner autumn is your premenstrual phase, the time between ovulation and your period. It’s the natural home of the inner critic, and this phase holds you accountable to who you are. It’s easy to get caught up in symptoms here—rage, depression, hopelessness—but this phase also invites you to look at these symptoms as signals rather than problems. Addressing your needs throughout the entire cycle will reduce the intensity of your premenstrual symptoms.

Why the Whole Cycle Matters

Focusing only on the premenstrual phase, while important, overlooks the fact that every phase of your cycle is connected. How you rest during menstruation impacts your energy later. If you neglect your inner winter, the inner critic during inner autumn will only become louder. Each phase offers gifts that support the others, helping you build a strong foundation for healing.

As you begin to heal the premenstrual phase, you might notice how other phases also affect your cycle. For instance, I started seeing improvement in my premenstrual phase, only to then struggle with my inner spring. This is completely natural—healing happens in layers. The key is to be curious about how your cycle shows up for you and to notice where you feel challenged or blocked.

It’s Okay If You Struggle to Access These Gifts

It’s also important to acknowledge that it’s perfectly okay if you struggle to access the gifts of each phase. There’s no right or wrong way to experience your menstrual cycle. Some months, you may feel more connected to these energies, while other months, life may pull you in different directions. Your cycle is incredibly intelligent, and however it’s showing up for you is exactly how it’s meant to be in that moment. This isn’t about making your cycle ‘wrong’ or pathologizing it. Instead, it’s about approaching it with curiosity—wondering why certain phases may be challenging and what that means for your healing journey.

Final Thoughts

In the next four episodes, we’ll go deeper into each phase and how it can help heal PMS and PMDD. We’ll also explore practical tips for cultivating each phase’s gifts and address the challenges that might come up. Remember, your cycle is incredibly wise—however it’s showing up for you is exactly how it’s meant to be. The goal isn’t perfection, but curiosity and compassion.

If you’re interested in getting started right away, I have a free Premenstrual Survival Pack, a 38-page PDF that offers tangible steps for managing premenstrual symptoms.

Thank you for joining me today! If something in this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you. You can find me on Instagram at @wildwombmedicineuk or drop me an email at [email protected]

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