Menstrual Mentoring
My Passion, My Purpose, My Mission
These sessions are an absolute highlight of my working week. Nothing gives me greater joy than seeing people liberated from suffering and empowered to live cyclical and congruent lives.
Menstrual Cycle Awareness is my passion, my purpose and my mission and I live and breathe this work every single day.
To share this with others is an honour and a privilege and I am forever inspired by the incredible shifts and transformations that take place once a real commitment is made to this practice and this work.
Along the way I have acquired many tools, tips and techniques and would be so glad to share these with you should that be what you are looking for but...
As well as empowering you with information I also intend for these sessions to be a invitation for you to tap into your innate wild wisdom and discover the deep current of insights, clarity and wisdom that you already hold within.
Not currently taking on new 1-1s ahead of maternity leave in September 2021.
Enquire
My sessions with Carly have given me the space to notice, the guidance to empower myself and room to grow with my flow. I'd have never thought I'd come to look forward to my period, that I'd notice the fluctuations in my cycle, that before simply passed me by. There is nothing more pleasing than knowing when my kick-ass days will be and when to schedule rest and relaxation. I highly recommend these 1 to 1s from someone who was curious and didn't have any preconceived idea of what I might discover, I've gained so much. ~ Daisy
The Details
Where
These sessions take place from the comfort of your own home via Zoom and are bespoke to you.
How
Each session is guided by your experience of your cycle, your current knowledge and practice and what it is you're interested in exploring, learning and discovering.
Approach
They are typically a mix of informative and experiential and focus on sharing and exploring practices, information and resources to build understanding and insight and cultivate awareness, confidence and congruency.
In these sessions I lean into my training in Well Woman Yoga Therapy, my study of the cycle both biologically and psychologically and my experience as a women's circle facilitator to hold a space for you that is nourishing, supportive empowering and informative.
Method
In these 1-1 sessions we work through 3 stages and spend time exploring each...
1. Know
Get to know what is happening in your body through learning about the menstrual cycle and charting your own.
2. Grow
Grow to understand, accept and cooperate with your shifting and changing hormones, moods, energy levels, behaviours and tendencies throughout the cycle.
3. Flow
Learn to flow with your unique experience of the menstrual cycle, discover how to harness and support yourself through each phase, and uncover the wild and cyclical life of your dreams.
Menstrual Cycle Awareness has allowed me to finally understand my body and it's rhythms. It has improved not only my physical health but also my mental and emotional health and the way that I see and interact with the world. Carly's 1:1's have offered me the opportunity to explore this practice in a safe and fully supportive environment. She brings in a playful and nurturing exploration, tailoring the sessions and the practices offered to each individual, meaning that you really get the most out of the sessions, offering insights you had never realised before. I always leave a session full of enthusiasm with new ideas and tasks to work through to deepen my MCA practice. This was the best investment I have made in myself and will continue to reap the benefits for the rest of my life. ~ Laura
The Exchange
The average amount of time people spend with me is 4-6 sessions though some have stayed for less or more depending on their wants, needs & circumstances.
An Introduction: 3 session block - £150
Deeper Dive: 6 session block - £240
Patreon Membership
Become a Full Flow Wild Woman Club member & receive monthly 1 hour sessions for £35/month.
Limited availability
Included in Sessions:
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Bespoke 1-1 sessions
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Charting Your Cycles Starter Kit
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Meditations, practices, Well Woman Yoga therapy techniques and practices and resources
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Between sessions correspondence for you to share how you're doing
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A 'Daily Check In' meditation recording and practice
If you're new to my work & want to find out if we're a good match feel free to drop me an email and we can have a phone call or video chat.
Working with Carly has awoken what I can only describe as a small revolution inside of me! By supporting and guiding me through various ways and means of charting my cycle, allowing me to find those that suit me and my life, Carly has offered a loving and intuitive space to get to know my own unique rhythm and flows. She not only brings her exceptional warmth, honesty and openness but has the most incredible ability to hold space, all whilst bringing an absolute wealth of knowledge in MCA. In just a few short months I have seen the immense power that lies within understanding my cycle on such a deeper level. Being supported on this journey feels like I have uncovered and observed more in a short space of time, than I ever would have achieved without Carly guiding the way. ~ Suzy
My Story
My grandma gave me my first journal at the age of 11, the same age I got my first period. At the time it seemed like a coincidence, but now I’m not so sure. Either way, 11-year-old me began marking the first day of her period with a star, and always made note of her mood each day.
Little did I know that these simple and innocent mood notes would form the basis of the menstrual cycle awareness techniques that I use now. They were documenting invaluable information about my early cycles and menstrual experience. An absolute treasure trove for me now as a data loving adult.
My introduction to menstrual life wasn’t marked with any magic and I was shut down every time I tried to ask questions. How difficult it must have been for my parents, and those of their generation, to answer enquiries like this, with such little education on the subject. I started experiencing panic attacks, suffering incredible pain and wild mood swings. The only suggestion from my doctors and friends? Go on the pill. Something I knew in my gut I didn't want to do.
The pain became so bad in my late 20s that twice I had to pull over while driving. Retching, wailing and moaning with pains so extreme that I genuinely considered they might kill me. I know that sounds extreme, but if you've experienced this before, you'll know what I mean. On top of the physical symptoms, I was also experiencing mood swings so severe that I was regularly lashing out and feeling suicidal during my premenstrual phase. Life didn't seem worth living, yet hormonal contraception didn't feel like the solution for me. I felt deep in my bones that this pain was a message, I just needed to learn how to hear it.
I finally heard it 18 years after my first period and so began the journey of trying to respond. I was on a Well Woman Yoga Therapy Training course with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli. I slowed down. Began to truly listen to my body and honour my emotions. I learned about the power of the menstrual cycle and was taught how to support each phase of my cycle. As a consequence of this work, I had my first ever pain free period during that training.
Once I heard what my body was trying to tell me, I couldn’t unhear it. It transformed the way I live and work and bleed. I’d been given a gift. One of freedom from suffering and the solution had been so simple; learning to understand, accept and cooperate with my body, rather than ignoring, rejecting and overriding it.
This gift has become my biggest passion and my life's work.
Training and Credentials
I am a certified Well Woman Yoga Therapy, Pregnancy Yoga, Yoga Nidra & Restorative Yoga Teacher and have a deep understanding and lived experience of the biological, psychological & spiritual impacts of the menstrual cycle.
I am a Fertility Awareness Method practitioner & currently training to become a Registered BSY Holistic Fertility Therapist.
Certification
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200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Whitespace Yoga Studio ~ March 2015-June 2016
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Introduction to Yoga Nidra and iRest with Restful Being ~ October 2016
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Teaching Vinyasa Flow with Dawn Wright at Whitespace Yoga Studio ~ January 2017
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Well Woman Yoga Therapy Course with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli ~ November 2017
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Total Yoga Nidra Immersion with Nirlipta Tuli ~ January 2018
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Healing Early Developmental Trauma Through the Body with Ralf Marzen ~ October 2019
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Restorative Yoga Teacher Training 50 Hours with Deborah Berryman at Whitespace Yoga Studio ~ December 2019
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Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training at Whitespace Yoga Studio with Dawn Wright ~ October 2020
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Professional BSY Holistic Fertility Therapy Diploma ~ 2021 pending
Mentoring & Study
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Mentoring and workshops with my mentor and guide Naseem Khakoo
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Wild Power Course with Red School and TreeSisters ~ February - April 2018, Online
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Menstrual Cycle Awareness practice since 2012, cycle tracking since 1999, Menstrual Cycle Awareness Mentoring since 2018
A Note on Certification...
As fellow Menstrual Cycle Awareness advocate, Vickie Williams, once said. 'I'm a woman, that's my training' and I wholeheartedly agree. I also live and breathe this work each and every day of my life. My menstrual cycle is the foundation from which the rest of my life grows and flows. I have facilitated women's circles since 2016, regular Well Woman Yoga classes since 2017 and have seen many women 1-1 over the years in my Menstrual Mentoring sessions which over time has exposed me to the goldmine of many different experiences of menstruation and the menstrual cycle.
As I mentioned in my about section, some of the best teachers, healers, facilitators and musicians I've ever met are the ones that are self-taught. I believe wholeheartedly in trusting a person and their innate skills and passions over a certificate, particularly because often the people with a lot of innate skill and passion don't have the resources to train as training is expensive! I have a vision that some day we'll be able to pass yoga on through mentorship for free like the old days and sack off all this officialdom.
FAQs
The overarching answer to most questions is that if you feel the call to do this work then you are welcome here but let me delve into a few of the most common questions I get asked...
Can I track my cycle on hormonal contraception?
Hormonal contraception means that you don't have periods (the bleeding is a withdrawal bleed from the drugs) so you won't be able to track your period as such, but there's still a great depth of work that can be done. As far as I'm concerned, tracking and charting are great mental health tools and a menstrual cycle is just one blueprint to follow.
Side point: There are lots of incredibly valid reasons for needing and/or wanting hormonal contraception, so please know that there will never be any judgement from me. This will never exclude you from the work I offer.
Can I practice Menstrual Cycle Awareness without a cycle?
There are many reasons why a person might not have a visible monthly cycle, including (but not limited to) being born without a womb, having had a hysterectomy, menopause, early menopause, lactational amenorrhea, hypothalamic amenorrhea, eating disorders, hormonal contraception, being a trans woman, and some health issues. However, there are many ways to explore cyclicity beyond just Menstrual Cycle Awareness. As with hormonal contraception you won't be tracking your period, but tracking and charting your moods, energy levels, behaviours, tendencies and physical changes can be a very grounding practice, providing insight into your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. If you're not working with a cycle I often suggest tracking alongside the phases of the moon.
Cyclical living is not just the remit of people with periods; with or without a visible monthly cycle, living in tune with your rhythms and the rhythms of nature can be so supportive.
Can I do this work post-menopause?
This workbook does not specifically cover menopause, so it might not be right for you if this is your focus. This work can retrospectively shed light on a life of periods as well as deepening your connection to the lunar, seasonal, and greater life cycles. When looking at seasonal associations, perimenopause is often linked to autumn and menopause to winter. It may be that you find the information related to these phases relevant.
Can I Chart my Cycle if it is Irregular?
There are many reasons why a person might have irregular cycles, such as PCOS, perimenopause, stress, travel, or an underlying health issue. If your cycle is irregular, know that often there is a larger cycle within that. Years of talking about periods has shown me that anecdotally lots of people experience a change in cycle length around seasons change. Strange but seemingly true.
Perhaps one of the most beneficial elements of charting and tracking, for those with irregular cycles, is the ability to predict your period. As you begin to learn the signs of ovulation, this can be achieved fairly accurately, as the premenstrual phase is generally considered to be the most consistent. The unpredictability of an irregular cycle requires even closer, more attentive inner listening. Sometimes this very act of attention, acceptance and cooperation, can help to iron out the very issues that made it irregular to begin with.
I don't have a good relationship with my period, I don't know if this is going to work for me?
I hear you, I feel you. I didn't get into this work because my period was a sunny breeze. I got into this work because my period caused me to suffer so badly that at times it felt too much to bear.
I wondered if I could handle 10 days of every 3 weeks as a completely non-functional human being. However, with better understanding, I now view my period as an incredibly valuable health feedback loop. You don't have to love your period but some tolerance, understanding and acceptance goes a long way. If you're feeling the call to understand yours more intimately, I'd say you're in the right place.
What people say
Working with Carly has awoken what I can only describe as a small revolution inside of me! By supporting and guiding me through various ways and means of charting my cycle, allowing me to find those that suit me and my life, Carly has offered a loving and intuitive space to get to know my own unique rhythm and flows. She not only brings her exceptional warmth, honesty and openness but has the most incredible ability to hold space, all whilst bringing an absolute wealth of knowledge in MCA. In just a few short months I have seen the immense power that lies within understanding my cycle on such a deeper level. Being supported on this journey feels like I have uncovered and observed more in a short space of time, than I ever would have achieved without Carly guiding the way.
— Suzy