In Love with PMDD

Dr. Rose Alkattan
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Welcome to the In Love with PMDD Podcast, I am your Host Dr. Rose Alkattan, your PMDD Relationship Psychotraumatologist.  Each week, I will be teaching you my signature PMDD Trauma Transformational Tools where I help PMDD Partners to STOP Breaking up every month. We Got This!

  1. 3D AGO

    Tools for the Monthly PMDD Dance

    Send a text Bad Marriage Advice Book Secrets of Happily Ever After with Monica Tanner Podcast PMDD Pyramid Private Sessions Me Before PMDD: Relationship Reset Toolkit-Couples Click to Book a Private PMDD Session Follow me on Instagram Follow me on TikTok PMDD doesn’t just change moods, it can change the entire rhythm of a relationship. When the luteal phase hits, couples often slide into the same argument pattern, then spend the “good weeks” trying to forget it ever happened. We wanted something more useful than replaying the past, so we brought in Monica Tanner, a couples coach who helps partners spot the pattern, name it, and choose a different step. We get practical about luteal phase communication, including why both partners are part of the dynamic and how unmet needs quietly turn into avoidance, bitterness, and distance. Monica explains how couples can build awareness of their “dance,” share what they’re capable of during different cycle phases, and negotiate real solutions that protect connection without forcing either person to pretend they feel fine. Then we go straight into intimacy. Monica breaks down three pillars for a healthier sex life: emotional safety, understanding spontaneous versus responsive desire, and bringing back playful energy when things feel heavy or “roommate-like.” We also talk about widening the menu so intimacy isn’t limited to one definition of sex, and how simple check-ins can reduce insecurity and spiraling after a sexual moment. If you’re navigating a PMDD relationship, dating with PMDD, or trying to rebuild closeness after a long dry spell, this one is packed with tools you can use immediately. Subscribe, share this with a partner or friend who needs it, and leave a review to help more couples find support. What part of the monthly “dance” do you want to change first?

    36 min

  2. MAR 1

    Stop Letting Your Brain Turn Feelings Into Facts

    Send a text PMDD Pyramid Private Sessions Me Before PMDD: Relationship Reset Toolkit-Couples Click to Book a Private PMDD Session Follow me on Instagram Follow me on TikTok What story is your mind telling about your partner—and how much of it is actually true? We dive into the subtle way narratives form under stress, especially during the luteal phase with PMDD, and how those stories can turn ordinary moments into proof of disrespect, rejection, or neglect. If you’ve ever felt the rush to protect, to withdraw affection, or to keep score, you’ll hear why the brain does this and how to gently steer it back toward safety and connection. We break down confirmation bias in real terms: once you decide “they don’t care,” your mind scans for evidence. That bias strengthens with every venting session and criticism, carving neural pathways that find fault on autopilot. Instead of litigating the past, we model a different route—curiosity before conclusions, validation before explanation, and accountability without defensiveness. You’ll learn how a genuine check-in—“Here’s the story I’m telling myself. Is it true?”—can cancel a runaway narrative and turn conflict into clarity. From there, we get practical. Talk therapy can stall when it becomes fact-filing, so we show how to pair conversation with specific action plans that calm the nervous system: short daily touchpoints, reset phrases, and explicit agreements that prevent repeat hurts. We explore how amygdala activation fuels hypervigilance, why familiar behaviors suddenly read as threats, and how building felt safety changes perception itself. You’ll also hear how splitting—seeing your partner as “the problem”—feeds monthly breakup cycles, and how to replace labels with observations and needs to rebuild trust. By the end, you’ll have a simple framework: notice the narrative, get curious, validate impact, take ownership for repairs, and agree on the next small step. It’s not about proving innocence; it’s about restoring safety so love can breathe again. If this resonates, subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review telling us the one habit you’ll try this week.

    31 min

  3. FEB 23

    PMDD Partner Edition- Why PMDD Makes Forgiving Your Partner Feel Impossible

    Send a text PMDD Pyramid Private Sessions Me Before PMDD: Relationship Reset Toolkit-Couples Click to Book a Private PMDD Session Follow me on Instagram Follow me on TikTok Ever feel like you’ve apologized, made peace, and then the same wound reopens weeks later? We explore why forgiveness slips through your fingers when PMDD hits, and how partners can respond in ways that quiet reactivity instead of fanning it. Drawing on hundreds of partner interviews and brain-based insights, we break down what actually happens in the luteal phase: the prefrontal cortex loses grip, the limbic system takes the wheel, and yesterday’s hurt floods today’s body. That shift explains why logic falls flat, why memories roar back, and why intimacy can stall even after a sincere sorry. We walk through the language that backfires and the scripts that help. Ditch minimizers like we’ve already talked about this or why can’t you let it go and try anchors that restore safety: I know you chose forgiveness earlier, even if it feels far away; we don’t have to solve this right now; let’s circle back when we’re clearer. You’ll learn how to stop arguing facts with a brain that can’t access them, and how to separate the person you love from the symptoms you’re seeing. Simple reframes like this sounds like PMDD talking, this isn’t the truth about you reduce shame and make reconnection possible. We also address the partner’s side: the erosion of self-respect after repeated lines in the sand, the temptation to shut down, and the fixer reflex that often reads as pressure. Instead of pushing for a quick reset, practice presence, validate what feels intense, and pause permanent decisions during the luteal phase. Customization matters—each month brings different stressors and triggers—so we share a toolkit approach rather than one-size-fits-all rules. By trading courtroom energy for team energy, you can move from endless rehashing to steady repair, protect intimacy from emotional memory, and rebuild hope one calm choice at a time. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a partner who needs it, and leave a review to help others find these tools.

    38 min

  4. FEB 16

    Why Your PMDD Brain Makes Forgiving Your Partner Feel Impossible

    Send a text PMDD Pyramid Private Sessions Me Before PMDD: Relationship Reset Toolkit-Couples Click to Book a Private PMDD Session Follow me on Instagram Follow me on TikTok Ever feel like forgiveness resets every month, no matter how many talks or apologies you’ve had? We dig into why PMDD turns small misunderstandings into full-blown ruptures and why the same argument keeps resurfacing in luteal, even when things felt fine days ago. I break down what’s actually happening in the brain—how the prefrontal cortex goes partially offline and the limbic system goes into overdrive—so you can stop blaming willpower and start using strategies that work. Together, we separate three kinds of forgiveness that often get tangled: decisional forgiveness (the choice to move forward even when feelings lag), emotional forgiveness (calming the limbic alarm so apologies can land), and self-forgiveness (releasing the heavy shame about how you showed up in PMDD). You’ll learn why talk therapy can unintentionally amplify old hurts in luteal, how to name the “PMDD brain” in real time to slow reactivity, and what it takes to create relational safety after rage—without demanding impossible guarantees. I share simple, repeatable tools: pause-and-repair scripts, scheduled re-entry after a trigger, and narrative reframing that corrects all-or-nothing thinking and restores a balanced view of your partner. We also get practical about structure. I explain the PMDD Pyramid approach—first individual sessions for the PMDD partner, then for the non-PMDD partner, and finally a short, focused joint session—to prevent re-triggering and turn insight into a clear plan. We close with ways to “seal the loop” so your nervous system stops scanning for the same threat: tiny behavior changes, a checklist for sensitive tasks, and a living “receipt of good” list that offsets negativity bias when logic is dim. If you’re tired of monthly breakups, apologies that don’t land, and intimacy on pause, this conversation offers a calm map out of the cycle. If this helped, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review telling me the one tool you’ll try this week.

    43 min

  5. JAN 30

    The PMDD Lens

    Send a text Me Before PMDD: Relationship Reset Toolkit-Couples Click to Book a Private PMDD Session Follow me on Instagram Follow me on TikTok Ever feel rock-solid about your partner one week and ready to leave the next? That whiplash isn’t proof your relationship is broken—it’s the PMDD lens shifting how your brain reads love, safety, and support. We unpack why the luteal phase pushes your mind into protection mode, why breakup urges feel so convincing, and how to stop emotions from masquerading as evidence. We talk through the sneaky power of “should” statements—how they create silent expectations, erase your partner’s efforts, and turn love into a pass-fail test. Then we trade rules for preferences and criticism for clear requests: “I need reassurance tonight,” “I prefer a text before bed,” and “I need a quieter space.” You’ll learn cycle-aware tools to pause decisions, run a PMDD reality check, and build small rituals that keep connection steady when symptoms spike. We also address misophonia and other sensory triggers, outlining ways to normalize them without blaming your partner or shaming yourself. By the end, you’ll have a simple playbook: label the distortion, use a mantra to slow down, ask specifically for what helps, and defer big choices until your follicular phase. Love doesn’t require perfection—just structure, language, and grace that fit a PMDD brain. If your relationship is fundamentally safe and caring, these steps can protect it from a bad phase and keep the good you’ve built. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more PMDD couples find practical support.

    27 min

  6. JAN 20

    Why Breaking Up Won’t Fix PMDD Stress

    Send a text Me Before PMDD: Relationship Reset Toolkit-Couples Click to Book a Private PMDD Session Follow me on Instagram Follow me on TikTok Ever feel like one tiny comment can tip your whole relationship over? PMDD can make the ordinary feel unbearable, not because your love changed, but because your stress response did. We pull back the curtain on how the luteal phase cranks up the body’s alarm system—spiking cortisol, shrinking emotional tolerance, and distorting what you think your partner means—so neutral moments read like rejection and everyday chores feel like cliffs. We walk through real‑life flashpoints, like time management clashes and airport anxiety, to show how different nervous systems handle stress. You’ll hear a simple shift—explaining the why behind your behavior—turn rigidity into care and defensiveness into teamwork. We dig into the intimacy gap that opens when fatigue pushes you into autopilot, and how two‑minute check‑ins can keep connection alive without draining your last bit of energy. Instead of chasing a stress‑free fantasy, we focus on building a responsive plan: safe time‑outs for rage, short body resets to lower baseline arousal, and weekly “release the pressure” rituals that stop micro‑triggers from stockpiling. Using the balloon metaphor, we map how unaddressed stress accumulates all month and pops during PMDD. The fix isn’t a breakup or silence until it blows; it’s steady processing while your brain can still think clearly. We share tools to align on hot zones before they heat up, trade roles when energy dips, and name what’s happening in plain language so your partner stops feeling like the enemy. By seeing stress as a shared opponent and PMDD as a filter—not a verdict—you can protect your bond and move through the luteal phase with more clarity, compassion, and control. If this helped, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review to tell us the tool you’re trying first.

    32 min

  7. JAN 2

    How Unresolved Trauma Shapes PMDD And Relationships

    Send a text What if the fights, shutdowns, and spirals aren’t “just hormones,” but trauma resurfacing on a monthly schedule? We take you inside the lived reality of PMDD as a trauma amplifier—how it trains the brain to expect danger, erodes emotional safety at home, and fuels shame loops that make repair feel impossible. Through a raw personal story of a New Year’s trigger and years of clinical work, we map the path from unpredictable reactions to practical regulation. You’ll learn why triggers aren’t the cause but the clue, and how to trace them back to core wounds like abandonment, neglect, or betrayal. We break down the nervous system mechanics behind PMDD—chronic overwhelm, lost recovery windows, and hypervigilance—and show how these patterns turn jokes into jabs and routine requests into rejection. Then we shift to transformation: acceptance as accurate data, boundaries that protect connection, and action‑based tools that calm your body before your words cause damage. Think paced breathing, movement to discharge stress, repair windows after conflict, and clear scripts that slow things down when emotions surge. We also draw a firm line between partner support and therapy. Empathy, softness, and small adjustments help, but your partner cannot and should not carry the weight of your processing. Consistent counseling builds resilience across cycles so you’re not rebuilding from scratch every month. If you’ve ever thought, “I should be over this by now,” or felt scared of who you become in luteal days, this conversation offers a grounded, compassionate roadmap. Subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review telling us the one trigger you’re ready to transform. Your nervous system will thank you.

    28 min

  8. 12/06/2025

    Stop Acting Like Roommates, Start Feeling Like Lovers

    Send a text It’s easy to blame “too many feelings” for the distance in a relationship. The truth is harder—and far more hopeful: emotions aren’t the problem; misalignment, suppression, and tone are. After weeks on the road and deep reflection, I’m sharing the tools and stories that helped me see why some bonds thrive through hard conversations while others collapse into polite cohabiting. We dig into how the nervous system shapes every conflict. When PMDD or trauma flips the threat switch, the amygdala drowns out logic and language. You can’t out-think a hijacked brain—but you can regulate it. I walk through the difference between suppression and real regulation, why stonewalling hurts as much as rage, and how to process in real time without making your partner your therapist. You’ll learn to catch the story you tell yourself—“they don’t care” versus “they had a hard day”—and pick the thought that leads to compassion, not combat. We also talk alignment: if you need solitude to process, choose someone who self-soothes instead of chasing you with insecurity. If you process out loud, you need a listener who treats sharing as intimacy, not a threat. Communication tone becomes the hinge: the same boundary can sound like control or love depending on delivery. I share scripts, boundary phrases, and a framework that keeps connection front and center while you solve the problem. Leadership emerges here too; respect is earned by tenderness and steadiness, not demanded by volume or titles. If you’re ready to replace endless “knowledge” with steady implementation, my January monthly coaching packages are opening with limited spots. We’ll uncover blind spots, install PMDD-aware tools, and practice the small, daily moves that keep you close even in the hard moments. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with the one tool you’ll try this week. Your emotions can be the bridge back to intimacy—let’s build it together.

    54 min
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4.9
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

Welcome to the In Love with PMDD Podcast, I am your Host Dr. Rose Alkattan, your PMDD Relationship Psychotraumatologist.  Each week, I will be teaching you my signature PMDD Trauma Transformational Tools where I help PMDD Partners to STOP Breaking up every month. We Got This!

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Rose Alkattan
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    284
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 In Love with PMDD
  • Show Website
    In Love with PMDD

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