Menstrual Cycle Mastery

The From Pain to Power podcast quickly became a weekly staple in my world. I was hooked after listening to just one episode! I absolutely love the way Lisa conveys information and shares her knowledge and wisdom. I’ve learned so much through tuning in. Each week I’m excited to see what the new topic will be!!! Highly recommend having a listen to this podcast if you haven’t already…you’ll thank yourself for it!

I am a big fan of Lisa’s work and have been following it for a while now. I truly appreciate the somatic, feminist lens she applies to her work. However, I have noticed that there is a lack of intersectionality and acknowledgement of the privilege that white women experience even in spaces like these. I have been turned off in the past by some of her guest speakers, including a recent episode where the guest talks about receiving a PMDD diagnosis after spending minutes with a “Chinese doctor” after years of strife trying to get help. I’ve heard similar riffs of this on other episodes when there is mention of any kind of treatment or practice that comes from a non-Western POV, where those practices are treated with a dismissive and almost derogatory tone, like an afterthought even if it’s what helped them the most. As a non-white woman, PMDD sufferer, and trauma survivor, this gives me pause and makes me hesitate to explore the world of menstrual cycle mastery, as it does not sound safe for someone like me given the consistent tenor of what I hear from the largely white women who speak on this program. I write this not to criticize or condemn, but in the hope that it may help others become more aware of their inherent privilege in order to act as allies to enact meaningful change when having these very important discussions so that it can feel safe and inclusive for more people. I would also invite them to examine this attitude of overlooking and minimizing contributions from Asian practitioners and practices when they testify themselves how much help they’ve received.