Episode 53 - A Depth Psychological Approach to Menstruation

The Inner Rhythms Podcast

🐚Topics covered

• How depth psychology differs from mainstream psychological approaches
• The menstrual cycle as a path to self-knowing and wholeness
• Meeting our cyclical experiences with curiosity rather than judgment
• Breaking free from rigid expectations about how our cycles "should" be
• The relationship between menstruation, dreaming, and indigenous wisdom
• Simple practices for developing a more imaginative relationship with our cycles
• How cultural conditioning has disconnected us from our cyclical wisdom
• The value of giving ourselves permission to explore the mystery of menstruation

About Dr. Roxanne Partridge
Dr. Roxanne Partridge, PhD, CHt, is the Creatrix of embodyperiod. With over 14 years of guiding women into their embodied wisdom and sovereignty, she approaches healing and empowerment dynamically as a healer, scholar, creative, and activist. Her work holds the menstrual experience, sexual experience, and embodied experience as deep thresholds of self-knowing and pathways into authentic expression.

Dr. Partridge holds both a Masters and PhD in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and is a clinical hypnotherapist and relational sexuality practitioner. She's studied with distinguished elders including Gina Ogden, Marion Woodman, James Hillman, and others who have shaped her eclectic approach.

Her practice weaves together post-Jungian approaches to the feminine, intersectional feminism, queer theory, archetypal psychology, liberational practices, somatic work, pleasure principles, arts-based healing, menstruality, and sacred rites of initiation into authentic personhood. She maintains her private practice and hosts intimate retreats at Aletis House in Hudson, New York, while also offering embodiment programs virtually and speaking at conferences for organizations including the Society of Menstrual Cycle Research.

Dr. Partridge envisions a world where women can fully embody their wild majesty, richly sourced and aligned with their true desires. Her work invites authentic embodiment of personhood—period—in allegiance with the menstrual body throughout the lifespan.

Where to find
Website: https://embodyperiod.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/embodyperiod/

More about Iris

💬Come say ‘Hi’ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cycleseeds/

🎓Check out our training

https://www.instagram.com/hormone.cycle.coach.training/ https://cycle-seeds.mykajabi.com/hhcc-20242025

Chapters

1. Episode 53 - A Depth Psychological Approach to Menstruation (00:00:00)

2. How Iris and Dr. Partridge met at the SMCR conference (00:01:06)

3. Dr. Partridge introduces her work at Embody Period (00:04:34)

4. What is depth psychology? How it differs from mainstream psychology (00:08:25)

5. The menstrual cycle as a "body-soul phenomenon" where psyche and soma flow together (00:11:35)

6. Historical pathologizing of menstruation and the wandering womb concept (00:13:24)

7. How to approach your cycle with curiosity: "Who's here in this phase?" (00:18:22)

8. Indigenous wisdom: "Men do ayahuasca and women menstruate" - cycles as natural visionary practice (00:21:11)

9. Colombian indigenous ritual connecting first menstruation to dream wisdom (00:25:12)

10. "Menstruation is ancestor. It is mystery. It is the collective. It is the earth." (00:31:17)

11. Permission to break free from what you think your menstrual cycle is (00:33:46)

12. Letting go of social media expectations about how cycle phases "should" feel (00:36:04)

13. The "sneaky feminine ideal" and the trap of trying to perfect your cycle (00:37:11)

14. Dr. Partridge shares her first conversation with her uterus during painful cramps (00:41:08)

15. Discovering the "mourner" within her pain and honoring the mystery (00:45:03)

16. Like "opening the door to Narnia" - entering a new dimension of understanding (00:46:46)

17. Practice: Personifying cycle phases - "Who is this? What do they want?" (00:50:45)

18. The cyclical journey continues from menarche through menopause (00:54:33)

19. Connect with Dr. Partridge: @embodyperiod and embodyperiod.com (00:56:46)