The Period Press

Ever done all the right things... tracked your cycle, taken your supplements, kept your morning quiet... and still felt absolutely rotten? In this episode, I'm sharing a very recent personal example (including a quick HRT update for those of you following along), and getting into why knowing what's happening in your body doesn't always make you feel better. We talk about the Buddhist c...

Ever wondered why your AuDHD traits feel completely different depending on where you are in your cycle? In this mini episode... I talk about the internal tug‑of‑war between autism and ADHD, how hormones amplify or quieten that battle, and why the luteal phase can make everything feel louder. Helpful Links... 📖 Read the transcript here . 🟦 Connect with me on ⁠ LinkedIn ⁠ for daily insights ✨ ND...

Ever ended up in bed for two days after a holiday and had absolutely no idea why? In this episode, I'm talking about why transitions feel so dysregulating for neurodivergent brains, and why the timing of your cycle might be making the whole thing significantly harder than it needs to be. In this episode... Why transitions cost neurodivergent brains more cognitive load than most people realise...

Sam Warner is a Neurodivergent Communication Specialist, TEDx speaker, and founder of Get Your Message Across. And like me, she's AuDHD (and yes, it brings me joy that it rhymed). She has 25 years of corporate experience, and has made it her mission to help people communicate better together, especially when the difference is the kind you can't see. And that's where this connects to my...

Ever walked into your open-plan office and felt the day drain out of you before you'd even sat down? In this episode, I'm talking about why open plan offices are so depleting for neurodivergent brains, and why it's got nothing to do with how much you care about your job. In this episode... Why neurodivergent brains struggle with auditory filtering in noisy environments How ADHD and aut...

Workplace banter, menstruation, and neurodivergence. I'm talking about the real cost of jokes that get dressed up as harmless, specifically the kind that use hormones as a punchline. In this episode... What's actually happening when a woman gets written off as 'moody' or 'probably on her period' Why banter is a particular minefield for neurodivergent people What you can act...

Ever wondered why your fitness routine feels completely different depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle? If you've ever yeeted your trainers into the bin mid-routine, this one's for you. In this episode... Why moving cyclically works better than a fixed fitness routine How to exercise with your menstrual cycle across all four phases What "no pain, no gain" does to a...

Ever wondered why perimenopause hits so much harder when you have a spicy brain? In this episode, I'm sharing my own HRT journey, including what two years of cycle mapping data revealed, how ADHD and oestrogen are more connected than most people realise, and how I walked into a GP appointment armed with evidence and got exactly what I asked for. If you've ever felt fobbed off, dismissed, o...

Katie Murray is a former HR professional turned specialist HR copywriter. She helps HR people find the right words for the change they're trying to make. She also wrote a guest blog for me about flooding and clotting from her own experience. (Yes, that Katie. The HR copywriting lady. Writing about periods. Because of course she did.) So I knew I had to have her on. Because so often the barrier...

Ever wondered what the pill is actually doing to your hormones? Because it's probably not what you were told. In this episode... Why the pill creates a synthetic cycle and what that actually means for your hormones The difference between a withdrawal bleed and a real period Why the pill doesn't balance your hormones, and what it does instead The myth-busting history of how the pill was fir...

This week, I’m joined by the awesome Claire Lowrey Hubbell from Impactful People. Claire works with organisations where leadership feels heavier than it should. Where too much responsibility sits with too few people. Where everyone is working hard… but not always together. Her focus isn’t on star players or heroic individuals. It’s on building collective leadership performance. Creating leaderful...

RSD isn't just a sensitive inner critic. For a lot of neurodivergent people it's visceral, physical, and utterly exhausting... and it gets significantly louder when your nervous system is already running on empty. In this episode... What rejection sensitive dysphoria actually is, why your feelings aren't always reliable intel when RSD is running the show, How the premenstrual phase and...

How do we stay human in an era of constant change? I am so excited to have Zoë Walters join me on The Bloody Truth! Zoë has spent over two decades in global HR leadership, and now works with organisations and leaders trying to make sense of the AI muddle we’re in... changing workforces, tech overwhelm, and the not-so-small matter of being a human in the messy middle of it all. She is also a leader...

Cold water swimming benefits for women go a lot deeper than just waking you up. Especially if you're navigating fluctuating hormones, perimenopause, or a neurodivergent nervous system. In this episode... why cold water triggers dopamine, serotonin and endorphins (exactly what a perimenopausal or ADHD brain is gasping for), how it supports circulation, Raynaud's, and muscle recovery, what t...

I am incredibly honoured to welcome Cynthia Fortlage as my next guest on The Bloody Truth. Cynthia is an award-winning consultant, speaker, and strategist whose work centres on inclusive leadership, gender impact, and psychological safety. With over 25 years in senior leadership and a deep commitment to human rights, Cynthia brings sharp insight and lived experience to every conversation she has....

Does the product you use shape the relationship you have with your own body? The more a menstrual product is designed to make your period invisible, the less reason you ever have to notice what it's actually doing. In this episode: tampons, pads, and menstrual cups... what they actually do to your awareness of your cycle, how 25 years of wanting it over as quickly as possible affects your body...

This episode is a bit of a mash-up… and I can’t wait. Because The Bloody Truth is meeting Neuro Nibbles, and we’re diving into what it really means to navigate the world in a body that bleeds and a brain that works differently. My guest is the one and only Tree Hall , speaker, trainer, CEO, podcast host, and fierce advocate for neurodivergent inclusion. Tree discovered she was AuDHD (autistic + AD...

"Severe PMS" doesn't cover it. Not even close. In this episode: what PMDD actually is, why it hits harder when you have ADHD, where to start if you've just been diagnosed or are starting to suspect it... and the statistics that should make everyone sit up a little straighter. Mentioned in the episode... If you want to know more or find peer support,  The PMDD Project   is a good...

This episode is not to be missed, especially if, like me, your ADHD brain and your premenstrual mood have ever tag-teamed your bank account. We’re talking about the PMS tax and emotional spending (particularly when it’s fuelled by the spicy). That urge to buy something, anything to make the inner meep feel better, a little “treat yourself” moment that somehow turned into £84 on random crap from Am...

You know that very specific sweet spot where inexplicable motivation takes over... and three days later you come up for air, sleep-deprived and slightly dishevelled? Yeah. That's hyperfocus. In this episode: what ADHD hyperfocus actually is, what it looks like in practice, the pros and the less-than-ideal pitfalls of falling headfirst into it, and five practical ways to make space for both the...

It’s the end of Menopause Awareness Month, and we are going out on a high, with a spoonful of insight from the brilliant Ali Spooner . Because when it comes to breaking free from the over-40s fog and rediscovering who the hell you are beyond the job title, the to-do list, and juggling life, career and being a mum, Ali gets it. She's been there, done that, questioned it all, and rebuilt a life...

Is naming your neurodivergence just making excuses? A lot of us have been told... or have told ourselves... that it is. In this episode: why neurodivergence is a question of capacity, not ability, what internalised ableism actually looks like from the inside, the real energy cost of functioning in a system built for neurotypical brains, and why productivity is the wrong metric when the playing fie...

The incredible Michelle Minnikin , Chartered Psychologist, Coach, and the brilliantly rebellious author of Good Girl Deprogramming. I first saw Michelle speak at The HR Big Meet, and I nodded so hard I gave myself a headache. She's straight-talking, science-backed, and completely unf*ckwithable, so obviously I knew we needed to have a conversation. We’ll be talking about... 🩸 And what it real...

Your period experience is not the benchmark. And it's definitely not "just how it is." In this episode: endometriosis, adenomyosis, PCOS, fibroids, and PMDD... what they actually are, why the gender pain gap means so many people go undiagnosed for years, and why knowing your own baseline changes everything. Both in how you advocate for yourself, and in how workplaces need to show up....

I am VERY excited to share that the next guest on The Bloody Truth is… Kelly. Actual. Swingler. Yes, really. *claps hands excitedly. Coach, speaker, author, founder of The Burnout Academy, and all-round force of nature! Kelly is joining me to talk about her menstrual cycle story… and it’s not one you want to miss. Let’s just say it’s been a journey for Kelly. A raw, real, eye-opening one, full of...