Cycle-Tracking and Journaling as Therapeutic Tools for PMDD
by Camilla Brinkworth, Naturopath, PMDD Specialist & Founder of PMDD Naturopath and Camilla Clare Holistic Health
When I first began tracking my own cycle during the height of my PMDD, I wasn’t doing it to diagnose anything — I was simply trying to survive. I wanted to understand why I could feel so capable and calm one week, and completely undone the next. It wasn’t until I started documenting my symptoms daily that the patterns became undeniable: my emotional storms weren’t random. They were cyclical, predictable, and — importantly — meaningful.
In my clinical practice, I now encourage every woman with suspected or confirmed PMDD to begin cycle-tracking and journaling. It’s one of the simplest yet most transformative tools we have for self-awareness, regulation, and healing.
How Cycle-Tracking Supports PMDD Diagnosis
For an official PMDD diagnosis, healthcare professionals rely on prospective symptom tracking — meaning symptoms are recorded daily for at least two consecutive cycles. This helps distinguish PMDD from other mood disorders, because PMDD symptoms occur specifically in the luteal phase (the two weeks before bleeding) and resolve once menstruation begins.
A well-designed tracking tool can help you record:
Emotional symptoms: irritability, anxiety, rage, sadness, or sensitivity.
Physical symptoms: bloating, cramps, fatigue, headaches, or breast tenderness.
Behavioural patterns: sleep changes, cravings, or social withdrawal.
Even without formal diagnosis, this kind of data gives you a clear map of your inner world — a way to track what your body and emotions are communicating each month.
Pairing Physical Symptoms with Emotions and Life Events
When clients first start tracking, many focus solely on physical symptoms. But I always suggest adding another layer: emotional and situational context.
For example, note what was happening that day — an argument, a stressful deadline, or even a moment of joy. Over time, patterns emerge that can’t be seen otherwise. Perhaps conflict always feels more overwhelming around day 25, or fatigue intensifies after a week of poor sleep.
One client told me that she realised her “sudden despair” before each period wasn’t random at all — it was her body’s way of signalling she’d overextended herself all month. Once she started honouring that pattern by scheduling rest and quieter workdays in her luteal phase, the emotional crashes softened dramatically.
This practice isn’t about control — it’s about compassion. When we can name and anticipate our cycles, we respond with care rather than confusion.
The Therapeutic Power of Journaling
Journaling alongside cycle-tracking allows the subconscious to surface. Writing even a few sentences daily — “Today I felt…” — can help release stored emotion and uncover deeper truths.
From a trauma-informed perspective, this is crucial. Many women with PMDD carry heightened sensitivity in their nervous systems due to past stress or unresolved trauma. Journaling gives these emotions a safe container, allowing the body to process rather than suppress them.
Over time, I’ve seen women become attuned to their “inner seasons”: the energetic follicular phase, the creative ovulatory phase, and the introspective luteal phase. They begin to align their work, relationships, and self-care with their body’s natural rhythm rather than fighting against it.
Practical Steps to Begin
If you’re new to this, here’s how to get started:
Download or create a tracker.
I’ve created a simple, printable cycle-tracking template you can use — available here for download.Track daily.
Each evening, rate your mood, energy, physical symptoms, and note any significant events.Reflect weekly.
Look for repeating emotional or physical themes. Over two or three cycles, patterns will become clear.Plan with awareness.
Once you know your rhythm, use it intentionally — schedule demanding tasks earlier in your cycle, and allow time for rest and reflection before menstruation.Bring your tracker to appointments.
Whether with a naturopath or GP, this data is invaluable for assessing progress and tailoring treatment.
Awareness as the Foundation of Healing
Cycle-tracking isn’t just diagnostic — it’s deeply therapeutic. It teaches you to anticipate your needs, soften into your rhythms, and recognise when you’re pushing against your body’s natural flow.
As I often tell clients, “Awareness is the first medicine.” Once you understand the language of your cycle, your relationship with your body changes from frustration to partnership. You begin to live in tune with yourself — and that, in itself, is healing.
If you’d like to explore personalised naturopathic and emotional support to help you interpret your cycle and ease PMDD symptoms, I offer online consultations to help you find your unique path to balance.
Author Bio
Camilla Brinkworth is a naturopath, nutritionist, and Family Constellations facilitator specialising in PMDD and women’s hormonal health. Having personally healed from PMDD, she now supports women worldwide through her clinics — PMDD Naturopath and Camilla Clare Holistic Health — combining natural medicine, trauma-informed care, and plant-based nutrition.