From "In an Out-of-Control Spiral" to "I'm More Connected to Myself"
01 · MEET HOLLY
Thirteen Years of Carrying It Alone
Holly is a 31-year-old web developer based in Costa Rica. She'd been living with PMDD since her late teens. By the time she came to us, it had been 13 years of symptoms that were quietly eating her career creativity, her confidence, & her relationship.
She was afraid she was going to lose her partner. She was afraid she was losing herself.
"I'm more connected to myself."
- HOLLY · INTAKE
02 · LIFE BEFORE HMM
Two Weeks a Month She Couldn't Function
Holly came in with a symptom burden score of 359. Two weeks of moderate to severe symptoms every cycle. For a web developer whose work depends on creativity & focus, that's not manageable. It's career-threatening.
What she was dealing with:
- Anxiety symptoms
- Low mood & depressive symptoms
- Anger & irritability
- Emotional overwhelm
- Mood swings
- Physical discomfort
- Creative blocks that made work nearly impossible
She was missing deadlines. Pulling back from friends. Living with a constant low hum of shame & guilt. Scared that if her symptoms kept going, her relationship wouldn't survive.
She'd stopped trusting herself.
03 · WHAT SHE'D ALREADY TRIED
She Was Doing Everything She'd Been Told to Try
Holly had put in genuine effort before she found us. She just hadn't had anyone help her make it personal.
- Various supplements bought online
- Multiple gynaecologist appointments
- Online PMDD support groups
- Elimination diets: gluten, dairy, sugar
- Exercise routines she couldn't maintain through flares
- Meditation apps & mindfulness practice
She felt overwhelmed by conflicting advice with no clear direction. She was guessing. Nothing had given her a plan built around what her body actually needed.
She didn't want psychiatric medication. She wanted answers.
04 · THE TURNING POINT
April 2024
Holly had a severe PMDD episode during what should have been a celebratory dinner with her partner. She lashed out. Saw the hurt & exhaustion on his face & realised she couldn't keep going like this.
She was terrified of losing him. That fear pushed her to stop trying random supplements & find real help.
She found Her Mood Mentor on Instagram through client testimonials that matched her experience exactly.
"It's manageable now, before I was in an out-of-control spiral."
- HOLLY
05 · THE ROOT-CAUSE APPROACH
Test First. Then Target.
We tested first. Then built Holly's plan around what her body was actually showing us.
- HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) to identify mineral imbalances & metabolic patterns
- Personalised nutrition protocol built from her HTMA results
- Targeted supplementation addressing her specific mineral status
- Blood sugar stabilisation built around her work-from-home schedule
- Nervous system regulation & somatic practices
- Inflammation reduction protocols
- Gut health optimisation
- Cycle-synced lifestyle & work planning
- Communication tools for her relationship
06 · EARLY WINS
Small Shifts. Fast.
More emotionally stable in the first tracked cycle. Better sleep within two weeks. Reduced afternoon energy crashes. The first glimmers of feeling like herself again.
More patience. Able to finish a work project without the usual overwhelm.
"I loved how personal the protocol and plan-making was. Through small shifts, I will see big change!"
- HOLLY
07 · THE RESULTS
The Numbers
- SYMPTOM BURDEN
- 359 → 89
- 75% drop (−270 points)
- SYMPTOM DAYS/CYCLE
- 14 → 2
- 2 weeks severe → 2 days mild
- DAYS BACK/MONTH
- 12 days
- ANXIETY SYMPTOMS
- Before: Severe
- After: Greatly reduced
- LOW MOOD
- Before: Severe
- After: Greatly reduced
- ANGER & IRRITABILITY
- Before: Severe
- After: Greatly reduced
- EMOTIONAL OVERWHELM
- Before: Severe
- After: Greatly reduced
- PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT
- Before: Significant
- After: Minimal
- CREATIVE BLOCKS
- Before: Frequent
- After: Rare
08 · HOW HER LIFE CHANGED
She Got Herself Back. Then Got Engaged.
Holly is grounded now. More consistent energy. More self-trust. More creative capacity for the work she loves. The guilt & shame that used to trail every bad week? Quiet.
She no longer fears her symptoms will destroy her relationship. Her partner has the version of Holly they fell in love with. After she completed the program, they got engaged.
She's cooking, working out, making art, reading. Hobbies she'd quietly let go of during the PMDD years came back. Her inner child, as she put it, came back.
"In general, I have noticed that I just feel more grounded and stable. I feel deeper inner compassion and peace."
- HOLLY
"I didn't expect such a mental shift to be a part of this program."
- HOLLY
09 · HOLLY'S MESSAGE
For Every Woman Who's Stopped Trusting Herself
Holly spent 13 years believing her symptoms were the price of being who she was. They weren't. They were signals. When the right information met real effort, her body responded fast.
"I trust myself a lot more. I feel more consistently the same person."
- HOLLY
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Ready to Start Your Own Story?
Her Mood Mentor offers personalised, root-cause support for women with PMDD. Functional lab testing, targeted nutrition & cycle-informed coaching. Real answers instead of more guessing.
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Results vary. This case study reflects one individual's experience & is not a guarantee of outcomes. Her Mood Mentor does not provide medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider about treatment decisions.