The Menstrual Cycle is one of the most natural of all human processes and is experienced by half of the population of the world. Menses occurs roughly once a month for 35 to 40 years in a lifetime, ending up being almost 3000 days, or 8 years of bleeding. There are many challenging aspects to the Menstrual Experience to be managed and also many positive aspects of the Menstrual Experience to be celebrated. But stigma about talking about the Menstrual Experience can make these difficult. This course is designed to bring discussion to the important topic and identify interventions that allow pelvic floor therapists to provide care to patients that takes into account their Menstrual Experience.

This continuing education course combines pre-course video lectures and live remote lectures via Zoom to explore provocative topics of the Menstrual Experience. Developed by Nicholas Gaffga, MD, FAAFP, MPH and presented together with Amy Meehan, PT, DPT, MTC, this course starts with cultural aspects of the Menstrual Experience and anatomy and physiology from the perspectives of the ovary, the uterus, and feelings. Commonly experienced Menstrual Symptoms are then discussed, focusing on what is normal and what should be investigated together with a medical provider. Next, the course covers non-hormonal, non-surgical, and non-prescription interventions that pelvic floor practitioners can carry out with their patients and how to employ them in a temporal manner, according to the cycle phase of their patient.

Hormonal, surgical, and prescription interventions can be very successful at improving Menstrual Symptoms. Collaboration with a medical practitioner to create a holistic team of health care providers that your patients will benefit from is recommended. This course focuses on non-hormonal, non-surgical, and non-prescription interventions because they:

1) Put control in the hands of people who menstruate to identify and carry out the interventions that are appropriate to them
2) Emphasize a holistic approach and advanced knowledge and familiarity with body and mind
3) Emphasize healthy practices that can positively impact the Menstrual Experience and beyond, in areas such as mental health and chronic diseases
4) Look for root causes of issues, rather than quick fixes, to have benefits that are sustainable across the lifespan

A critical step in improving the Menstrual Experience is overcoming Menstrual Isolation and creating Menstrual Optimism and Pride. The pre-course video lectures provide a foundation of information and comfort talking about topics that are often considered as taboo. Sideways thinking activities are used to create provocative questions for participants to explore a safe and supportive environment with people who have similar experiences and concerns. Anyone with any knowledge about the Menstrual Experience can be a Menstrual Mentor, and this course aims to create knowledge, confidence, energy, and networking for Menstrual Mentors to thrive and help others

Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the Menstrual Cycle
- Willingness to engage and re-conceptualize challenging aspects of the Menstrual Experience
- It is not a prerequisite to have a regular Menstrual Cycle or a Menstrual Cycle at all in order to attend and participate in this course

Pre-Course Learning Requirements
10-14 days before the course, participants will receive an invite to join Teachable, an online learning platform. In Teachable, registrants will find video lectures, other pre-course learning materials, course manual files, mandatory liability waiver, and URLs for any Zoom meetings. We require registrants to complete teachable components in sequential order. Videos lectures are required and must be completed in-full before proceeding to the next Teachable section. At the conclusion of the course, registrants can access their post-test and course evaluation form to provide our curriculum team feedback on their experience, as well as download their certificate of completion - all via Teachable.

Audience
Pelvic Health Physical Therapists or other health professionals at any level of their career. It is not a prerequisite to have a regular Menstrual Cycle or a Menstrual Cycle at all in order to attend and participate in this course.