Y’all. This is an episode I’ve wanted to publish for awhile. I struggle with PMDD (basically, intense depression just before my period—I got my period two days after both times I ended up in the ER…not a coincidence.)

There is such a strong connection between female hormones and mood, and I wanted to understand more about this connection and WTF our hormones are doing at different points in our cycle, so I interviewed Dr. Carly Snyder, a reproductive psychiatrist. I’ve used her as a source for things I’ve written in the past, and she’s awesome—smart, but talks in a way non-docs can understand. Also, she’s a marathoner, so clearly I love her.

Dr. Carly Snyder is a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist with a unique approach that combines traditional psychiatry with integrative medicine-based treatments. Dr. Snyder received her medical degree from NYU School of Medicine and completed general psychiatry residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center with additional reproductive psychiatry elective training at the Payne Whitney Women’s Program at NY Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center.

She maintains a private practice on the Upper East Side in NYC where she serves as Director of Women’s Health for Family Health Associates, and is voluntary faculty at NY-Presbyterian Weill Cornell and at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Centers. She is on the President’s Advisory Council and was a board member and chair of the research committee for Postpartum Support International.