How can mushrooms sync with your cycle—or shift your experience of menopause? In this episode, April Pride is joined by Jennifer Chesak, author of The Psilocybin Handbook for Women, to decode the powerful relationship between psilocybin and women’s hormones. Together, they explore the latest research, ancestral wisdom, and practical strategies for using psychedelics across different phases of a woman’s life. From syncing mushroom journeys with ovulation to microdosing through perimenopause, this conversation empowers women to tailor their approach to their unique physiology. Expect science, storytelling, and no-BS protocol advice grounded in lived experience.
🔵 Key Takeaways
Psilocybin affects the menstrual cycle via the stress-regulating HPA axis, with possible benefits like cycle regulation or early onset.
Optimal time to journey is near ovulation, when energy and estrogen levels support a deeper experience.
Indigenous wisdom aligns with new science, reinforcing cycle-aware practices for safe, intentional use.
Psilocybin can support perimenopause by easing depression, improving libido, and helping resolve trauma.
A microdosing protocol should be personal—guided by intuition, not rules made by men.
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🔵 Timestamps
[00:00] Meet Jennifer Chesak, author of The Psilocybin Handbook for Women
[00:57] Three ways psilocybin may impact your period
[03:00] Understanding the HPA axis and stress response
[05:00] Why ovulation is the best time to journey
[07:00] Indigenous knowledge and science as parallel systems
[09:00] Fasting, insulin resistance, and how food affects your trip
[10:30] Retreat restrictions for menstruating participants
[12:00] Estrogen, serotonin, and adverse experiences
[14:00] Psilocybin vs. SSRIs for mood regulation
[17:00] What really happens in perimenopause
[20:00] Why doctors miss the link between hormones and mood
[23:00] Psilocybin's effect on emotional resilience
[26:00] Female sexual dysfunction, defined and addressed
[28:00] How mushrooms improve intimacy and body image
[29:00] Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and menopause
[30:30] Healing trauma to ease perimenopausal symptoms
[33:00] Addictions and compulsions in midlife—and how psilocybin helps
[35:00] Designing your own microdosing protocol
🔵 Featured Guest
Jennifer Chesak: The Psilocybin Handbook for Women | @jenchesak
🔵 Additional Resources
Psilocybin Handbook for Women by Jennifer Chesak
SetSet Micro-Psyched DIY Microdosing Guide
🎙️ SetSet podcast: “MDMA Effects & Emotional Healing”
Have you tried syncing your mushroom use with your cycle? What did you notice—physically, emotionally, spiritually? 👇 Let’s talk about it in the comments. After the transcript below.
🔵 Transcript
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