Chicago Premenstrual Disorders Clinic

Our clinic specializes in mental health care for PMDD and PME. The process of navigating the healthcare system for treatment of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and Premenstrual Exacerbation (PME) can be uniquely challenging. As Clinical Psychologists who also remain at the cutting edge of research on the menstrual cycle and medical interventions for PMDD and PME, we have specialized knowledge on the up-to-date research that dictates medical treatment guidelines for PMDD and PME. Although we do not prescribe medication as psychologists, we can make you an informed consumer of your medical treatment options and coach you in skillfully navigating the medical process. Additionally, we provide ongoing psychotherapy that can enhance your ability to cope with your premenstrual symptoms, treat other distressing mental health symptoms, and support you in enhancing your overall quality of life. For those interested in ongoing therapy, we also have extensive training in treating mood, anxiety, trauma, eating, and personality disorders. Psychotherapy can be tailored to address the cyclical and chronic symptoms that are most distressing to you.

In addition to our in-person and telehealth services in Illinois, we can offer telehealth services for PMDD and PME in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Connecticut, Delaware,  District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Dr. Jaclyn Ross is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in clinical assessment and treatment of PMDD/PME as well as mood, anxiety, trauma, and eating disorders. Dr. Ross has received intensive training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and flexibly applies these interventions to meet the needs of PMDD and PME clients. Dr. Ross is also a clinical research scientist with the CLEAR Lab at University of Illinois Chicago, investigating how the menstrual cycle influences suicidal thoughts and behaviors, while also providing training to other clinicians. She serves on the Clinical Advisory Board for the International Association of Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD).

Dr. Katja Schmalenberger is a clinical psychology postdoctoral fellow with expertise in the assessment and treatment of PMDD/PME. Dr. Schmalenberger has specialized knowledge of PMDD-related changes in cognition and executive functioning. She is also a recipient of the Walter Benjamin Research Fellowship from the German Research Foundation, and conducts ongoing research with the CLEAR Lab at University of Illinois Chicago regarding the impact of the menstrual cycle on psychiatric symptoms, suicidality, and changes in executive functioning and cardiac vagal activity. She serves on the Clinical Advisory Board for the International Association of Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD).

Dr. Tory Eisenlohr-Moul is a licensed clinical psychologist, who serves as an Associate Professor at University of Illinois Chicago. As principal investigator of the CLEAR Lab at UIC, Dr. E is the recipient of numerous National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Grants to examine the effects of natural changes in neuroactive steroids on suicide risk across the menstrual cycle. She has also been awarded a NARSAD Young Investigator Grant to evaluate the role of the immune system in these effects. Dr. E is the chair of the Clinical Advisory Board for the International Association of Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD). Dr. E provides consulting services to our clinic, to ensure that our clients are receiving care that is consistent with the most up-to-date science.

Dr. Elizabeth Mulligan is a clinical psychology postdoctoral fellow with expertise in the assessment and treatment of PMDD/PME. Dr. Mulligan has specialized knowledge of perimenstrual exacerbation of anhedonia and depression. She is also a recipient of the Neuroscience of Mental Health T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health and conducts ongoing research with the CLEAR Lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago regarding the impact of the menstrual cycle on psychiatric symptoms, ovarian and stress hormones, and electroencephalographic (EEG) measures of brain activity. 

Services

We offer a comprehensive list of services related to the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing management of care for PMDD /PME. Patients can select the services that are most useful for them.

We do not accept insurance at this time.

We can provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance provider, who may reimburse you for part or all of the session fee. Even if your insurance company does not offer out-of-network benefits, you may still ask them if they do Single-Case Agreements (SCA). SCAs are used when an in-network provider is not available for your presenting problem, either because no one specializes in the disorder/treatment or if all in-network providers with that specialty are full and/or have a long waitlist. If your insurance company approves an SCA, you will still need to pay for sessions up-front, but may reimbursed by your insurance company.

  • Evaluation & Education

    The goal of the initial evaluation session is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of your menstrual cycle-related symptoms and any chronic symptoms you may be simultaneously experiencing. During this appointment we also provide an overview of the evidence-based treatment options for premenstrual disorders. Prior to the appointment, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire that assesses your symptoms and past treatment experiences, which we will use to tailor the psychoeducation we provide during this appointment to best meet your current needs. In this appointment, we will also discuss with you how to navigate next steps in the treatment process. This appointment is typically 90 minutes long.

  • Evaluation of Daily Ratings for Diagnostic Assessment

    The American Psychological Association (APA) requires 2 months of daily symptom ratings for the diagnosis of PMDD, and many hard-to-access medical treatment options for PMDD require diagnosis based on daily ratings as well. Our team will process and score your daily ratings of symptoms in order to determine if you meet criteria for PMDD and will provide you with appropriate documentation.

  • Individual Therapy

    Coping with PMDD symptoms is extraordinarily difficult. It can feel like your life is divided into a good half and a bad half each month. Individual therapy offers the opportunity to build cognitive and behavioral skills that can enhance your capacity to cope with cyclical symptoms, to increase your self-understanding and self-worth, to enhance the quality of your close relationships, and to help you move closer to the life you want. Individual therapy often includes discussion related to navigating the medical treatment process. Although this clinic offers specialized treatment for PMDD, we also have extensive training in treating mood, anxiety, trauma, eating, and personality disorders. Psychotherapy can be tailored to address the symptoms that are most distressing to you. Ongoing therapy sessions are 50-55 minutes. Patients are typically seen once weekly, although this can be tailored to meet your needs. The overall duration of your treatment will depend on the nature of your presenting problems and treatment goals. However, a typical course of treatment lasts from six months to two years.

  • Coaching for Navigating the Medical Treatment Process

    Navigating the medical process for PMDD treatment can be upsetting at times. With this monthly service, we will help you gain knowledge and shareable resources on evidence-based medical treatments for PMDD/PME and strengthen your ability to effectively advocate for yourself in the medical treatment process. Each session is 55 minutes. The overall duration of this treatment will depend on the nature of your presenting problems and treatment goals. However, people typically utilize this service for 3-6 months, with the option to check back in and schedule additional sessions as needed.

  • Communication with Other Providers

    Evidence-based treatments for PMDD/PME are primarily medical and typically require coordination among psychologists, gynecologists, psychiatrists, and general physicians. This service allows for thorough communication between our team and your medical providers to help ensure that your providers are in agreement on an evidence-based treatment plan.

  • Group Therapy

    This specialized group is designed to offer a space where individuals struggling with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) can come together to support one another and learn cognitive and behavioral skills for coping with symptoms as they fluctuate across the menstrual cycle. Here, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are introduced to treat common difficulties associated with PMDD, including emotion dysregulation, interpersonal conflict, feeling overwhelmed by extreme emotions. The skills are organized into four modules: 1) Emotion Regulation, 2) Mindfulness, 3) Distress Tolerance, 4) Interpersonal Effectiveness. The group session is 90 minutes long and takes place weekly. Group participation typically lasts 6 months to 2 years.