# The Red Tent Project I am looking for women to take part in The Red Tent Project. A 3-6 month (FREE) initiative where I help you get to know your own menstrual cycle and how it affects: - your body - your mental health - your fitness - your relationships - your sex life - your work & career And how each of these areas changes depending on the menstrual cycle phase you are in. >[!example] [Submit your application here](https://www.cognitoforms.com/SarahKeatesAndrews1/TheRedTentProject) --- The Red Tent Project is a collaborative initiative that aims to gather personal narratives from women about their experiences with their menstrual cycle. It’s all well and good for me to write about my own cycle. But not everyone is like me. My hope is that by helping other women to understand their cycle *first* and then by sharing *their* experiences, I can compile all of these personal accounts into articles and a book. I want women to be able to identify parts of themselves in these narratives and feel a sense of connection and understanding. To help them see that they’re not alone and that there are others out there who can relate to what they’re going through. ## Project Goals Hence the main goals of The Red Tent Project are to: - Teach women how to monitor and document their menstrual cycle. - Help them identify patterns and understand the impact of the menstrual cycle on different aspects of their life. - Provide a platform for women to share their stories and create a sense of connection and understanding. - Gather personal narratives from them about their experiences with their menstrual cycle. - Maintain privacy and confidentiality for all women involved. - Compile articles and potentially a book that can be used as a resource. - Break down stigmas and taboos surrounding the menstrual cycle. ## Learning How to Track Your Cycle You will be provided with a set of templates that you can use to track and record important information about your menstrual cycle. Through these templates, I will guide you step-by-step on how to effectively monitor and document your menstrual cycle, so that you can gain a deeper understanding of your body and make informed decisions about your health and well-being. ## Keeping a Daily Journal of Experiences I kindly request that you maintain a daily journal during the project and regularly share it with me. This practice should not take more than 10-20 minutes of your time each day. By doing so, we can collaborate effectively in identifying any recurring patterns that may arise. This comprehensive approach will enable us to gain valuable insights and enhance our work together. ## Zoom Calls We will come together during our virtual chats (either 1:1 or in a small group) to discuss your menstrual cycle and its impact on your daily life. These chats will be scheduled at key points in your cycle to gain a better understanding of how you feel during that specific phase. My role will be to guide you in recognising the various phases of your cycle and to encourage a curious approach to your experiences throughout. Together, we will explore how these aspects can impact different areas of your life such as work, career, fitness, and relationships. Once we have this in place we can work on improving your cycle strengths, identifying your needs and reducing any vulnerabilities you may have. There will potentially be up to 10 zoom calls during the 3-6 months that we work together. ## Sharing your personal narratives The purpose of this project is to create a collection of articles and potentially a book that can be used as a resource for women to better understand and cope with their own menstrual cycles. By sharing personal stories, my hope is that readers will be able to identify with and relate to different aspects of these experiences and feel less alone in their own journey. ## Privacy I take your privacy seriously, and anything you share during these discussions will remain completely confidential. I will not share your information with anyone without your explicit consent. Additionally, any written material I produce about you will be anonymous, and you will have the opportunity to review it before publication. ## Private Facebook group You will have access to The Red Tent, a private Facebook Group just for those participating in the project. This is where you can get answers when you need them (should I be unavailable) and connect with other women who already “get it” so that you will always have support without judgment. ## Email Support I am available to you for questions throughout the project! If any questions arise between sessions (and I promise you, they will!) I’m here for you via email or the Facebook Group. As a woman of The Red Tent, your emails are my top priority. ## This project is for you if: - you have the time to track your cycle daily (around 10-20 minutes a day) - you are comfortable meeting for a 1:1 or a small group online Zoom call (there will be up to 10 Zoom calls in total over the 3-6 months) - you are willing to share your experiences with me - you are happy for me to write about your experiences (anonymously) ## This project is NOT for you if: - you cannot commit to tracking your cycle for 3-6 months - you are not comfortable with me sharing your experience (even anonymously) - you do not want help and guidance when tracking your cycle - you do not wish for me to record our Zoom calls ## Interested? Once you have submitted your application, I will carefully review it and reach out to you. If I determine that we may be a good match, I will schedule a time for us to have a conversation and get to know each other better. During this call, we will discuss and mutually decide whether to proceed with the next steps or not. Note: This is a long-term project, so the start date may not be immediate. >[!example] [Submit your application here](https://www.cognitoforms.com/SarahKeatesAndrews1/TheRedTentProject) As someone who's deeply invested in women's health, I have developed a passion for researching, studying, and writing about the menstrual cycle. But not only is there a lack of extensive, decent research on this topic, (See my article on [[The Flaws in Female-Based Research]]), there are also limited narratives. Real women's stories, personal exeperiences are needed. We need women to know themselves. And we need them to speak out. To tell their truth. It's the only way to break down the stigmas and taboo that surround the feminine. It's time to claim our cycle. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can I take part if I am on hormonal contraception? Although you will not experience the same ebb and flow as you would without hormonal contraception (most forms of hormonal contraception prevent ovulation), you can absolutely still take part and benefit from this project. This is especially the case if you feel you notice symptoms that are cyclical. We always work with the cycle that you do have and create self-care to support you. ### I have an irregular cycle. Can I still take part? Absolutely! One of the things we cover is how to detect ovulation so this can help you to monitor and support your menstrual health. ### Can I still take part if I am perimenopausal? Yes! Perimenopause is a huge physiological and emotional transition for the body. Getting to know your cycle before and during this transition can bring about understanding, self-compassion and self-care practices that support where you are right now. ### How much is it to take part? Taking part in the project is completely free. However, since the project requires a considerable amount of time and effort, there are a limited number of available spaces for participation. As a result, not everyone who applies will be able to take part in the project. ### I have some more questions. How do I get in touch? Please [[Contact|contact me]] if you have any questions at all. >[!example] [Submit your application here](https://www.cognitoforms.com/SarahKeatesAndrews1/TheRedTentProject)