Endometriosis: A Team-Based Approach to Care
In recognition of Endometriosis Awareness Month.
Contributors: Britt Trigg RN, Erica Petersen NP, Nishta Saxena RD, Dominique Williams RSW.
Endometriosis affects approximately 1 in 10 women and people assigned female at birth — yet diagnosis is often delayed for years.
It is a chronic, inflammatory, estrogen-sensitive condition that can impact pelvic health, digestion, fertility, energy, mood, and overall quality of life.
Too often, women are told their pain is “normal.”
It’s not.
In recognition of Endometriosis Awareness Month, our multidisciplinary team shares how we approach care — medically, nutritionally, and psychologically — because endometriosis affects more than one system, and it requires more than one solution.
Britt Trigg, Registered Nurse, Health Coach
Q1: What do you wish more women understood about endometriosis?
Endometriosis is not “just bad cramps.” It’s a chronic inflammatory condition that can affect energy, mood, digestion, fertility, work capacity, and overall quality of life.
What I see most often is women minimizing their symptoms because they’ve been told for years that this level of pain is normal. It’s not. Pain that disrupts your life always deserves to be acknowledged, assessed and treated.
Q2: What is your role in supporting someone with endometriosis?
My role is to help patients feel supported and to translate complex information into something manageable.
That includes:
Providing a safe space to share your lived experience and feel heard
Symptom exploration to identify patterns
Helping patients prepare for their Coven appointments
Lifestyle strategies that reduce inflammation and stress load
Supporting sustainable behaviour changes (sleep, movement, nervous system regulation)
Supporting referrals or additional diagnostics where appropriate
With endometriosis, flares are common. Having someone walk with you through that instead of feeling alone is powerful.
Erica Petersen, Nurse Practitioner
Q1: What is the biggest misconception about endometriosis treatment?
That birth control is the only option — or that surgery is the only option.
Hormonal suppression is often part of care, but it is not the entire story. Endometriosis is estrogen-sensitive and inflammatory. Treatment needs to be individualized based on:
Symptom severity
Reproductive goals
History of surgery
Co-existing conditions (like adenomyosis, migraines, clot risk)
Mental health impact
There is no one-size-fits-all protocol.
Q2: What does a comprehensive medical approach look like?
It may include:
Hormonal management
Pain management options
Screening for anemia or nutrient deficiencies
Addressing overlapping pelvic pain syndromes
Coordinating imaging or surgical referrals when needed
It also means revisiting the plan regularly. Endometriosis is dynamic — care should be too.
Q3: When should someone seek further evaluation?
If pain interferes with your quality of life and every day activities — that is enough reason.
If pain occurs between menses - that is enough reason.
If symptoms persist despite initial treatment — that is enough reason.
If you feel dismissed — that is enough reason.
Dominique Williams (RSW, Therapist)
Q1: How does endometriosis impact mental health?
Chronic pain changes the nervous system. Over time, it can lead to:
Anxiety around upcoming cycles
Grief related to fertility or identity
Medical trauma from previous experiences
Depression from persistent pain and fatigue
The psychological burden is not secondary — it’s part of the condition.
Q2: What does therapy look like for someone with endometriosis?
It often includes:
Nervous system regulation strategies
Pain coping tools
Processing medical trauma
Relationship and intimacy support
Identity work around chronic illness
We don’t “therapy away” the pain. We build resilience and reduce the suffering layered on top of it.
Q3: What do you tell patients who feel hopeless?
This is not in your head. We believe you!
Hope often returns when patients feel believed and have a coordinated care plan.
Nishta Saxena, Registered Dietitian
Q1: Is there an “endometriosis diet”?
Diet can play a significant role in managing symptoms of endometriosis.
Nutrition absolutely influences inflammation in the body systemically as well as gut function and hormone metabolism — which are all relevant in endometriosis.
What works for each woman is an individualized, sustainable and realistic approach, not a restrictive elimination plan.
Q2: What nutrition strategies are evidence-informed?
Depending on the patient, we may explore:
Mediterranean Diet Pillars
Anti-inflammatory eating patterns
Increasing omega-3 intake and decreasing Omega-6 intake.
Managing and optimizing animal-based foods intake.
Reducing and eliminating ultra and processed foods.
Ensuring adequate iron and folate intake (heavy bleeding is common).
Supporting optimal gut health.
Ensuring adequate types of protein and fibre are present to optimize hormone metabolism
Judicious use of supplements to support diet and lifestyle change.
Management of concurrent conditions like IBS, Thyroid and Auto-immunity.
Restriction is not the goal. Stabilization is.
Q3: What mistake do you see often?
Over-restricting. Many women try extreme elimination diets out of desperation, which can increase stress and worsen symptoms long-term.
Women left feeling they can’t “eat anything” and not knowing their triggers.
Food should support healing — not become another stressor.
So, What Now?
Endometriosis requires more than a prescription. It requires validation, strategy, and coordinated care.
At Coven Women’s Health, we believe women deserve care that addresses the whole picture — medical, metabolic, and mental health.
If you are navigating suspected or diagnosed endometriosis and feel dismissed, under-supported, or unsure of your next step:
👉Start with our Total Hormonal Health + Medical Consultation.
And if you need clarity before committing to a full program, our Healthcare Navigation Consultation can help you build a practical plan.
→ Learn more about our Endometriosis Care at Coven
Your pain is real and you deserve real care.
