Welcome to another episode in our bonus series, Behind the Sessions. A topic that comes up frequently with my clients is how they are impacted in therapy when their family doesn’t get it and does not understand what is happening for them. This disconnect can even go as far as families judging or blaming the person for what they are experiencing. It’s a difficult topic that can leave people feeling isolated and very much alone. While I am primarily addressing the emotional pain and struggle of moms in the perinatal and postpartum times, this message can apply to those in other phases of life, as well. There is no intention here for family-bashing, but the message is that we can all do better in supporting those who are facing real challenges, and it most often begins with a compassionate listening ear. Join me for this bonus episode. Show Highlights: How a suffering person faces blame from family members who can’t/won’t be supportive and ends up feeling alone, isolated, sad, and even gaslit Feelings can coexist: you can BOTH love your kid AND need a break What happens over time when someone isn’t supported and validated How family members respond by blaming, shaming, or going into “fix mode” Why a suffering person has to understand that asking for help and talking about their emotions is not “complaining” How healing begins when one can acknowledge and accept their experience without minimizing it Helpful tips on engaging in conversation with a family member to get the support you need Resources: Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are not many group models that are supportive of a wide range of people concerning their languages, environments, and backgrounds. My two guests today have formed a powerful support system that needs to be replicated everywhere in the world. Join us to learn more! Annette Cycon has been a social worker for over 30 years, specializing in group work. With Liz Friedman, she co-founded the nonprofit MotherWoman in Massachusetts, and she went on to lead that organization for 15 years. Their mission was to increase awareness and access to mental health resources for perinatal women at risk for or experiencing perinatal emotional complications. This included designing and training peers and professionals in their unique trauma-informed support group model for moms. In 2017, they founded GPS Group Peer Support to broaden the scope of their work to include those struggling with addiction and recovery, newly-arrived refugees, first-generation college students, frontline workers suffering trauma as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and others, in addition to perinatal parents and caregivers. GPS is now being implemented in communities internationally and in seven languages.  Nallely (Nelly) Willis, CLC, BBA, PMHC, has spent ten years providing nationwide peer support in English and Spanish to families experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. She is uniquely attuned to the challenges that expecting and new families face, and she supports them through lactation, childbirth, doula, and postpartum consultation, education, and support. Nallely ran a nonprofit organization, Heartsounds Inc., serving perinatal, low-income Latina, and BIPOC mothers across southern AZ. She has been with GPS Group Peer Support for six years, rising to the position of Program Director, as well as being a GPS Certified Coach, Support Group Facilitator, and Master Trainer in English and Spanish. Nallely has been a volunteer for nine years with the Arizona Chapter of Postpartum Support International in Outreach and Education and on the Bilingual Warmline. She is currently a counselor with the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline.  Show Highlights: The background of GPS: How it began and what the program is all about The benefits of group peer support programs How GPS trains people to run peer support groups with a consistent structure and sequence based on learning how to listen Why a group program needs to have consistency and “sameness” How group programs invite people to say the hard things in a safe space How GPS is filling in the gaps with high-quality mental health care for communities of color Why the training for therapists through GPS is much-needed and unique Highlights of the 100% Spanish GPS program for the Latino population  Highlights of the upcoming training, conferences, and website resources available through GPS  Resources: Connect with Group Peer Support: Website and Facebook Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Becoming a mother is an intricate dance of transition that impacts every part of a woman’s life down to her very identity. Matrescence is the name for this “motherhood development process,” and it’s not an easy journey for every woman to navigate. This process is every bit as vital to a healthy, thriving family as child development, but it’s often overlooked or pushed to the back burner. Join us as we dive into this topic in today’s episode!  Christine Carrig is the founding director of Carrig Montessori School in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has been a Montessori teacher and administrator with a focus on early childhood education for nearly two decades. Since becoming a mother eleven years ago, Christine has brought the same level of passion and inquiry to maternal development as she has always had for childhood development. She is the writer in residence for Khora, the Maternal & Reproductive Psychology Lab at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she focuses her writing on the intersection between child development and maternal development in hopes of bringing a more holistic view to the parent-child dyad. She lives in Queens, NY, with her husband and their four children.  Show Highlights: How Christine came into the work she does today How Christine defines and explains matrescence Why matrescence can be compared to adolescence in the scope and intensity of the changes Why we need to support and validate mothers and not try to “fix” them How Christine’s personal experiences with motherhood have aligned with what she has learned about matrescence How to understand the matrescence process through the story of “the six blind men and the elephant” How to keep a helpful perspective of the parent-child dyad How a lack of honoring matrescence shows up for parents in Christine’s work How mothers are negatively influenced by social media input on topics like gentle parenting Why we need to have balance in child development AND mother development instead of taking a largely child-centric approach Resources: Connect with Christine Carrig: Carrig Montessori School, The Family Flow, Instagram, and LinkedIn Click here to read Christine’s Insider article about gentle parenting mentioned in this episode.  Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s topic is one that all of us have experienced, and many may be going through it right now. Why are we hesitant to talk openly about our emotional pain and suffering? Part of the problem is that society misconstrues the expression of pain or suffering as weakness, and we have the mistaken idea that strong, capable people do not show any weakness. Emotional pain and suffering are part of the human experience. It’s okay to seek help, talk about your feelings, and not suffer alone. Remember, you are not a burden and that healing is possible. Let’s take a closer look in today’s Behind the Sessions episode. We have a new episode every other Thursday to give additional insight into therapy and the perinatal mental health and reproductive health specialties. Our goal is to pull back the curtain so that asking for help and finding help can feel more accessible and possible. Join us!  Show Highlights: Why the language we use is important in understanding our emotional experiences How therapy and emotional support give safe spaces to share and loosen emotions that we may have fears about expressing openly How to build tolerance for big emotions Examples of “containers” for emotions: acupuncture, yoga, spiritual practices, meditation, etc.  Why others can’t always tell that you are suffering, leaving you feeling invalidated, diminished, and minimized How I witness the beautiful power of healing through therapy How to let people around you know that you need support Resources: Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back for another great episode! I’m joined by Dr. Carla Meijen to discuss her book, Empowered Birth: Lessons From Sport Psychology for Your Maternity Journey. Her book is a fascinating take on how pregnancy can be viewed as an endurance sport. Join us to learn more! Dr. Carla Meijen is an accredited sport psychologist and Associate Professor of applied sport psychology at St. Mary’s University in London. In her work, she focuses on the mental demands of endurance performance, stress, and emotions in sports, and how to turn pressure into a positive challenge. Dr. Meijen has published her research in academic journals and has provided expert analysis for publications including the New York Times, Runner’s World, The Sunday Times Magazine, Cycling Weekly, Women’s Health, and the BBC. Dr. Meijen explains how to approach birth as a positive challenge and how it can be linked to endurance sports. She also shares sport psychology strategies that can be adapted to the birth process and how decompression can help in the postpartum period.  Show Highlights: How Dr. Carla’s work relates to pregnancy and the postpartum as a strength-based approach to the maternal journey Why people seek out a sport psychologist How a sport psychologist teaches people to manage pressure, expectations, and challenges How we learn to view our demands, stress, and resources in terms of perceived control How anxiety can have beneficial physiological responses A look at Dr. Carla’s book How we can think of goals as outcome-based or process-oriented Strategies that apply well to the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum processes: chunking goals, self-talk, imagery (visualization), and more Why tools should be customizable to each individual’s needs How to apply a six-step approach to making sense of emotions and feelings Why Dr. Carla includes in her book the importance of social support  Resources: Connect with Dr. Carla Meijen: Website, Instagram, Twitter, and Empowered Birth book Mentioned in this episode: The Postnatal Depletion Cure by Dr. Oscare Serrallach Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are tackling a hot topic that carries with it many misconceptions. Unlike with other medical conditions, there are fears around taking medications specifically for anxiety and depression. Our goal with today’s show is to help shed the stigma and misconceptions about medications in pregnancy and postpartum, letting women know that it’s okay to use medication support if that’s what you and your doctor decide. Join us to learn more! Victoria Vaughan is a military spouse and mom to a beautiful baby boy. She lives in Fayetteville, NC, and works as a small animal veterinarian. She struggled with postpartum anxiety and depression, and she wants to be an advocate for other women struggling in the postpartum who may be hesitant to consider antidepressant medications.  Show Highlights: Victoria’s story: an easy pregnancy but a long and complicated labor and delivery that resulted in a three-day NICU stay for her son How Victoria felt overwhelmed when they took their newborn son home because they both cried all the time How her son had nursing difficulties and a tongue tie that needed to be repaired How she was desperate for answers, tried to find support, and knew that she wasn’t caring for herself properly Why she reached out to a postpartum therapist for her intense anxiety but wished the therapist had explored medication options with her How Victoria realized she had postnatal depletion but kept suffering and felt hopeless and helpless How Victoria’s mom recognized that she needed help and pushed her to find it How postpartum depression medication helped right away at about 3-4 months postpartum Why there is a huge stigma around postpartum depression/anxiety medications What Victoria wants others to know about PPD and PPA medication support Resources: Connect with Victoria Vaughan: Instagram Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a new series of the Mom & Mind podcast called Behind the Sessions. We will have a new episode every other Thursday to give additional insight into therapy and the perinatal mental health and reproductive health specialties. Our goal is to pull back the curtain on as much as possible so that asking for help and finding help can feel more accessible and possible. I’ll be diving into topics that come up in therapy sessions around emotional and relationship challenges, along with sharing things that bother me about societal pressure and many other things that impact the perinatal population. We will sprinkle in the occasional chat between me and another perinatal therapist to normalize the process of getting help and healing.  In today’s episode, we will focus on what it’s like to start therapy for the very first time, which can entail a difficult thought process in taking those initial steps toward healing. Join us to learn more! Show Highlights: Why it’s harmful that society pressures us to “figure things out” on our own Common hesitations related to therapy and “opening up” around vulnerability, affordability, and the specifics of the therapy process Why we need to change the narrative around what it means to get mental health help How to find a therapist and ask the right questions What to expect in initial therapy visits Why additional support from family, friends, and therapy groups is helpful Resources: Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New insights and fresh perspectives on pregnancy and postpartum are always helpful! I’m intrigued and excited for today’s guest who discusses her new book, To Carry Wonder. This unique book is a beautiful weaving of her personal experience, clinical information, and perinatal mental health information and is much different from most “pregnancy books.” I know this conversation and Emese’s book will offer help and hope to many people. Join us to learn more! Emese Parker is a board-certified women’s nurse health practitioner (NP), perinatal mental health specialist, public health geek, and author of a fun, new pregnancy book called To Carry Wonder. After completing bachelor’s degrees in exercise science and nursing, Emese earned her master’s of science in nursing from Boston College and a master of public health degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has over 20 years of experience in healthcare and loves partnering with women of all ages as they navigate their distinct journeys in life.  Show Highlights: How Emese came into the field of women’s health and perinatal mental health The difference in pregnancy and postpartum care/support between an Ob-gyn and a nurse practitioner Why Emese’s book covers many more topics than the common pregnancy and postpartum topics Why Emese’s book can help women at all stages of life How the book helps with the way we question ourselves and feel shame around our mothering experience Why a portion of Emese’s book proceeds will help the International Justice Mission, an organization committed to combating slavery and violence around the world Resources: Connect with Emese and get your copy of her book! Website and Instagram Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today helps us understand reproductive trauma, what it looks like, and how to recognize it. She explains the difference between trauma and PTSD, how these conditions can show up in the reproductive period, and how they can impact individuals, partnerships, and families. Most importantly, her message is one of hope because there are proven ways to heal from reproductive trauma, and that’s the overriding theme of today’s episode. Join us to learn more! Bethany Warren is a psychotherapist in private practice in San Diego who has worked in reproductive mental health for 25 years. She has authored The Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood Workbook and Healing from Reproductive Trauma. She is certified in EMDR therapy and perinatal mental health, specializing in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, birth and reproductive trauma, pregnancy loss, and infertility. She’s also an EMDRIA-approved consultant and facilitates EMDR training. She is a current member and previously served as the President of the Board of the Postpartum Health Alliance. Beth joined us for three previous episodes: 15-Postpartum OCD, 107-EMDR for Perinatal Mental Health, and 216-Understanding Attachment and Bonding. Visit our podcast archives to find these episodes.  Show Highlights: Understanding trauma vs. PTSD How psychological and trauma-related words are often overused and misused in pop culture What PTSD might look like How people can experience trauma in the perinatal journey Why we need to recognize and validate ALL reproductive trauma—not just birth trauma Thoughts on triggers—and why some people are triggered by the word “trigger” How to be mindful of social media posts and the tendency to dissociate How partners can also experience reproductive trauma and shouldn’t be overlooked How reproductive trauma impacts people through grief and loss How to begin the healing journey with treatment, therapy, new skills, and support groups Resources: Connect with Beth: Website and Instagram Visit our Mom & Mind podcast archives to find other episodes with Beth: 15-Postpartum OCD, 107-EMDR for Perinatal Mental Health, and 216-Understanding Attachment and Bonding.  Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s personal story comes from Savannah Burton. She’s the mother of two and the owner and therapist at My Memphis Therapist Counseling and Consulting. She is a University of Memphis alumnus and a postpartum anxiety advocate and survivor after experiencing different challenges with the birth of her two children. With a passion for maternal mental health, Savannah feels fortunate to live out her dream of helping others as a therapist and entrepreneur. She explains what it feels like to not like being pregnant, to feel hesitant about motherhood, and to be fearful about the decision to have a second child. Show Highlights: The truth: nothing can adequately prepare you for what to expect after the birth of your first child How Savannah experienced a dramatic birth, unplanned C-section, breastfeeding struggles, maternity leave issues, shame, guilt, and anxiety How she struggled to have a functional life and felt guilty if she prioritized self-care How a new job and a more relaxed schedule helped her learn to preserve herself How Savannah has learned to structure her work and home life to be present with her kids AND take care of herself How she navigated a second baby, COVID, and opening a therapy practice that was limited to telehealth during the shutdown Why Savannah loves helping other moms who don’t feel “cut out” for motherhood What Savannah wants other moms to know about feelings of shame and finding support Resources: Connect with Savannah: Website and Instagram Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices