Preeclampsia Foundation is a tremendously impactful nonprofit organization whose mission is to: “reduce maternal and infant illness and death due to preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by providing patient support and education, raising public awareness, catalyzing research and improving healthcare practices.“ The Foundation convened its community of experts, patients, and dedicated volunteers for the 2018…
The Wildflower Blog
Venture into the heart of therapy with the Wildflower blog. We delve into topics that matter, blending therapeutic expertise with genuine stories of hope and transformation. *Please note that our blogs are designed to inform only and are not intended to diagnose or treat mental health disorders.
October Is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
Experiencing a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss brings on unimaginable grief. Parents not only find themselves mourning the loss of their child, but also that of their dreams, fantasies, hopes for their family, identity, and new social status. Parents often feel lonely and misunderstood in their mourning. Our society tends to have a short attention…
Being with Baby workshop series starts October 21st
We are excited to offer Being with Baby workshop series again this fall. Being with Baby is a 5-week series designed to help women build confidence in their parenting skills and wisdom, bond with their babies, and equally importantly, develop a sense of community with other new moms. The first session will be held on October 21, 2018. For more information, please contact the facilitator Katie Caddell, LCSW. Access Being with Baby flyer here.…
Why is it still so hard for mothers to speak up about postpartum depression?
In the late 19th century, American writer and new mother, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, spoke of her experience of severe postpartum depression in her now famous short story “The Yellow Wall-Paper.” “The Yellow Wall-Paper” goes on to depict the well-meaning but ultimately harmful and oppressive efforts by her physician husband to alleviate the illness by mandating…
Miscarriage: Did it happen to me, or to us?
The devastation of a pregnancy loss can impact more than just your hopes for a child. It can challenge your relationship with your body, your friends, society, and, unfortunately quite often, your relationship with your partner. When a couple decides to start or grow a family, they are united. The discussion is collaborative, the process…
The ABCs of Postpartum Self-Care
All life transitions, even the joyful ones which mark the beginning of a new, wished-for chapter, are tough. The transition to motherhood is even more challenging than a move to a foreign country, getting married, or setting on a different career path. Why is that? The arrival of a baby forces changes that are abrupt,…
Your baby has left the NICU. Has your brain?
Whenever I find myself having a conversation with one client that strikingly resembles one I’ve had with another client, I realize that the topic we’re discussing has significance beyond my office. This time, the issue was how profoundly painful and challenging it is for a parent whose child was in the NICU to possess those…
It’s Complicated: Understanding Postpartum Emotions
I will never forget the feeling that accompanied me when I was finally discharged from the hospital following my first son’s birth. It was a glorious summer day. The blue of the cloudless sky almost hurt my eyes after being inside for what felt like a long time. I sat in the rear seat of…
Anxiety during pregnancy
Chicago Family Doulas is a wonderful organization that cares about the physical and emotional wellbeing of moms and moms to be. We were recently asked by their team to contribute a blog article on dealing with anxiety during pregnancy, as the doulas noticed that their pregnant clients frequently report feelings of worry, irritability and stress (common…
Self-care as a mindset and a practice: Redefining an oft-misunderstood concept
“There is simply not enough time for everything” is probably the most common complaint I hear in my psychotherapy practice from busy moms, busy executives, busy students, busy colleagues. The other day as I helplessly looked at my mile-long task list, I caught myself yearning for a quick fix — a magic pill that could…
