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The change of seasons in New England is stunning, but for those of us living with chronic illness, it often brings a difficult wave of physical and mental hurdles. 

In this episode of Quiet Confessions, I’m catching up with you straight from my recliner to share what’s been happening behind the scenes. 

From navigating a brutal flare cycle and tapering down off psychiatric meds to wrestling with heavy mom guilt, I’m getting completely honest about where I’ve been and why things have been a bit quiet lately.

I’m talking about the pressure to prove my worth through constant productivity, how kids see us when we can’t give them everything we want, and what it really means to embrace "couch parenting." Plus, I give a quick update on where the podcast is headed as we wrap up Season 7 and gear up for Season 8!

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or like you’re falling short, let this episode be your gentle permission slip to slow down, rest, and grant yourself some grace. 

Key Takeaways

• Redefining Productivity: Your worth as a parent and a human isn’t tied to how many household chores you check off or how much you accomplish in a day.
• The Reality of Tapering: Discontinuing perinatal mental health medications is a slow, difficult process that impacts both physical and emotional well-being.
• Navigating "Couch Parenting": Being present for your kids from your bed or recliner still creates deeply meaningful, connected moments.
• Releasing the Guilt: Choosing rest over hustle when you're unwell isn't selfish—it's essential for taking care of the people you love.

Soundbites

"My husband has been amazing at reminding me that my worth isn't defined by my productivity."

"When I can show up as my best self, I'm making these incredible connections with people... those connections have been honestly getting me through some really difficult times."

"If you need to rest, rest. If you need to take a break, take a break. I'll see you when I see you."

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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In this episode of Quiet Connection, I'm joined by tech professional, author, and nonprofit founder, Cheri Bergeron. 

Cheri opens up about her decade-long journey through infertility, the agonizing loss of two children to rare genetic conditions, and the shocking legal battle that followed when an outdated state law threatened her family.

We discuss the hidden gaps in fertility testing, the crushing reality of infant loss, and how she used trauma-informed therapies like EMDR to heal and rebuild. 

Cheri's resilience, candor, and fierce advocacy offer a powerful reminder that while the path to parenthood doesn't always match the fairy tale, you're never alone in rewriting your story. 

Connect with Cheri:

• Website: CherisChoice.com
• Author Site: CheriBergeron.com
• Book: Mission Motherhood: Writing a New Fairy Tale of Love and Family (Available on Amazon)
• Social Media: Instagram and LinkedIn 

Key Takeaways

• Male Fertility Testing is Essential: Standard fertility protocols often fail to screen men thoroughly for genetic abnormalities, leaving birthing individuals to carry unnecessary physical and emotional burdens.
• The Importance of EMDR Therapy: Processing trauma and PTSD through specialized therapies like EMDR can help integrate painful memories and restore peace after profound loss.
• Flaws in Presumed Father Laws: Outdated family laws can allow ex-partners to claim parental rights over donor-conceived children, highlighting the need for systemic legal reform.
• Rewriting the Fairytale: Family creation doesn't need to look traditional to be deeply meaningful and complete.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

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When we picture our path to parenthood, very few of us imagine sitting beside an incubator in the NICU, undergoing multiple rounds of IVF, or turning to surrogacy to bring a child home. In this heartwarming and deeply honest episode of Quiet Connection, Chelsea connects with children’s book author Emily Rosen to explore what happens when your journey to becoming a parent looks completely different than you planned.

Emily opens up about the sudden 34-week delivery of her son, Max, the heavy emotional toll of his 16-day NICU stay, and the postpartum anxiety that followed. She shares how channeling her grief and waiting into creativity inspired her children’s book, Waiting for Max, designed to help older siblings process a brother or sister’s NICU stay. Emily also opens up about her subsequent three-year struggle with infertility, endometriosis, and navigating surrogacy to welcome her daughter, Eva.

If you’ve ever felt isolated by birth trauma, struggled with your mental health, or felt like your body betrayed you during the journey to grow your family, this conversation is a gentle, supportive reminder that you aren’t alone.

Key Takeaways:

• The Weight of the NICU: Why even a brief stay in the NICU can trigger intense postpartum anxiety, guilt, and birth trauma for perinatal individuals.
• Reclaiming Control in Crisis: How small routines, like reading books daily or printing physical photos, can help parents feel connected to their baby amidst medical chaos.
• Using Creativity as Therapy: How processing grief and waiting through writing led Emily to create a book that gives young siblings a gentle voice during a high-stress medical event.
• Navigating Complex Infertility: The emotional roller coaster of IVF, endometriosis, chemical pregnancies, and making the decision to pursue surrogacy.
• Making Peace with the Unexpected: Learning to heal from the envy and sadness of a broken dream while fully embracing the unique path that brought your children home.

Soundbites:

• "The wait felt like forever. Whether you're there for two days or two months, it's really unbearable not getting to be with your baby at home like you thought you would."
• "Motherhood should come with a therapist. Life should come with a therapist, but motherhood especially."
• "If you're in a NICU experience or any difficult experience, creativity is a great way to process and express how you're feeling."
• "She was the last embryo we could use, and it feels like she was meant to be our child. I remind myself that I have Eva, and she's the baby I'm supposed to have."
• "Whatever you're going through or you went through, you aren't alone. Other people have been there and are ready to support you."

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of postpartum psychosis, severe PMHDS, suicidal ideation, medical trauma, and high-profile legal cases involving harm to children.

In this episode of Quiet Confessions, Chelsea is joined by their husband, Ben, for an intimate look at the reality of perinatal mental health disorders (PMHDS) and the systemic gaps in care. Sparked by recent high-profile headlines surrounding the Lindsay Clancy trial, Chelsea and Ben pull back the curtain on how media narratives reduce complex medical crises to sensationalized stories while ignoring the realities of postpartum psychosis.

They discuss the critical difference between specialized perinatal support and general psychiatric units, the stark lack of resources nationwide, and why caregiving partners must play an active role in advocating for birthing individuals.

Key Takeaways

• Media vs. Reality: Media coverage of severe PMHDS often focuses on sensational headlines rather than highlighting the medical reality of postpartum psychosis.
• Systemic Gaps: Specialized inpatient care for perinatal mental health is severely lacking across the country, leaving families to navigate a broken, reactive system.
• Postpartum Psychosis as an Emergency: Postpartum psychosis is a temporary, treatable medical emergency that requires immediate intervention and safe, specialized care.
• The Partner's Role: Partners and caregivers are a crucial line of defense; educating non-birthing individuals on PMHDS is essential for proper advocacy and safety.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

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When you’re a high-achieving attorney and licensed therapist, you think you’ve got the research and prep work handled. But as guest Paula Yost discovered, pregnancy and parenting don’t care about your schedules or degree titles.

In this episode, Paula shares her journey through two high-risk pregnancies, a sudden bilateral cleft lip and palate diagnosis, premature menopause at 34, and a terrifying bout with severe preeclampsia that nearly took her life. 

We’re talking about the subtle signs of preeclampsia, the intense mental toll of the NICU, and the overwhelming guilt birthing individuals carry when a pregnancy goes off-script. 

If you’ve ever looked at your child and wondered, "What did I do wrong?", this conversation’s for you. You didn't do anything wrong, mama. Let’s talk about it.

Key Takeaways

• Preeclampsia Awareness: Preeclampsia’s the number one physical health threat for birthing individuals in the US, yet so many aren’t taught the subtle symptoms (like early swelling or sudden, sharp neurological pain).
• Releasing Maternal Guilt: When medical complications or birth differences arise, birthing individuals almost always blame themselves. Realizing that conditions like preeclampsia or cleft palates aren’t "your fault" is the first step toward healing.
• The Power of Community: Whether it’s a spouse who stays calm in a crisis, a friend who gets tested to donate specialized neonatal blood, or a compassionate doctor who speaks truth into your fear—your support network is your anchor.
• Advocating for Early Intervention: Access to occupational therapy, speech therapy, and early childhood resources shouldn’t be dictated by your socio-economic status. Protecting our zero-to-five population needs to be a legislative priority.

• Website: paulayost.com
• Instagram: @paulayost_author

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

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What happens when bringing a new life into the world triggers a complete break from reality, leaving you isolated in a system that wasn't built to give you the care you need?

In this episode of Quiet Connection, Chelsea sits down with registered nurse, mother, and advocate Sarah Savage. Sarah shares her story of an emergency premature birth, a sudden cord prolapse, and the chaotic descent into mania and postpartum psychosis that followed.

Together, Chelsea and Sarah unpack the reality of delusional thinking, the deep shame attached to general psychiatric hospitalizations for birthing individuals, and the systemic failure of healthcare systems that separate new parents from their newborns. 

Sarah talks openly about hitting rock bottom, stopping her medications, facing severe suicidal ideation, and the slow, brave process of rebuilding her relationship with her son, Mickey.

If you've ever felt completely lost in the dark after birth, or if you're navigating the heavy weight of birth trauma and PMHDS, this conversation will remind you that your story isn't over and joy is still waiting for you on the other side.

• Recognizing the Onset of Postpartum Psychosis: How postpartum psychosis can present as hyper-energy, rapid speech, decreased need for sleep, and delusional or "magical" thinking rather than just harm-based thoughts.
• The Systemic Gap in Maternal Mental Health: Why the US medical system fails birthing individuals by placing them in general psychiatric units that separate parents from their infants and lack basic postpartum physical care.
• Overcoming Postpartum Shame: How the shame of being away from your baby or needing psychiatric intervention can linger long after physical recovery, and why self-compassion is crucial.
• Rebuilding the Parent-Child Bond: Understanding that bonding with your baby doesn't always happen instantly after trauma, but can be built step-by-step through grace and time.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

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When Cat Carnell walked into her ten-week ultrasound expecting to hear a heartbeat, she was met with two words that shattered her world: "I'm sorry." What followed was a confusing, painful, and deeply isolating journey through a missed miscarriage—a type of pregnancy loss where the body continues to hold onto the pregnancy without showing typical signs of loss.

In this episode of Quiet Connection, Cat opens up about the harsh physical reality of taking medication for pregnancy loss, the overwhelming hormonal drop that left her feeling completely "soulless," and the dark humor and unique coping mechanisms (including a giant Jeep duck!) that helped her process her grief. 

Cat and Chelsea dive deep into the taboo conversations surrounding reproductive health, the gaps in medical communication, and why we need to talk about the physical and emotional realities of loss so no birthing individual feels crazy or alone.

Key Takeaways

• What a Missed Miscarriage Actually Is: Understanding why the body holds onto a pregnancy after it has ended and why medical providers need to explain what is happening rather than just apologizing.
• The Reality of Medical Management: The gap between how healthcare providers portray loss management pills (as "just bad period cramps") and the actual, intense physiological experience.
• The Perinatal Mental Health Crash: How dramatic hormonal shifts after a loss can trigger severe perinatal mental health struggles, leaving birthing individuals feeling detached or soulless.
• Coping Through Connection & Humor: Why unconventional outlets—from life coaching and bodywork to driving a Jeep with a massive duck—are valid, powerful steps in reclaiming yourself after loss.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

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When you envision bringing a child into the world, nobody prepares you for the possibility of walking through the double doors of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The flashing lights, the constant hum of monitors, and the physical barrier of an isolette can leave birthing and perinatal individuals feeling isolated, helpless, and completely detached from the experience they imagined.

In this episode of Quiet Connection, I'm sitting down with Julie Hatch, a seasoned Pediatric and Neonatal Nurse Practitioner with over 30 years of experience in the NICU. Julie shares what it's truly like on the front lines of infant intensive care, from the sudden rush of high-risk admissions to the quiet, profound moments where parents and nurses carry hope for each other. 

We break down the reality of hospital environments, debunking common misconceptions about who ends up in the NICU and why. Beyond the technical machinery, Julie reminds us that a parent’s energy and unconditional love are deeply felt by their little ones, even through the porthole of an incubator.

If you've ever felt robbed of those initial bonding moments, or if you're currently navigating the uncertainty of a medical journey with your child, this conversation offers a gentle reminder: taking care of your own mental health isn't a luxury, it's essential. Hope isn't something you have to carry alone.

Key Takeaways

• The NICU is a Built-In Village: While terrifying, the NICU creates an unexpected community of nurses, social workers, and fellow parents who support one another through shared trauma and triumph.
• Hope is a Vital Tool: When medical answers aren't immediate, holding onto hope, or letting your care team hold it for you, helps carry you through the hour-by-hour uncertainty.
• Parental Energy Transcends Physical Touch: Even when a baby is too fragile to be held, your calm presence, voice, and energy send powerful signals of safety and love.
• Self-Care is Not Failure: Prioritizing your own mental health and rest as a parent directly impacts your child's wellbeing. You can't pour from an empty cup.
• Bridging Eastern and Western Medicine: Western medicine saves lives in acute crises, but Eastern practices like acupuncture offer crucial support for long-term stress, PMHDS recovery, and nervous system regulation.

Don't forget to visit Vermont Birth Network to learn more about connecting with perinatal and postpartum practitioners in Vermont!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
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In this episode of Quiet Connection, host Chelsea Myers sits down with Hilary Hodge, author of the upcoming book The Art of Parenting While Sick. Living in the beautiful Loire Valley of France, Hilary navigates the daily, often invisible grind of severe asthma and adrenal insufficiency while raising her five-year-old son.

Chelsea and Hilary dive deep into the unique realities of being a perinatal individual with a chronic illness. They unpack the heavy, constant weight of mom guilt, flip the script on what an "able" parent looks like, and share why parenting from the couch can actually be a beautiful space for deep connection. 

Hilary also shares highly practical, life-saving advice on how to create a family medical emergency plan, prepare young kids for unpredictable hospital stays, and demystify daily medications without creating fear. 

Whether you're navigating a lifelong disability, a new diagnosis, or just general parenting overwhelm, this episode will remind you that you're doing a wonderful job and your journey matters.

Key Takeaways

• The Chronic Illness Superpower: Perinatal individuals managing disabilities often develop a unique parenting superpower. They give up perfectionism early on, master flexibility, and raise incredibly resilient, empathetic children.
• Reframing "Parenting from the Couch": You don't have to chase your toddler across a playground to be an amazing parent. Slower, low-mobility moments create intentional, high-quality spaces for emotional connection.
• The "Fire Extinguisher" Emergency Method: Just like practicing fire safety, walking your children through a 5-minute plan for 911 calls or flare-up days removes the chaos and anxiety from actual medical crises.
• Demystifying Medications: Keeping kids safely informed about medical gear (like nebulizers or pillboxes) satisfies their natural curiosity and prevents them from viewing your illness as a scary, unspeakable secret.
• Healthcare Systems Compared: Hilary notes how France's healthcare system provides immense, low-cost structural support for long-term conditions and birth recovery, though the US remains highly progressive in its open conversations surrounding mental health care.

Soundbites

• "Maybe disabled parents are more fit to be parents. They're more creative. They're more resilient. They're so used to being flexible... They've given up on perfectionism years ago."
  
  
• "This parenting from the couch thing could actually be a blessing... there's so much that you can do from home."
  
  
• "Our kids have only ever known us this way. That empathy is a superpower that's built into our kids because this is the life that we live."
  
  
• "It's like a fire extinguisher. If there's a grease fire, it's pandemonium because no one remembers how to use it. But if you take five minutes to walk through it ahead of time, when it happens, it's so much less chaotic."
  
  
• "I was just sobbing, 'I just want to be a mom. I can't take care of my kids.' And my therapist said, 'Why can't you? You are a mom.' You can keep parenting from the bed, even if you feel awful."

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

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In this episode of Quiet Confessions, Chelsea takes a step back from personal musings to focus on advocacy and education surrounding perinatal mental health disorders (PMHDS). Recording from their late grandmother’s house, Chelsea reflects on channeling their hero's legacy to make others feel seen, loved, and valued.

Chelsea explains the range of PMHDS, covering topics like perinatal depression, anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, postpartum rage, substance use disorder, and postpartum psychosis. They address common misconceptions, detailing the vital differences between intrusive thoughts in perinatal OCD and the true break from reality seen in postpartum psychosis. Chelsea stresses that PMHDS are treatable, recovery is 100% possible, and lifting the weight of silence can be the first step toward healing.

Key Takeaways

• PMHDS Affect Many: One in five perinatal individuals and one in ten partners experience a perinatal mental health disorder.
• Beyond Stereotypical Depression: Perinatal depression isn't always crying; it can present as feeling completely numb or going through the motions while feeling detached from yourself.
• Hypervigilance and OCD: Perinatal OCD often involves intrusive thoughts coupled with compulsive rituals (like counting baby's breaths or rigid schedules) aimed at quelling extreme anxiety.
• Understanding Postpartum Psychosis: Postpartum psychosis involves a true break from reality, including hallucinations and delusions. Chelsea clarifies that many delusions center on intense protection rather than harm.
• Recovery is Possible: All perinatal mental health disorders are temporary and treatable with appropriate support, medical care, and professional intervention.

If you or someone you love is navigating a perinatal mental health disorder, resources are available:

• Visit Postpartum Support International to connect with local providers, specialized support groups, and trained peer mentors. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Quiet Connection, Chelsea sits down with Jessica Hill, co-founder of The Parent Collective. Jessica opens up about her transition into motherhood while living overseas in London, where an unexpected medical scare with her newborn sparked a season of hypervigilance and postpartum anxiety. 

We talk about the raw grief of adding a second child, the stark differences between maternal care systems in the UK and the US, and why having a built-in peer cohort is the ultimate antidote to early parenthood isolation. 

Whether you're in the trenches of the newborn phase or navigating life with teenagers, this conversation is a beautiful reminder to extend yourself some grace. 

Key Takeaways

• The Reality of Maternal Systems: The UK maternal health model builds community and continuous care through midwives and home visits, whereas the US system often leaves perinatal individuals feeling clinical and isolated after birth.
• The Trap of Maternal Gatekeeping: Postpartum anxiety and hypervigilance can cause us to tightly control routines, which unintentionally shuts out partners who are simply trying to bond in their own way.
• Grieving the Shift to Two: It’s completely normal to feel deep grief during a second pregnancy over losing the exclusive, uninterrupted bond you share with your first child.
• Community is Postpartum Medicine: Having a cohort of peers who are in the exact same seasonal trenches (diaper blowouts, sleep regressions) reduces the risk of PMHDS and shields against isolation.

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

Send us Fan Mail

With the Lindsay Clancy trial dominating headlines right now, the media is full of sensationalized coverage that instills fear and demonizes birthing individuals in crisis. But sensationalism doesn't save lives; truth, proper medical training, and early intervention do.

In this episode of Quiet Confessions, I'm stepping away from our scheduled series to address the reality of postpartum psychosis (PPP). 

I share the crucial differences between intrusive thoughts and psychotic delusions, break down the staggering lack of PMHD training in maternal healthcare, and unpack why criminalizing medical emergencies fails everyone. 

If the current news cycle has felt heavy or triggering, this conversation is here to give you facts, validate your feelings, and remind you that you are never alone.

• Resource Links Mentioned in Episode:
  • Postpartum Support International (PSI): postpartum.net
  • National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262)
  • Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
  • Emergency Support: Call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room.

Key Takeaways

• The Reality Behind the Numbers: Postpartum psychosis occurs in 1 to 2 out of every 1,000 births. Extreme tragic outcomes occur in only 2% to 4% of cases, primarily when individuals are undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or improperly treated.
• Delusions vs. Intrusive Thoughts: Intrusive thoughts are unwanted and jarring, but you recognize them as separate from yourself. Delusions in postpartum psychosis represent a complete break from reality where the belief feels entirely real.
• Systemic Healthcare Failures: OBGYNs, midwives, and PCPs receive almost no required training on PMHDs. A single six-week postpartum checkup is nowhere near enough to monitor birthing individuals.
• Prescription Risks & Rapid Changes: Bouncing between complex psychiatric medications without proper oversight can escalate a crisis rather than resolve it.
• Why Silence is Dangerous: Staying silent out of fear perpetuates shame and keeps parents from seeking help. Open conversations and systemic healthcare reform are what truly save lives.

*Correction: There is excellent PMHD training available through Postpartum Support International, but it is not required when obtaining initial licensure for mental health professionals or medical professionals.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when the vision you have for your birth completely shatters? 

In this episode of Quiet Connection, host Chelsea Myers sits down with Lainey Stancil—a mom, birth doula, and the founder of the Peach State Birth Coalition. Lainey shares her deeply personal journey of navigating a frustrating PCOS diagnosis , fighting a dismissive healthcare system , and making the radical choice to switch to an unmedicated home birth at 28 weeks pregnant.

But Lainey's story didn't end with her fast, beautiful water birth. After discovering the shocking legal restrictions placed on traditional midwives in Georgia, she stepped into her power to change the landscape for birthing individuals across her state. 

This conversation is an eye-opening look at maternal healthcare deserts , the power of community education , and why every perinatal individual deserves to choose exactly how and where they bring life into the world.

Key Takeaways

• Trusting Your Instincts: Lainey highlights the exhaustion of fighting with medical providers who dismiss early signs of hormonal issues like PCOS simply based on age.
• The Power of True Connection: The stark contrast between a clinical, highly managed OB appointment and the warm, relationship-first care of a midwife.
• Georgia’s Quiet Crisis: The surprising legal reality that makes it illegal for traditional midwives to practice or attend home births in Georgia, creating an "underground" network.
• Maternity Care Deserts: How the closure of birth centers and lack of regional providers forces rural birthing individuals to travel hours just to receive safe care.
• Democratizing Education: Why providing free, doula-led birth education is essential for lower-income families who can't afford expensive online programs.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

Send us Fan Mail

In this deeply moving episode of Quiet Connection, Chelsea sits down with Adriana Sanchez, a stay-at-home mom and college student who shares her raw journey through two high-risk pregnancies, consecutive NICU stays, and severe postpartum mental health crises.

Adriana opens up about how her "go with the flow" life shifted dramatically when her first baby arrived prematurely at 32 weeks. When her second pregnancy was complicated by severe preeclampsia at 28 weeks, she found herself in a terrifying spiral of panic attacks, suicidal ideation, and intrusive hallucinations. 

This conversation shines a necessary light on the biological realities of PMHDS and serves as a vital reminder that fighting for your life sometimes looks like asking for professional help.

Connect with Adriana on Facebook or Instagram. 

 Key Takeaways

• The Myth of the Immunity Village: Even with a strong, loving support system, perinatal individuals aren't immune to severe physical and mental health crises.
• Trauma Compounds: A previous traumatic birth or difficult trying-to-conceive journey can severely heighten anxiety and PTSD in subsequent pregnancies.
• Postpartum Preeclampsia is Physical and Mental: Sudden spikes in blood pressure and aggressive medical treatments like magnesium drips cause severe physical dazes that deeply impact mental well-being.
• Validation is the Turning Point: True healing often begins when a professional validates that your experience is biological and normal, stripping away the internal guilt and self-blame.

Impactful Soundbites

(29:44) Chelsea Myers: "Just because it's in your head doesn't mean it's not in your body either. It is insane what your mental health can do to your body."

(42:17) Adriana Sanchez: "Get it out, take it off my hands and you fix me. For my husband, it was like me giving up, but no, it was me fighting for an answer, fighting for a treatment, fighting for validation."

(46:22) Adriana Sanchez: "What could be wrong today is not what's gonna be wrong tomorrow. I just try to keep telling myself that I'm okay, and then just hug my kids."

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

Send us Fan Mail

Content Warning: This episode contains detailed discussions of medical trauma, postpartum hemorrhage, psychiatric hospitalizations, and suicidal ideation. Please protect your mental health while listening.

Welcome back to Quiet Confessions, a mini-episode of Quiet Connection where I sit down to chat one-on-one with you about my personal journey.

In honor of Birth Trauma Awareness Week, I'm re-airing a deeply personal episode from season five. Today, we're talking about traumaversaries: the anniversaries of the hardest moments of our lives. For many birthing individuals and parents, these anniversaries are tied to perinatal mental health disorders (PMHDs) and birth trauma.

I'm sharing my own story, including my scheduled C-section that turned terrifying, a severe postpartum hemorrhage at home, surviving three psychiatric hospitalizations, and later facing a brain hemorrhage from a pituitary tumor. I open up about what it's like to live with PTSD, face flashbacks, and handle the heavy seasons on the calendar.

There is no toxic positivity here. I won't tell you that everything happens for a reason. But I will tell you that you aren't alone, your feelings are entirely valid, and we can survive these hard seasons together.

Key Takeaways

• What is a Traumaversary: A traumaversary is the anniversary of a traumatic event. For many parents and birthing individuals, these milestones are deeply tied to birth trauma and perinatal mental health challenges.
• Chelsea’s Timeline of Survival: A look at how a scheduled C-section spiraled into a spinal headache, a life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage at home, severe PMHDs, three psychiatric hospitalizations, and eventually, a brain hemorrhage from a pituitary tumor.
• The Reality of PTSD & Flashbacks: Trauma doesn't just disappear. Flashbacks can bring back the sights, smells, and physical sensations of the original trauma, especially when the anniversary season rolls around.
• Saying No to Silver Linings: It's completely okay to hate "silver linings". You don't have to find a beautiful lesson in the worst things that happened to you. You didn't deserve it, but you can still find gratitude for where you are today without romanticizing the pain.
• Tools for Navigation: Surviving a traumaversary means reminding yourself that you're safe, you aren't in that dark place anymore, and you're surrounded by love.

Soundbites

• "A traumaversary is the anniversary of any form of trauma that happened to you... and that anniversary may bring about some big feelings. Or it may not. It's a deeply personal thing."
• "I say I missed the first six months of my daughter's life due to my perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and being hospitalized for those several times."
• "I hate silver linings. I don't like the idea of them. I feel like what I went through was not okay, and I didn't deserve it. You didn't deserve whatever it was that you went through, either."
• "No, I'm not thankful for what happened to me, but I am grateful for what has come of it."
• "If you have experienced trauma and you are triggered or much more aware of big feelings around the time of year that these things happened to you, I see you. Your feelings are so valid."

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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Have you ever felt like you should have it all figured out, only to find yourself crying on the bathroom floor?

In this episode of Quiet Connection, I'm sitting down with the wonderful Leah Wright. She's a licensed clinical social worker, certified perinatal mental health therapist, and a mom of Irish twins.

Even with a career dedicated to mental health, Leah found herself completely blindsided by the realities of postpartum anxiety, depression, and the "sundown scaries" after her first child was born.

We dive deep into the unique pressures placed on mental health professionals, the toxic myths of instant maternal bonding, and the unacknowledged struggles that non-birthing partners face. Leah also opens up about the emotional parallel of navigating her son’s autism diagnosis and how she had to relearn to trust her own gut all over again.

Whether you're dealing with perinatal mental health disorders (PMHDS), parenting a neurodiverse child, or just trying to find your footing with your partner after baby, this conversation is a gentle reminder that you don't have to carry it all perfectly.

Key Takeaways

• The Professional Blindspot: Having a degree or a background in mental health or education doesn't exempt you from experiencing the isolating reality of PMHDS or the grief of a child's diagnosis.
• The Non-Birthing Partner's Journey: Partners and non-birthing parents go through massive environmental and emotional adjustments, and their mental health struggles are just as valid.
• The Myth of Instant Bonding: It's incredibly common to feel fear, anxiety, and a sense of grief for your old life rather than a sudden, overwhelming wave of maternal bliss right away.
• Parenting Neurodiversity: Comparing milestones between close-aged siblings can spark a resurgence of postpartum-like anxiety, making professional support and self-compassion vital.

Visit Vermont Birth Network to find local resources for the perinatal and postpartum period in the Green Mountain State.

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In this solo mini-episode, I'm letting down the veil and sharing a very raw look at how postpartum PTSD still shows up in my life today. 

This past weekend, our family celebrated the arrival of my new nephew. While I made a conscious choice to stay present and fully embrace this journey with my sister-in-law, holding that sweet, fresh newborn ended up opening a floodgate of unexpected emotions.

I'm opening up about the painful realization of the missing memories from my youngest daughter's first few months of life, a time when mental illness and medical trauma kept me from being fully present. 

We'll talk about what happens when a trigger catches you completely off guard, how I used my DBT skills to stay grounded, and the beautiful moment of connection that came from letting myself cry in the quiet space of our car ride home. 

If you've ever felt like your healing journey's taking two steps forward and one step back, this episode's a gentle reminder that you aren't alone, and your feelings are entirely valid.

Key Takeaways

• Healing isn't a straight line: You can prepare yourself mentally for a situation and still find yourself blindsided by a full-body trauma response when you least expect it.
• Grieving missing milestones is normal: It's completely valid to grieve the hazy or missing infant memories that were stolen by severe perinatal mental health disorders (PMHDS) or physical illness.
• The impact of grounding tools: Utilizing daily DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) skills is essential for pulling your mind back to the present when your brain tries to drag you into past trauma.
• Vulnerability strengthens partnerships: Allowing your partner or support system into your raw, unpolished moments can break down walls and spark deep, healing conversations.

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What happens when your mental health journey starts long before you ever consider becoming a parent? In this episode of Quiet Connection, host Chelsea Myers sits down with author and mental health advocate Sarah Michelle Sherman. Sarah opens up completely about living with Bipolar 2 disorder and ADHD, and how those diagnoses shaped her path to motherhood.

From the terrifying reality of early pregnancy loss to the agonizing decision to stay on psychiatric medications instead of breastfeeding—and navigating the public backlash that followed—Sarah shares the unfiltered truth of her experience. 

This conversation is a beautiful, stigma-smashing reminder that taking care of your mental health is a fundamental part of taking care of your children. If you have ever felt isolated by intrusive thoughts, grief, or the heavy expectations of parenting, this episode will make you feel profoundly seen.

Key Takeaways

• Correct Diagnosis is Game-Changing: Sarah spent nearly ten years being treated for general depression and anxiety before receiving an accurate diagnosis of Bipolar 2 and ADHD, which completely transformed and saved her life.
• Prioritizing Parental Mental Health is Best for the Child: Choosing to stay on necessary mental health medications rather than breastfeeding is a valid, loving choice that allows a parent to remain stable and present.
• The Reality of Pregnancy After Loss: Experiencing a miscarriage can fundamentally change how a subsequent pregnancy feels, replacing typical milestones and excitement with intense anxiety and fear.
• Holding Two Truths Simultaneously: A parent can love their child completely while also finding the daily reality of parenting to be exhausting, overwhelming, and incredibly difficult.
• Writing and Truth-Telling as Healing Mechanisms: Sharing your story, vocalizing intrusive thoughts, and refusing to hide your reality can quiet the mind and build a vital community of support. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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If you're feeling stuck, frozen, or like everything around you is chaotic right now, you're not alone. 

In this week’s Quiet Confession, I’m diving deep into a raw and rarely discussed side of postpartum PTSD: the "mundane" triggers that blindside us in everyday life.

Four years into my healing journey, I'm opening up about how my favorite comfort shows—like Friends and the Great British Bake Off—morphed from coping mechanisms into intense, OCD-driven rituals during my darkest postpartum moments and subsequent psychiatric hospitalizations. 

I’ll share how these pieces of pop culture became deeply tied to my trauma, what it feels like to be unexpectedly activated by a theme song or a clip in the wild, and how I reclaimed my love for reading by learning to put the remote down.

We’ll also look at the practical DBT skills and grounding tools I use today to pull myself back to the present moment when a flashback hits. It’s a messy, honest look at the biological and mental hurdles of postpartum recovery, but a reminder: your feelings aren't silly, they're valid, and we’re walking this path together.

Key Takeaways

• Trauma Can Hijack Comfort Culture: Safe spaces like beloved TV shows can easily become tangled with trauma when used as continuous survival tools during an acute medical or mental health crisis.
• Compulsions Offer Only Temporary Relief: For perinatal individuals dealing with comorbid OCD, repeating specific rituals or keeping certain media on loop doesn't cure anxiety; it simply feeds the cycle by temporarily dampening symptoms.
• Letting Go Brings Grief and Glimmers: Dropping toxic coping skills requires facing a unique layer of grief, but it also creates room to rediscover old, healthy passions, like getting back into reading.
• Shame Is Unwarranted: Feeling intensely triggered by mundane aspects of pop culture can feel "silly," but physical and neurological trauma responses aren't something you can consciously control.
• The Power of Radical Grounding: Utilizing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) tools like "dead end thinking" stop signs and the "what's not wrong" exercise can effectively break a trauma spiral.

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What happens when a high-achieving, structured project manager is completely stripped of control by motherhood? In this deeply moving episode of Quiet Connection, host Chelsea Myers sits down with Kanika, an engineering professional and MBA graduate turned Energy Coach. Kanika opens up about her intense transition into parenthood, navigating the early judgments of breastfeeding, and her son’s sudden medical and speech hurdles.

But the true catalyst for Kanika’s profound spiritual awakening came through the devastating loss of her daughter to stillbirth at 31 weeks. Kanika shares how this heartbreaking grief forced her to completely surrender her need for fixing, leading to an extraordinary, ongoing relationship with her daughter’s spirit. 

From manifesting the perfect quiet Montessori school for her son to landing a dream corporate role without even applying , Kanika explains how cleaning your energy and choosing radical presence can completely transform your life and business. This conversation is a beautiful, grounding reminder that nothing is permanent, and that sometimes, the hardest moments in life are calling us back to who we were always meant to be.

Key Takeaways

• Dropping the Perfectionism Mask: True presence in parenting and business requires letting go of how things should be done and stepping away from the trap of constant control.
• Trusting Maternal Intuition Over Society: When navigating a child’s developmental milestones or medical challenges, a parent’s intuitive knowing is often the most accurate guide.
• The Power of Radical Surrender: Deep grief and unexpected life disruptions can serve as soul-level wake-up calls, breaking down our egos and opening us up to a broader universe.
• Energy Magnetism in Business: Running a heart-led conscious business is entirely about self-worth. When you clear your personal energy, your target audience naturally leans in.
• Believing Before Seeing: Whether waiting for milk to come in, fighting for your child's educational future, or surviving a mental health dark space, you must hold onto the belief of a better reality before it physically manifests. 

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What happens when the Pinterest-perfect vision you had of motherhood clashes with a chaotic reality? 

In this candid episode of Quiet Connection, I’m connecting with Stephanie, a mother of two and the founder of Connection Therapy Clinic. Stephanie shares her whirlwind transition into parenting, from a chaotic emergency room diagnosis story to navigating the everyday complexities of raising an autistic child with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).

Stephanie opens up about the exhausting reality of survival mode, the pressure of perfectionism, and her own journey toward self-diagnosing autism as an adult. Together, we  dive into the deep complexities of the parental grieving process—not grieving the child, but letting go of an expected life path to build a new, beautiful reality. 

This conversation is a masterclass in shifting perspectives, enforcing bold boundaries against bullying, and embracing "actively happy" daily choices.

Key Takeaways

• The Reality of Parental Grieving: Grieving in special needs parenting is not about wishing a child were different; it is honoring and releasing the specific timeline or vision you originally mapped out for your family.
• The "Triple 30 Rule" for Burnout: To survive intense parenting days, Stephanie implements a strict boundary: any sensory activity must take 30 seconds to set up, provide 30 minutes of independent entertainment, and take 30 seconds to clean up.
• Understanding ARFID vs. Picky Eating: Picky eating is often a flexible developmental phase, whereas ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) triggers a biological fight, flight, or freeze response, causing the brain to view unfamiliar or altered food as an active danger.
• Accepting Non-Linear Partner Journeys: Acceptance of a child's neurodivergence looks different for every parent. Partners often move through denial and grief on completely separate timelines, and honoring that individual space is vital for family cohesion. 

To connect with Stephanie, follow her on Instagram at @connectiontherapyclinic or explore her educational resources online. 

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Trigger Warning: This episode contains detailed descriptions of medical trauma, panic attacks, and postpartum hemorrhage flashbacks. Please practice self-care while listening.

In this episode of Quiet Confessions, host Chelsea Myers pulls back the curtain on a topic that many experience but few feel safe enough to speak about: postpartum PTSD. 

Following a traumatic birth and severe postpartum hemorrhage with their youngest child, Chelsea was fighting an unexpected battle against debilitating flashbacks and panic attacks.

From the everyday sound of sirens to the simple act of holding their newborn baby, Chelsea maps out how trauma rewired their brain and body's response to safety. They share their non-linear healing journey, how they learned to navigate medical environments again as a chronically ill individual, and the practical comfort strategies they use today. 

If you’ve ever felt isolated by your own trauma triggers, or felt shame over how your body reacted after birth, this episode is a gentle, judgment-free reminder that you are not alone.

Key Takeaways

• Trauma Visualizes in Unexpected Triggers: Postpartum PTSD can cause regular, mundane objects or sounds—like a blood pressure cuff or a distant siren—to trigger intense, full-body physical flashbacks.
• The Weight of Silent Shame: Avoiding speaking about trauma triggers out of fear or shame can delay understanding and finding proper coping mechanisms.
• Healing is Non-Linear and Sectional: Overcoming severe triggers, like entering a medical environment, doesn't happen overnight. It can be approached in slow, intentional stages with a trusted support system.
• Coping in Real-Time: Preparing tangible comfort objects (a "go bag") and practicing self-advocacy can help perinatal individuals regain a sense of control during activating medical situations.
• The "What's Not Wrong" Grounding Technique: Self-care doesn't have to be grand; grounding yourself by identifying three to five things that are currently going right can shift your nervous system out of panic.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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When personal drive hits the barrier of unexplained infertility, how do you pivot? 

In this Quiet Connection episode, Chelsea joins Rachel Fulginiti, voice actor and host of From Foster 2 Forever podcast. Rachel discusses the agony of fertility struggles, pregnancy loss, and a life-altering heterotopic pregnancy.

Beyond trauma, Rachel details her mindset shift from failed IVF debt to the foster care system. Highlighting "divine timing", from her daughter’s name to a safe-surrender miracle, her story shows that while arrival paths vary, love finds its way home. 

This conversation tackles perinatal shame, offering hope for those still waiting for their family.

Key Takeaways

• The Flaw of the "Hustle" Mindset in Fertility: As a freelance performer, Rachel was conditioned to work harder to get results. She learned that fertility and healing require shifting from an aggressive "doing" state into a soft, receptive "allowing" state.
• The Silence of Reproductive Loss: Rachel and Chelsea highlight the traumatic medical protocols surrounding pregnancy loss—specifically the agonizing silence of an ultrasound technician and the isolating medical aftermath.
• Foster-to-Adopt is About the Child First: A pivotal turning point for Rachel and her husband occurred when they realized fostering wasn't about protecting their own hearts from breaking; it was about providing a safe, temporary, or permanent landing pad for a child who needed security.
• Divine Timing & "The Right Baby": Despite the circuitous and traumatic roadblocks, Rachel’s children arrived with undeniable signs—including an identical match to a secret journal entry name and a safe-surrender birth on her husband's exact birthday.

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In this episode of Quiet Confessions, Chelsea steps away from the chaos of everyday parenting to give a transparent update on where they are at—both physically and mentally.

Recording from their bedroom while their three-year-old watches TV, Chelsea admits to being in a season of intense overwhelm, chronic illness flares, and the exhaustion of navigating a "neurosparkly" household during major transitions.

Instead of forcing a deep dive before they have the emotional capacity, Chelsea models what it looks like to honor your current limits. They share the highly requested chronological roadmap for their upcoming solo series—covering their postpartum PTSD, their brain tumor diagnosis, the lasting effects of medical trauma, and what it’s truly like parenting as a disabled, chronically ill individual. 

This episode is a gentle, comforting reminder that if you are currently drowning in the messy middle of a difficult chapter, you are not failing, and you are definitely not alone.

Key Takeaways & Mindset Shifts

• Honoring the "Not Ready": It is entirely valid to know you need to tell a story but recognize that you do not currently have the emotional real estate or safe environment to open that door.
• The Whiplash of Parenting: Navigating the boundary-testing phases of a toddler alongside the big emotional transitions of an older child can leave perinatal individuals feeling entirely overstimulated.
• The Myth of "Not Good Enough": When physical and mental health flares occur simultaneously, doing your best might not feel like enough, but surviving the day is a victory.
• The Chapter vs. The Book: Hard seasons feel permanent when you are trapped in the thick of them, but they are just single chapters in a much larger story. 

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What happens when a "Type A" social worker, who is used to connecting others to mental health resources, becomes the one fighting for her life and her sanity? In this episode, Chelsea connects with Kathryn, the advocate behind the highly popular Instagram account Beyond the Birth Trauma. 

Kathryn’s story is a harrowing journey through a 48-hour induction that ended in a massive postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and a terrifying diagnosis of DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation).

Kathryn opens up about the "matter" of blood loss, the surreal experience of the ICU, and the heartbreaking moment she had to say goodbye to her newborn son before being rushed back into surgery. We also dive deep into the "body was made for this" myth and how Kathryn used her professional background to navigate the dark waters of postpartum OCD and depression. 

This is a raw, honest look at survival, the power of a mother’s presence, and finding your voice after the unthinkable.

Key Takeaways

• The "Body Knowledge" Myth: Questioning the harmful narrative that "our bodies were made for this," which often leaves traumatized mothers feeling broken.
• Massive PPH & DIC: A look at the medical reality of uterine atony and the Jada device—a relatively new tool that helped save Kathryn’s life.
• The Power of Advocacy: How Kathryn’s mother played a vital role in her stabilization and recovery by being present in the room.
• Naming the Struggle: The importance of clinical knowledge in identifying postpartum OCD and depression early to seek life-saving intervention.
• The "One and Done" Choice: Validating the decision to complete a family after trauma without guilt or shame. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of Quiet Confessions—the little mini-episodes where you and I get to catch up one-on-one. To be completely transparent with you, I have not been doing well lately. My health has been a massive struggle, and being disabled and chronically ill impacts so much more than just my physical body.  

Because I’ve had to reschedule with guests more than ever, I wanted to bring you an unedited voice memo straight from my bed to fill you in on what’s happening behind the scenes, share a massive honor we were just nominated for, and reveal the four upcoming deep-dive series you voted for. Quiet Connection isn't going anywhere, but right now, we are moving a little slower—and that has to be okay.

VOTE FOR QUIET CONNECTION: If you are listening before June 15th, 2026, please head over to sevendays.com and vote for Quiet Connection under "Best Local Podcast" in the Culture section!

https://ballot.sevendaysvt.com/culture/best-local-podcast

Key Takeaways

• Honoring the Body: Navigating the complex emotional toll of being a disabled and chronically ill parent and podcast host.  
• Releasing the Guilt: Coping with the guilt of rescheduling and learning that resting is not a betrayal of your mission.  
• Bringing Secrets to Light: Why there is no shame in sharing the heavy topics like PTSD, psychiatric hospitalizations, and brain tumors.  
• The Power of Community: How a tied audience poll proved that every single facet of perinatal mental health and parenting trauma needs a microphone. 

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What happens when the "blackness" you feel inside finally starts to speak? 

In this deeply moving episode of Quiet Connection, Chelsea connects with Naomi Morad, a mother of four and a trauma transformation specialist. Naomi shares her harrowing yet hopeful journey from growing up in a home defined by abuse, secrets, and a human trafficking ring, to becoming a "worldly" traveler who eventually found herself face-to-face with severe postpartum depression.

Naomi opens up about the years she spent in a state of "functional dissociation," unaware of the extent of her childhood trauma until the birth of her second daughter triggered a deep, eight-month-long postpartum crisis. This episode is a roadmap for any parent who feels like they are carrying "empty shelves" and is ready to start restocking them with light, awareness, and peace.

Connect with Naomi:

• Website: NaomiMorad.com
• Offer: Free initial consultation to explore fit and healing goals. 

Key Takeaways

• Dissociation as Survival: Trauma can be so stored in the body that we remain "functionally" dissociated for decades until a major life event—like childbirth—triggers the memory.
• The Body Keeps the Score: Healing often requires more than talk therapy; somatic (body-based) work can help awaken and release trauma stored in the nervous system and cells.
• Children as Mirrors: A child’s behavior is often a reflection of the parent’s internal state and nervous system regulation.
• The Power of the "Gap": Taking time to heal between children can fundamentally change the parenting experience and the "version" of the mother the children receive.
• Ending the Culture of Secrets: Transparency and openness with children (at age-appropriate levels) are vital to breaking cycles of abuse and trauma. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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In this deeply moving episode of Quiet Connection, I’m connecting with Susan Aguayo, a mother of nine and the founder of Kassy’s Kause. Susan shares the heart-wrenching story of her daughter, Kassy, a high achiever who tragically lost her life to undiagnosed perinatal depression while four months pregnant.

Susan takes us through her journey of "detective mode"—researching the medical gaps that failed her daughter—and how she transformed her grief into a powerhouse nonprofit organization. 

We discuss the critical difference between postpartum and perinatal mental health, the importance of self-advocacy in medical spaces, and why being a "strong mom" doesn't mean you have to suffer in silence. This conversation is a vital reminder that even the most joyful, successful people can struggle, and that reaching out for help is an act of bravery, not weakness.

Key Takeaways

• Perinatal vs. Postpartum: Mental health struggles can begin during conception and pregnancy, not just after the baby is born.
• The "High-Achiever" Stigma: Often, those who appear the most successful or "jolly" on the outside are the ones struggling most deeply in silence.
• The Power of Advocacy: If something feels wrong, keep pushing. Susan’s "detective mode" highlights the gaps in medical systems that often dismiss pregnant women's concerns.
• Community is Essential: Having support outside of your immediate family "bubble" allows you to express your struggles without fear of judgment.
• Generational Healing: By educating ourselves and our children now, we create a safer future for their parenting journeys. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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In this final installment of my postpartum psychiatric inpatient hospitalization series, I am opening up about the critical transition out of the darkest days and into structured outpatient care. I map out exactly what life looked like during Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs.

I pull back the curtain on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), exploring how intense skill-building, daily goal-setting, and finding the right medical team truly make a difference when you are surviving a perinatal mental health crisis. 

I also get entirely transparent about my ongoing relationship with medications, the heavy lifting done by my "village," and the slow, beautiful process of learning how to connect with my daughter and myself again. 

Recovery isn't about finding a perfect silver lining—it's about staying alive long enough to see that this is not your ending.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding PHP and IOP: Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient programs bridge the massive gap between acute inpatient stays and regular everyday life, offering structured, school-like daytime environments focused on healing.
• The Power of DBT Over Talk Therapy: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy focuses heavily on tangible skill-building and filling your toolbox with practical coping mechanisms, which are essential when standard cognitive behavioral therapy isn't enough.
• Medication as Life Support: Reframing mental health medication as a vital tool—much like insulin for diabetes—can remove the intense shame and fear surrounding psychiatric prescriptions.
• Rebuilding Connection in Small Steps: True recovery shows up in ordinary milestones, like successfully setting a goal to wash your hair, picking up an old hobby, or holding your baby safe during a bedtime routine.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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In this extraordinarily candid episode, Caralyn Dreyer shares her challenging path into motherhood. She speaks honestly about living in "survival mode" her whole life, sharing her journey as an adoptee, her experience with sexual assault in college, and her time in a physically and verbally abusive relationship. 

She talks about the deep pain of going through two miscarriages, the confusion around early loss, and her struggles with suicidal thoughts afterwards.She highlights the crucial role of external support and antidepressant medication in managing severe postpartum depression, ultimately realizing she had to prioritize her own mental health to be the parent her son needed. 

This conversation is a powerful testament to vulnerability as strength and finding hope after walking through hell.

Key Takeaways

• Trauma's Lifelong Impact: Spending a lifetime in "survival mode" can often be attributed to a series of consecutive traumas that begin early in life.
• The Silence of Loss: The lack of a "manual" and the intense stigma surrounding early pregnancy loss means many survivors suffer in silence and carry feelings of shame.
• Generational Cycle Breaking: Recognizing and healing from your own trauma is critical to breaking negative generational cycles for your children.
• Vulnerability as Strength: Sharing dark and personal experiences is an act of courage that can help others feel seen and validated.
• Medication is a Tool, Not a Cure: Antidepressants can be a real lifesaver for handling serious issues like postpartum depression, but they work best when combined with therapy that helps develop long-term coping skills.

To learn more about Caralyn, visit her Instagram, Threads, or Blog accounts.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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In this latest "Quiet Confession," Chelsea takes us through the ninth installment of their postpartum psychiatric series. This episode covers their final inpatient hospitalization at the University of Vermont Medical Center—an experience they describe as the most traumatic and dehumanizing of their entire journey.

Chelsea opens up about the physical and mental toll of a mental health crisis, the feeling of being "just a box to be checked" by medical staff, and the agonizing reality of benzodiazepine withdrawal. From the dimly lit hallways of the psych unit to the moments of rare kindness from a hospital chaplain, Chelsea explores the thin line between being a patient and being a person. 

This episode is a raw look at the systemic gaps in maternal mental health care and a testament to the support systems—like their husband and local partial hospitalization programs—that ultimately saved their life.

Key Takeaways

• The Impact of Environment: How the physical setting of a psychiatric unit—windowless rooms and muted tones—can contribute to the feeling of dehumanization.
• The Struggle for Advocacy: The frustration of not having a clear care plan or feeling "seen" by attending physicians during a crisis.
• Redefining Worthiness: A powerful shift in perspective on why suffering or physical limitations do not make you "less" of a mother.
• The Reality of Withdrawal: Understanding the physical intensity of medication dependency and the shame that often accompanies it.
• The Power of a Support Team: Why having a partner, family, and a dedicated social worker is vital when you are too "dead inside" to hope for yourself. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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This week, Nancy Ferraro shares her raw and honest journey into motherhood after adopting her son George from Romania. George, whom they affectionately called "Hurricane George," arrived at age four with a host of unexpected disabilities, including Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, leading to extreme violence and behavioral challenges. 

She opens up about the immense shame and guilt she felt, the trauma inflicted on her older son, and the agonizing decision to place George in a group home, which she describes as the best decision she ever made for him. Ultimately, Nancy shares how she turned her struggle into strength and realized that "advocacy is love in motion".

To learn more, visit Nancy's website.

Key Takeaways

• The Fixer Mindset: As mothers, we often believe we can fix everything with enough love, leading to self-blame and isolation when facing complex, unfixable challenges.
• Adoption Challenges: International adoption can bring unexpected challenges, and it is common for parents to live in denial for years, delaying crucial planning for the child's future.
• Systemic Roadblocks: Government and school agencies often fall short in providing support, forcing parents to become "Tiger Moms" and demand respect and services, often learning the most from other mothers with lived experiences.
• Daily Trauma and Grief: Raising a child with violent behavoirs can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, and the experience is often likened to "a new death" every day, preventing full grief and healing.
• Reinventing the Relationship: Placing a child in a group home, while painful, can be the best decision for the child, providing them with a fixed schedule, trained staff, and a safe environment where they can thrive.
• Vulnerability Creates Community: Sharing the raw truth, rather than a "fluff piece," is what creates the community, solidarity, and hope that other struggling parents desperately need. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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What happens when the "help" feels just as terrifying as the crisis itself?

In this week’s Quiet Confession, Chelsea pulls back the curtain on one of the most complex parts of their postpartum recovery: the medication journey. From the first prescription of Ativan to the "zombified" feeling of antipsychotics and the grueling cycle of withdrawal, they share the raw truth about finding a balance while fighting to survive.

This isn't a medical advice segment; it’s a seat at the table with a friend who has navigated the "medication carousel". Chelsea discusses the shame of dependency, the physical toll of rapid medication changes, and the ultimate triumph of finally working with a team that sees the whole person rather than just the symptoms.

Key Takeaways

• The Complexity of Benzos: Understanding the fine line between a necessary "as-needed" medication and the unintended cycle of withdrawal and dependency.
• The Waiting Game: The frustration of the six-to-eight-week "therapeutic window" for many psychiatric medications while in the midst of an active crisis.
• The Physical Toll: Navigating side effects like "floating through jelly" or permanent facial twitches while trying to maintain the duties of parenthood.
• Advocacy is Key: The importance of finding a provider who aligns with your long-term goals and understands your unique biology. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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What happens when you spend your entire pregnancy "preparing for battle" only to have the reality of motherhood still knock you off your feet? I’m connecting with Kendall Concini, a mental health advocate and author who knew her history with depression meant she couldn’t just "go with the flow."

Kendall opens up about the "ick factor" of sensory processing issues during pregnancy , the long six months it took to finally bond with her daughter due to silent reflux and feeding trauma , and why she decided to have a second child almost immediately, before her brain could talk her out of it.

We also dive into Kendall’s beautiful new book, which uses the analogy of a "cloud" to help children understand that Mom can be sad without it being their fault. This is a masterclass in self-advocacy, breaking generational cycles, and realizing that you are a worthy parent, even when you are facing mental health challenges.

Key Takeaways

• The Power of Pre-Pregnancy Planning: Kendall didn't wait for a crisis; she built a "team" including a therapist and supportive friends while she was still pregnant.
• Sensory Overload is Real: Pregnancy and breastfeeding can be overstimulating for those with sensory processing sensitivities; it’s okay to acknowledge the "ick".
• The "Delayed" Bond: It took six months for Kendall to feel a bond with her daughter due to medical challenges like silent reflux and tongue ties.
• The "Cloud" Analogy: Teaching children that mental health is like weather—it's something that happens to Mom, not something caused by the child.
• Advocacy Over "Glow": Rejecting the pressure to "glow" and instead demanding empathy and the space to be miserable when things are hard. 

Links:

• Follow Kendall on Instagram: @CloudyDayChronicles
• Read the Blog: Cloudy Day Chronicles 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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When Foster Wilson’s second pregnancy took a heartbreaking turn, she found herself facing an impossible decision; one that no parent ever imagines having to make. 

In this episode, Foster opens up about her journey through cesarean birth, loss, and healing. She shares how surrender became her lifeline, how she honored her son Wilde, and how that deep grief eventually led her toward her calling as a postpartum doula and storyteller.

This is a story about the courage to let go, the beauty found in heartbreak, and the quiet power of choosing compassion for yourself and others.

 Key Takeaways

• Postpartum grief exists for everyone, even in healthy pregnancies and births.
• The ability to make choices about your own body and pregnancy is a matter of humanity, not politics.
• Honoring loss can take many forms—naming, storytelling, art, or simply remembering.
• Surrender isn’t weakness; it’s the quiet strength that allows healing to begin.
• Deep grief can plant roots that help us connect more profoundly with others.

To learn more about Foster, visit her website or listen to her podcast!

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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In this "Quiet Confession," I’m taking you back into the timeline of my perinatal psychiatric inpatient stays to focus on a specific event: my experience with the Zulresso (Brexanolone) infusion. 

At the time, in 2022, this was the only FDA-approved treatment specifically for postpartum depression, and in my darkest moments, I had latched onto it as a "miracle drug" that would magically stop my intrusive thoughts and physical suffering.

Key Takeaways

• The Weight of "Magical Thinking": How we often latch onto a specific treatment as a "cure-all" when we are desperate for relief.
• The Science of Zulresso: It works with GABA receptors to counteract the sharp drop in hormones after birth, though it requires a 60-hour inpatient stay.
• Community in Crisis: The powerful support found among other "moms in the unit" who hyped each other up during treatment.
• Advocacy & Insurance: The logistical hurdles of accessing cutting-edge maternal mental health care.
• Evolution of Care: Why Zulresso was eventually withdrawn from the market in 2025 in favor of more accessible oral treatments like Zurzuvae.

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*This episode discusses topics that may be triggering to some individuals. Please be mindful of your mental health.

In this episode of "Quiet Confessions," Chelsea deviates from the timeline to explore a side of psychiatric hospitalization rarely discussed: the profound, "out of place" relationships formed in the haze of crisis. 

From a fellow mother who "shook them awake" to a British man who shared his confusion over suicidal ideation, this episode highlights the beauty of organic connection in dismal settings.

Chelsea reflects on the healing power of shared music, the respect they found for a roommate’s unwavering faith, and the hauntingly beautiful conversations about hearing voices and longing for the normalcy of a grocery store run. It’s a testament to the fact that even in our darkest moments, we are never truly alone.

Key Takeaways

• Islands of Safety: Sometimes, the most impactful people in recovery aren't the professionals, but the fellow patients who accept you exactly where you are.
• The Universality of Music: Whether it’s rock, rap, or Brandi Carlile, shared musical experiences can provide a necessary tether to the "real world" when you feel you’re slipping away.
• Normalizing the "Abnormal": In a psychiatric setting, "scary thoughts" and symptoms like psychosis are discussed without judgment, creating a unique space for radical honesty.
• Holding Hope for Others: We can often believe in a future for someone else—like being the "mom in the grocery store"—even when we can't yet believe it for ourselves.
• Lasting Impacts: Connections don't have to be long-term to be life-changing; even a short conversation with a stranger can leave words that stick with you for years. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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This week we're continuing my journey through inpatient care, picking up right where we left off—the three or four days immediately following Thanksgiving at UNC Chapel Hill. 

In this episode, I’m sharing the raw, unedited reality of what "the haze" actually felt like.

If you’ve ever felt like you were "gone" inside yourself, I hope my story helps you realize that the path back is slow, but it is there. I see you, and I’m doing this right alongside you.

Key Takeaways

• The Monotony of the Ward: Understanding the repetitive, clinical nature of inpatient life and how it impacts the "sense of self."
• Navigating Medication Side Effects: A look at the physical toll of anti-psychotics, including night sweats and facial twitches.
• The Privacy "Towel Shimmy": The small ways patients reclaim agency in an environment of 24/7 surveillance.
• Deconstructing Parental Guilt: Moving past the feeling of "failing" your children when you are in a medical crisis. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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In this "Quiet Confessions" mini-episode, I continue my deep dive into my almost month-long stay at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill. Covering November 23rd and 24th, 2022, I detail the physical and emotional exhaustion of being "fresh" into my second hospitalization. 

From a jarring midnight maintenance visit that made me question my own existence to spending my baby's first Thanksgiving in a psychiatric unit, I explore the themes of detachment, the search for "normalcy" through pop culture traditions, and the struggle to find a physical cause for my mental health crisis.

Key Points

• The Reality of Inpatient Logistics: I experienced a distressing incident where maintenance workers entered my room at 12:30 AM without warning to fix the heat, highlighting the feelings of invisibility and lack of agency I often felt as a patient.
• Physical vs. Mental Symptoms: Exhausted from weeks of crying and unable to eat anything but Ensure, I underwent medical evaluations to rule out physical causes.
• Holiday Isolation: Spending Thanksgiving away from my seven-year-old and my new baby, I used the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and FaceTime as tethering points to remain connected to my family.
• The Therapeutic Journey: While the overall experience was "literal hell," I felt that the UNC facility ultimately was the safest environment of my three hospitalizations, despite the initial "bleak" outlook. 

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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When Sarah became a mom, she imagined the typical first moments of motherhood — snuggles, milestones, and sleepless nights. Instead, she found herself in a hospital room, staring at monitors, watching her newborn daughter’s heart beat outside her tiny chest.

In this episode of Quiet Connection, Sarah opens up about discovering her daughter’s congenital heart defects just weeks before birth, enduring a whirlwind of surgeries and uncertainty, and recognizing her own undiagnosed postpartum OCD in the midst of it all. 

Key Takeaways

• Motherhood can look nothing like we expect — and still be full of purpose. Sarah’s path shifted completely after Meadow’s diagnosis.
• OCD in pregnancy and postpartum often goes undiagnosed. Recognizing symptoms and getting the right treatment can be life-changing.
• Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) can be transformative. ERP therapy helped Sarah reclaim her life after trauma and hypervigilance.
• Advocacy can come from lived experience. Sarah combines her medical background and motherhood journey to fight for children with heart defects.
• You can live with uncertainty and still find joy. Sarah’s family now lives in gratitude for the “in-between” time before the next surgery.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her website, Instagram, or Linkden account. And be sure to check out her newly released children's book: Meadow and her Four Leaf Clover Heart.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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When Ann became a mother, she had a clear vision: warm cookies after school, laughter, and a picture-perfect family life. But when her daughter arrived early and needed a NICU stay, that dream collided with anxiety, depression, and a world she didn’t feel prepared for. 

Ann shares how she learned to give herself grace, ask for help, and rebuild her sense of self through what she calls “five-minute magic.” With warmth, humor, and Hallmark-movie analogies, Ann reminds us that healing doesn’t happen instantly, but it does happen. 

 Key Takeaways

• You don’t know what you don’t know. Give yourself permission to learn, ask for help, and be human.
• Self-care doesn’t need to be complicated—try “five-minute magic,” small daily habits that open up joy.
• Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.
• The “can’t” mindset can shift to “how can I?”—a lesson Ann learned from her grandfather and now passes down.
• Mental health practices ripple through generations. When caregivers care for themselves, families thrive.
• Hope isn’t instant, but it’s always possible.

Links:

• Ann's Website: https://annsplan.com/
• Ann's Linkden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-pells-10397615/

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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In this "Quiet Confession," I’m taking us back to my second day of perinatal psychiatric hospitalization at UNC Chapel Hill. 

After recently finding the journal I’d kept during my treatment, I reflect on the stark difference between my clinical, "robot-like" recorded entries and the emotional turmoil I was actually experiencing at the time. 

I describe the rigid routines of the unit, the weight of a potential psychosis diagnosis, and the powerful moment a doctor offered to "hold hope" for me when I had none left.

Key Takeaways

• The Clinical Perspective: Chelsea’s journal reads like a "Captain’s Log," focusing on medication, meals, and sleep rather than their internal feelings.
• Morning Routines: Days began at 7:00 a.m. with breakfast and mandatory vitals checks, which remains a sensory trigger for them today.
• Psychiatric Consultations: On their first Monday, they met a team of specialists who initially discussed a potential psychosis diagnosis due to their extreme paranoia and delusions.
• The "Scaffolding" Struggle: In Occupational Therapy (OT), they practiced "scaffolding"—breaking down basic tasks like brushing teeth into minute steps—though they felt physically unable to perform them at the time.
• Holding Hope: A pivotal moment occurred when a doctor offered to "hold hope" for them until they were ready to take it back.

Relevant Links

• Quiet Confessions Substack: For deep dives into the clinical journal entries.
• Postpartum Support International (PSI): Information on support groups, the Alma program, and peer mentoring.
• Instagram: Follow for updates

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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When former doctor and EFT coach Cyra Baria became pregnant for the first time, she never imagined the heartbreak that would follow. After a traumatic pregnancy loss at 24 weeks, she faced deep grief, guilt, and isolation in a system that didn’t know how to support her. 

Years later, through postpartum depression, infertility, and the move to a new country, she slowly found her way back, not by forgetting the pain, but by learning to live with it.

Together, we talk about loss, resilience, the myths surrounding “moving on,” and the importance of giving grief a home.

Key Takeaways

• Medical training doesn’t protect you from emotional trauma, and it can even make self-blame worse.
• The term “cervical insufficiency” may be medical, but it doesn’t define a person’s worth or motherhood.
• Grief is not just about loss;  it’s about love with nowhere to go.
• Healing often begins when we learn to bring safety back into our bodies.
• EFT can help calm the nervous system by communicating safety to the brain and body.
• Reclaiming your power doesn’t mean forgetting your pain; it means learning to live in your truth again.

Soundbites

• “Grief is not just about the loss. It’s all the love that has nowhere to go.” — Cyra Baria
• “Cervical insufficiency made me feel like the most insufficient person in the world. But it’s just a term — it doesn’t define who we are.” — Cyra Baria
• “Even when I felt powerless, I was still fighting — for my voice, my children, and myself.” — Cyra Baria
• “The bear isn’t here right now. EFT helped me tell my brain that I’m safe.” — Cyra Baria
• “You don’t have to be fixed to be whole. You can hold grief and joy at the same time.” — Chelsea Myers

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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After returning from my first hospitalization, realizing I was not any better, I took a leap of faith. In this episode, I recount the whirlwind that led me from my home in Vermont to one of the few specialized perinatal psychiatric units in the country: UNC Chapel Hill. 

I discuss the crushing guilt of leaving my family, overcoming a lifelong phobia of flying, and the magical thinking that convinced me this was the place that would finally fix me.

Key Points and Takeaways

• The Gap in Care: I realized that standard inpatient stays were not enough for my perinatal mental health needs.
• Specialized Resources: I focused on the rare specialized units in the U.S., specifically the one at UNC Chapel Hill.
• The Logistics of Crisis: The rapid process included booking flights, securing a bed, and the emotional toll of a 24 hour turnaround.
• The Physical Environment: The UNC unit featured weighted plastic furniture and communal day rooms, though it was under construction at the time.
• Spiritual Crisis: I wrestled with magical thinking and the heavy question of why these struggles happen. 

If you are in immediate mental health crisis, call or text 988 for assistance from trained professionals.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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When Stella Faulkner became a mom, she had no idea how much old trauma and new stress would collide. She joined a partial hospitalization program at The Motherhood Center after reaching her breaking point, which ultimately saved her life. But Stella didn’t stop there. She turned her recovery into action, becoming a certified peer specialist, postpartum doula, and founder of DOWA Health, an app designed to make mental health tools and support accessible to all parents, no matter where they are in their journey.

In this episode of Quiet Connection, Stella honestly shares her story, why she rejects the label "PMAD," the impact of cultural stigma on her mental health, what skills worked for her, and the vision behind DOWA. This conversation is about resilience, accessibility, and the power of mothers supporting mothers.

🗝️Key Takeaways

• Trauma resurfacing in parenthood isn’t always a PMAD—old wounds can collide with new stress.
• Accessibility is one of the biggest barriers in maternal mental health. Programs like partial hospitalization can save lives, but they aren’t widely available.
• Skills like CBT and DBT don’t work for everyone—finding individualized, multimodal approaches matters.
• Peer support, community, and hearing another mother’s voice can be life-saving.
• DOWA Health is reimagining support by offering tools, coaching, and peer voices right in your pocket.

🔊Soundbites

• “The program saved my life. EMDR helped me recover.” – Stella
• “I don’t like calling it a PMAD, because for many of us it’s old trauma resurfacing, not just motherhood.” – Stella
• “Sometimes all you need is to hear another mom’s voice saying, ‘I’ve been there, too.’” – Stella
• “What you’re sharing is not small—it can change the trajectory of someone else’s life.” – Stella

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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In response to an overwhelming listener poll, Chelsea begins a highly requested series detailing their three psychiatric inpatient experiences following the birth of their youngest child. In this first installment, Chelsea recounts the descent into an acute mental health crisis in 2022, a period marked by profound detachment and a desperate need for someone else to "take the reins".

Key Takeaways

• The Decision for Inpatient Care: Chelsea emphasizes that reaching out for help is an act of bravery, driven by the realization that they were no longer safe and physically incapable of functioning.
• The Reality of the "Wait": Psychiatric beds are often scarce, requiring patients to wait days in emergency rooms without personal belongings or cords before being transported—often by ambulance—to a facility.
• Clinical Environment vs. Therapeutic Hope: Chelsea highlights the jarring nature of inpatient units where everything is bare and weighted for safety, and clocks or calendars are absent, which can lead to a loss of sense of reality.
• The "Holding Cell" Model: Many inpatient facilities are underfunded and understaffed, functioning more as a safe "holding cell" to prevent self-harm rather than providing intensive emotional healing or therapy.
• Solidarity in Crisis: Despite the chaos, connecting with other mothers in the unit, even through something as simple as watching a Studio Ghibli movie, provided a vital lifeline during the stay.
• Post-Discharge Instability: Being cleared for discharge does not necessarily equal recovery; Chelsea shares the harrowing reality of returning home while still in the throes of panic and nausea, leading to a second hospitalization just days later.

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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In this refreshing and energized conversation, Chelsea sits down with George Ajjan—a "regular dad" by day and a singer-songwriter known as The Ajjancy by night. George represents a vital but often silent minority in the parenting space: the dads. He opens up about the "scary as hell" moment an infant is first placed in a father’s arms and the unique challenge of supporting a partner through postpartum struggles while navigating your own feelings of being "clueless".

Whether you're a parent or a creator, George’s message of "not being alone" and the power of finding your own voice will resonate deeply.

Key Takeaways

• The Dad's Internal Pivot: While society expects dads to be "in control" (the IKEA-crib-assembly mode), the actual arrival of a human life often leaves fathers feeling frozen and unprepared.
• Music as a Processing Tool: George writes songs not just for his children, but as a way to "unburden" and process his own complex feelings about being away for work or feeling disconnected from an infant.
• Modeling Whole Personhood: It is a responsibility to show children that parents are whole people with lives and passions apart from them; "rest as resistance" applies to creative output, too.
• The "No Regret" Philosophy: Life is like a game of billiards; every previous move, no matter how much we wish it were different, aligned the balls for the family we have today.

Sound Bites

• "Dads try to play it cool... and then when they put that human life in your arms, you realize you don't have it."
• "The love songs become dedicated and inspired by my children or even the idea of parenthood."
• "Every single thing in your life, if you regret it... you're basically saying the kids I have today, it would be okay for them not to exist."
• "We owe it to those artists to create blasphemy on their works because if they didn't do that... they never would have become what we loved."
• "I'll teach you all I can and you might think that I'm a hero, but I'm just a man."

Relevant Links & Resources

• The Ajjancy Official 
• Music: Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube
• Instagram: @TheAjjancy
• Recommended Film: About Time (A reflection on time, family, and no regrets) 

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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What happens when a perinatal therapist and loss mom "slides into the inbox" of a fellow therapist and author? You get a powerful collaboration designed to help families navigate the unique trauma of the NICU. In this episode, Chelsea sits down with Emily Souder and Mahaley Patel to discuss their new guided journal, Birth Story Brave: NICU Edition. 

Mahaley shares her heartbreaking and transformative journey through the loss of her daughter, Saachi, and how that experience led her to pursue surrogacy and eventually parent two "babies six months apart". 

Emily discusses her background in PICU trauma and how she uses her "garden witch" energy to help parents slow down and claim their stories. 

Together, they explore the concept of "The Both/And"—rejecting toxic silver linings while embracing the beautiful, strange connections (and signs like dragonflies, butterflies, and crows!) that emerge from the darkest moments of parenting. 

🔑Key Takeaways

• Rejecting Silver Linings: The guests discuss why "silver linings" can be harmful, as they often feel like a justification for a child's death. Instead, they advocate for the "Both/And"—holding grief and creativity simultaneously.
• The Universal Impact of the NICU: Whether a stay lasts for hours or months, or whether the outcome is bringing a baby home or leaving without one, the experience is valid and impactful.
• Signs as Connection: From butterflies and dragonflies to snails and crows, the episode highlights how paying attention to "signs" can help grieving parents feel connected to something bigger.
• Partner Stories Matter: A major goal of their new book was to include the often-forgotten perspective of partners in the NICU journey.

💬Sound Bites

• "The answer to an unasked question is always no... the worst thing that could happen is they say no."
• "How do you tell a person in 30 seconds... that they are the reason that you're still breathing?" (Note: This is a cross-reference to Chelsea's reflection in the package context).
• "I think that silver linings become those reasons... I cannot stand when people give me a silver lining because what it says to me is that my daughter's death was justified."
• "Shame dies when we bring it out of the darkness and shine a light on it."

Resources:

• The Books: 
  • Birth Story Brave: NICU Edition by Emily Souder
  • Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience by Emily Souder & Mahaley Patel
• Emily’s Website: https://emilysouder.com/
• Mahaley’s Practice: https://www.mahaleypatel.com/

This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels.

Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs!

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 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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In this week’s brain dump, Chelsea celebrates a major milestone: 10,000 podcast downloads. Recorded while navigating a household of sick children and their own chronic illness flare, Chelsea explores the contrast between a 2022 mental health crisis and a redemptive 37th birthday trip to see Brandi Carlile. 

From a "Friday the 13th" identity theft scare to the healing power of live music at TD Garden, this confession is an honest look at honoring your needs while celebrating the glimmers in the grit. 

Key Takeaways

• Celebrating 10k: The podcast reached 10,000 downloads, proving that creating a safe, sacred space for birth and trauma stories resonates globally.
• The Reality of Chronic Illness Parenting: Chelsea shares the struggle of parenting while immune-compromised during a "cesspool" of school germs and sub-zero Vermont temperatures.
• The "Friday the 13th" Birthday: A cautionary tale about a hacked DoorDash account and the importance of bank fraud protection during a vacation.
• Redemptive Experiences: Seeing the same musical artist in a healthy state vs. a state of crisis can serve as a powerful marker for recovery and progress.
• The Healing Power of Music: Musical "one-two-three punches" (like Carlile’s You Without Me, The Mother, and The Story) can facilitate essential emotional releases.
• Honoring Your Needs: Being transparent about limitations and chronic illness helps find "your people"—those who offer support rather than judgment. 

Resources

• Brandi Carlile "Bramily"
• Legal Seafood Harborside: Chelsea's Top 5 birthday meal recommendation.
• Quiet Connection Germany: Shout out to my listener in Frankfurtam Main, Hesse Germany! 

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch 

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This week, I'm connecting with French Canadian wellness coach and author Sandrine Lavoie-Filion to discuss the profound identity shift that often accompanies motherhood. Despite years of experience as a kinesiologist coaching pregnant and postpartum women, Sandrine reveals the stark difference between theoretical knowledge and the internal reality of becoming a mother.

Sandrine opens up about her unexpected journey into motherhood, the shame she felt when her initial reaction to a positive pregnancy test was fear rather than joy, and the challenges of bonding with a baby who didn't initially "feel" like hers. She describes how she used journaling to navigate postpartum meltdowns and the loss of her former self, eventually turning those private reflections into her book, Uncensored First Time Mom Confessions. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who has ever felt like "the problem" while navigating the complexities of their new parental identity. 

🔑Key Takeaways

• Theory vs. Experience: Even experts can feel overwhelmed; Sandrine discovered that knowing the physiology of postpartum is entirely different from living through the hormonal and identity shifts.
• The Complexity of the "Positive" Test: It is valid and common to feel scared, overwhelmed, or even shameful when learning of a pregnancy, especially if it wasn't planned or if you previously questioned your desire to have children.
• Delayed Bonding is Normal: Unconditional love isn't always instantaneous; for many, it is a relationship that grows over time through the routine of care and mutual discovery.
• The "Golden Hour" Myth: Labor is physically and mentally exhausting; Sandrine highlights that wanting to sleep rather than have a "magical" bonding moment immediately after birth is a valid reaction to sleep deprivation.
• Journaling as a Healing Tool: Putting thoughts on paper allows parents to externalize their "spiraling" thoughts, navigate the root causes of meltdowns, and release the shame associated with their feelings.

💬Sound Bites

• "I realized now that there's a big difference between what you can know about pregnancy and postpartum versus how it actually feels."
• "Who would have thought that becoming a mother brought so many questions about yourself, but also the type of mother you want to be?"
• "I had that pregnancy test saying I was pregnant. And I was just scared, overwhelmed, and I didn't know how to feel."
• "I think it's unrealistic to say like, this is a new human being and I'm supposed to have this unconditional love for him. I don't know him."
• "When you write it down, when it's on paper, it's so much easier because you can go back to it... understand it better... and ask yourself questions."

Support the show

 Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health?
Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch