“We’re in this together” event gathered mothers from different walks to celebrate the challenges and loving moments of motherhood and support those who are struggling with postpartum depression.
As someone who knows about postpartum depression on a personal level, I will never forget what it feels like when you are alone in a dark place drowning, unable to breathe, and see the light. The body doesn’t feel the same; the soul is empty and full of unworthiness; intrusive thoughts, a sense of being not just unloved but someone who doesn’t deserve to be loved. Every mother going through postpartum depression faces different challenges but there is one thing in common – she is much more than deserving of love, she is love, full of abundant energy and joy. She just forgot about it, and we need to remind her.
“We’re in this together,” curated by Eran Sudds and supported by Pacific Post Partum Support Society, has shown us once again how many women need our support. During the event, ladies experienced a beauty makeover followed by the photo session by Eran (Goodmother project). The photos captured natural beauty of moms holding the supporting message for other moms going through postpartum depression.
My wording was “You’re love.” I remember in the darkest moments after I had my precious daughter, I felt trapped and unloved. I couldn’t breathe and learned to be numb. My experience with the postpartum society group therapy has shifted and transformed my vision and how I saw myself. Something as simple as group therapy can create a significant change in someone’s life. Today, I feel very grateful for the support and kindness I was gifted in the group. One of the messages I want to share is that there are people out there who really care about you. Don't be afraid to reach out.
I called the postpartum society when my daughter was 9 months old. I wish I did it earlier. As an independent, strong-minded entrepreneur I was sure I could tackle postpartum on my own. To say more, it was the least of my worries. I numbed my feelings and moved forward like a bulldozer going through the rough field until the engine wasn’t capable to move ahead. Like many entrepreneurs, I couldn’t stop working, even though I just had a baby daughter. Making sure my business continued to grow while being a new mom at the time, of course, added additional stress. But at some point, my drive and energy started to rumble, and I finally made the call to the emergency line. After my conversation with the support worker, I cried and felt heard. Someone on the other end of the line who doesn’t know me and never has seen me cared. She mentioned that she also went through postpartum and understood how I felt. After our conversation there was a sense of connection and hope.
My first meeting was hard as I had cried in front of the group of women I didn’t know. But at the same time, it was powerful and later these women became my friends I could count on through my way to recovery. They were there to listen and be empathetic, patient, and kind. We often underestimate the power of sharing. When you shine the light on your pain, it slowly starts to melt under the sun rays, diminishes and dies. This is what group therapy did for me. Every time I shared my sorrow and pain, I felt uncomfortable and relieved at the same time. I could feel that pain grew its roots and didn’t want to detach but it couldn’t resist the light, and the more I shared, the freer I became. The empty space started to fill in with new positive experiences, joy, and love.
During my last meetings, I received so much love and compassion. I treasured a rock that was given to me by my facilitator with the word “vibrant” and the card where my
other facilitator described me as a butterfly going through a metamorphosis. This is
exactly how I felt at the time. I was about to become a vibrant butterfly to fly free towards the light.
I am very happy to see the awareness in our society in spreading the love to
all new mothers who need our support in such an intimate and sensitive time.
P.S. I want to express special thank you to Rita Shergill and Clare Zeschky from Pacific Post Partum Support Society