Strength Through Story

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Strength Through Story Helping mothers who have experienced anxiety and depression find their voice and their community

Why should we process and write our stories?Because it still "isn't over.” Trauma has a way of freezing time. We may go ...
04/26/2023

Why should we process and write our stories?

Because it still "isn't over.” Trauma has a way of freezing time. We may go back to those points of pain and anxiety over and over again without a clear way forward. We may still beat ourselves up over what we "could" or "should" have done. But this isn't productive or kind. It traps us in sadness, and keeps us from experiencing joy.

Because we need to heal and move forward.

You deserve to heal—and you deserve to let yourself heal. This is an important recognition. You deserve to live a beautiful, happy life outside the confines of the loss, grief and guilt.

Journaling about what happened and fully expressing how it made you feel is a therapeutic approach to healing.

We’ve been through so much in the last few years.We have lived—and are still living—through a global pandemic. Rates of ...
04/21/2023

We’ve been through so much in the last few years.

We have lived—and are still living—through a global pandemic. Rates of postpartum depression were very high during the earlier days of the pandemic, affecting at least a third of new moms, and moms are still recovering.

This might mean new or exacerbated social anxiety (for you or your kids), isolation, less stable support, strained relationships, anxiety about health and illnesses ... and the list goes on.

So how do we comfort ourselves? Swipe to read more and reach out to us anytime for support. 💗

“It’s not simply overwhelming that parenting standards have risen dramatically while support systems have vanished, it’s...
04/18/2023

“It’s not simply overwhelming that parenting standards have risen dramatically while support systems have vanished, it’s an unfair setup that has mothers thinking their personal inadequacies are to blame for what is actually the fault of a broken system and distortions of reality.”
- Beth Berry, writer ()

This week, take some time to think about some of the negative mantras that run through your head. Write down what they are and where they come from (if you know). Then, write down how YOU feel about yourself as a person or mother.

How could you respond to these negative thoughts? What is a thought you could think about yourself instead of the negative thought? How can you feel proud of the incredible mother you already are?

We were born with all of the love in the world for ourselves. We appreciated our bodies and minds and gave ourselves the...
04/05/2023

We were born with all of the love in the world for ourselves. We appreciated our bodies and minds and gave ourselves the benefit of the doubt. But somewhere along the road, we learned differently.

All thoughts come from somewhere or someone. Can you pinpoint a time when you started to doubt yourself as a person? As a mom? What made you feel that way?

Share your struggles in the comments so another mom can see she isn’t alone. I promise you aren’t alone in this.

We are so grateful for this testimonial from one of our incredible STS members! In this group, you absolutely belong. Th...
03/29/2023

We are so grateful for this testimonial from one of our incredible STS members!

In this group, you absolutely belong. The moms in STS just get it. I am consistently blown away by the compassion and care they show for each other each week.

We listen, we share, we celebrate the good times and listen when things feel hard.

Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. CST via Zoom.

I have no idea how the time flew by so quickly. I swear it's still March of 2020, and we are all hunkering down figuring...
03/16/2023

I have no idea how the time flew by so quickly. I swear it's still March of 2020, and we are all hunkering down figuring out what this whole Covid thing is.

I can't remember a ton of bright spots during those scary times, but what I can remember are moms' faces looking back at me through Zoom. I remember talking with you all as we navigated that unpredictable situation—together and alone. I remember laughing about the silly things babies and kiddos do—even in the midst of a pandemic—and holding my tears back when a mom shared how much she has really been struggling.

Through it all, we reached for connection; we reached for each other.

Three years later, I’m so grateful to all of you for trusting me with your hardest and happiest moments and can't wait to include even more moms in our community. Please feel free to share this free resource with any moms you know who might want more support. ❤️

This week take some time to document your self-care journey. Each day, write down what you did to focus on yourself. Did...
03/13/2023

This week take some time to document your self-care journey. Each day, write down what you did to focus on yourself. Did you go on a walk? Did you do absolutely nothing? Did you call a friend?

And then write down how that made you feel? Maybe it made you feel guilty. That's okay! Write it down anyway. Take note of the things that made you feel better and stronger, both mentally and physically.

Goals for self-care shouldn't make you feel worse about yourself. They should add something positive to your life.

If your self-care goals start to feel like work, please reassess them:

Could you shorten the time commitment?
Should you focus on something else instead?

For example, if drinking more water is really hard for you, you might consider choosing a different self-care goal for your first goal and then circling back to drinking more water.

Founded in March 2020, Strength Through Story is the first support group in the country for pregnant and postpartum moms...
03/07/2023

Founded in March 2020, Strength Through Story is the first support group in the country for pregnant and postpartum moms that focuses on healing through writing and storytelling.

In this inclusive, nonjudgmental group, we utilize the power of writing to transform some of the negative thoughts you’re feeling into resourced and empowering action. I want to help you identify the words you use to describe yourself and your experiences so that you can move toward healing and self-compassion.

We cover one topic every week, and topics include redefining trauma, our relationships with our bodies, trusting in the temporary, reaching for joy, effective communication—and, of course—mom guilt.

The group meets every Saturday at 10:15 a.m. CST via Zoom. Writing exercises accompany each week's group, but don't worry—you do not have to be a writer to join the group. Exercises are easy to understand and structured to fit into your life as a busy mom. All you need is a computer or phone, internet connection, notebook and pen.
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You do *not* need to be a new mom to be part of the group. The postpartum period is defined by you. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns before joining the group.

Self-care is not a dirty word.Self-care is whatever keeps YOU happy and healthy. It is whatever makes you the happiest, ...
03/02/2023

Self-care is not a dirty word.

Self-care is whatever keeps YOU happy and healthy. It is whatever makes you the happiest, most resourced version of yourself. This week, take stock of what fills your cup and what wears you down.

What are the things that feed YOUR soul and help you to feel your strongest?

We have undeniable responsibilities—and there is nothing wrong with working hard. Many of the tasks of motherhood bring ...
02/24/2023

We have undeniable responsibilities—and there is nothing wrong with working hard. Many of the tasks of motherhood bring us joy and contentment. But it is important to reflect on how our workload is affecting us. How does completing particular tasks make you feel?

This week, take stock of how you spend your time. What makes you feel good? What doesn't? What do you need to do and what is optional? Then, practice saying "no" when you can. How does it make you feel? (It's okay if this doesn't feel good at first. Just notice.)

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Lee’s Summit, MO
Lee’s Summit, MO

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Strength Through Story

Welcome to Strength Through Story. First, I want you to know you’re not alone and that things *WILL* get better. Second, I want to welcome you to a group that is fully supportive of pregnant, postpartum and adoptive moms who have experienced anxiety and depression. This group offers a unique, creative way to understand and cope with what you’re going through: that is, healing through storytelling.

Here is my story:

On March 27, 2018, I had just given birth to my son Owen. He was a healthy 8-pound baby, and I was happy and overwhelmed to be his mom. Above all, I was so glad he was okay.

But I wasn’t. My labor was very long and ended in an emergency C-section. I developed preeclampsia and took iron pills for all the blood I had lost. My son was released from the hospital before I was. And although the nurses were so supportive and kind, my mind was reeling: How did this happen to me?