What to expect in our support circle

“It’s a chorus of motherhood me-toos.” Meredith Redding, LMFT, past group member

These process-oriented support circles run by Masters-level perinatal mental health professionals tend to the birthing person. It is vital to have a safe place to make sense of your initiation or re-entry into parenthood. After becoming a parent, one typically hits the ground running and does not often take the time to acknowledge their metamorphosis. These groups are like a counterpart to mommy & me classes, which are typically more didactic in nature and focus on the child—their development, sleeping and schedules, etc. These practical matters do come up in our discussions, yet these circles take deep dives into subjects surrounding the drastic transformation from maiden to mother. Topics in our secondary infertility, pregnancy, postpartum + parenting circles may include, but aren’t limited to:

Before Birth
Body Image Issues
Fears and Anxieties
Birth Prep
Postpartum Planning
Risk Factors for PMADs
Breastfeeding Education
Baby Care 101

After Birth
Birthing Experience
Sex After Birth
Body Image Issues
Identity After Birth
Breastfeeding Challenges
Discord with Partner
Returning to Work

Beyond Birth
Conscious Parenting
Potty Trining
Transitioning from Crib to Bed
Picky Eating
Preschool Journey
Family Planning
Balancing work/marriage/family/social

Secondary Infertility
Pregnancy loss
Grief over vision of family being incomplete
Guilt for not being content with current family
Marital tension
Risk Factors for PMADs
Options for fertility support

These circles are for any person who is in the throes of Matrescence (the psychological birth of a mother, similar to adolescence, involving hormonal and identity shifting). A person could also benefit from this offering if they are experiencing a Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorder (PMAD), however, it is not a psychotherapy group designed to specifically treat a mental health issue such as Postpartum Depression.

Life After Birth® Founder, Molly Nourmand, LMFT birthed her first After Birth support circle at WMN Space in Culver City in 2017. Then this signature offering was translated into a virtual platform in March 2020. During the pandemic, she added a Beyond Birth group, and we are working on creating a Secondary Infertility Support Circle (connect with facilitator). It is clear that each phase of parenthood is fraught with exquisite ordeals and joys, so our groups reflect those differences.