Perinatal Support – Why It’s Personal

Years ago, I experienced a miscarriage.

The day after our dog died, we learned I was pregnant. In the midst of grief, it felt like a glimmer of hope. Three weeks later, my doctor told me the pregnancy did not appear viable. The following week, I underwent surgery.

What followed was a complicated mix of emotions: sadness, fear, anger, confusion, and guilt. At the same time, I noticed something else—silence. Pregnancy loss is incredibly common, affecting roughly 1 in 4 women, yet so many people suffer quietly. Some describe miscarriage as an “invisible loss” because the grief often exists privately. Many people around you may not even know you were pregnant, which can leave individuals grieving in isolation.

I made the decision to share my experience with a few trusted women in my life. What happened next changed me.

One by one, women shared their own stories with me—miscarriages, infertility struggles, traumatic births, postpartum anxiety, depression, grief, fear, and experiences they had carried silently for years. I realized how many people were walking around holding enormous pain while feeling like they had to minimize it or hide it entirely.

Their honesty, support, and kindness helped me survive one of the hardest periods of my life. It also shaped the kind of psychologist I wanted to become.

I chose this work because women and birthing individuals deserve spaces where they do not have to explain or justify their pain. They deserve compassionate, evidence-based care through all stages of reproductive and maternal mental health: pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, infertility, pregnancy loss, birth trauma, parenting stress, identity changes, and grief.

One of the most important lessons I learned is this: Just because something is common does not make it any less painful.

Miscarriage may be statistically common, but every experience is unique, personal, and deeply significant.

In my work, I aim to create the kind of environment that helped me during my own loss—one where people feel seen, heard, and supported without judgment.

If you are grieving a pregnancy loss, struggling postpartum, navigating infertility, or simply feeling overwhelmed by the emotional demands of this season of life, you are not alone. Support matters, and healing does not have to happen in silence.

As both a psychologist and someone who has personally experienced loss, I believe deeply in the power of connection, community, and professional support. Sometimes the most healing thing we can hear is: “Me too.”

And sometimes the bravest thing we can do is say it first.

As those from the Adalyn Rose Foundation say, we are part of the worst club, with the best people.

If you're seeking perinatal support, reach out for a free consult.