Welcome... We have space for your story here

SHARING THE STORY OF HOW YOU CAME TO BE A PARENT

Birth can leave a mark in the body that words haven't quite reached yet.

This is a gentle space to understand birth story processing, find tools you can use today, and know you're not carrying it alone. I hope you find what you need.

Connect with me

When the birth stays with you

Birth doesn't always unfold the way we imagined.

Sometimes it's frightening, sometimes it's lonely, sometimes full of grief, sometimes it's simply a lot and those feelings don't dissolve just because you are technically "okay".

A birth can be physically uncomplicated and still land in the body as traumatic.

Birth story processing is the gentle, intentional focused work of turning in toward that experience: giving it language, meeting the emotions still living in your nervous system, and slowly making meaning of what happened.

It isn't about deciding whether your birth "counts" as traumatic. Birth distress is self-defined!! Only you know how it sits within you. The work here is about tending to it with care.

What this can look like...

Replaying it

Returning to moments of the birth over and over, sometimes wishing you could change the ending.

A body on guard

Tension, racing heart, trouble sleeping, or feeling unsafe in your own skin since the birth.

The unspoken

Sensing others want you to "just be grateful," so the harder feelings stay quiet and unmet.

Distance

Feeling disconnected from the experience, your body, or the version of yourself you expected to be.

REFLECTION PROMPTS & QUESTIONS TO SIT WITH

There are no right answers to the questions below.

Take one prompt at a time, with no pressure to finish.

You might write, say it outloud, or simply let the question rest with you on a walk.

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

If my body could speak to me about that day, what would it want to say?

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

What did I need in that moment (emotionally, physically) that I didn't receive?

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

What did I need in that moment (emotionally, physically) that I didn't receive?

Who was I before this birth, and who am I becoming through it?

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

What did I need in that moment (emotionally, physically) that I didn't receive?

What am I still grieving? (an expectation, a moment, a version of the story, betrayal of trust)

Where, even briefly, did I show strength or tenderness toward myself or toward my baby?

What am I still grieving? (an expectation, a moment, a version of the story, betrayal of trust)

What would I say to a friend who carried this exact story? Can I offer myself the same?

Looking for more like this? Book a session with me

Self-guided tools - Gentle practices - a place to start

These are starting places. Move slowly, check in, and pause anytime something feels like too much (coming back to yourself is important)

1. Orient to safety!

When you feel yourself being pulled back to an uncomfortable memory, it is important to ground yourself, take a pause; name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, & 3 things you can feel (physically) . This tool can help signal to your nervous system that you're here now, and helps come back to the present.

2. Get it out of your body!

Speaking your story aloud or writing it down (no structure / just let it flow) is often a big step. The goal of this activity is to help that stuck feeling move from inside you onto the page or into the air, (helping move stuck emotions and feelings through the body).

3. Use Breathe to settle

Another great tool to try is your breath. I love breath work because it is so accessible. Try taking a longer exhale than inhale (example: count to 4 on your inhale, & 6 on your exhale). When we breath like this it is a way to gently remind the body it's safe. Even just taking a minute to do this can be enough to feel a shift.

*remember to adjust breath length based on your own individual capacity*

4. Map the timeline (Narrative)

For some people laying the birth out as a sequence verbally or written (what happened, what I needed, where those needs were or weren't met ect.) can give clarity to what is sticking with you and ease self-blame, putting things into words can be a very powerful tool.

*If this starts to cause distress or a feeling of being unsettled; it is a good idea to pause ground and orient yourself to the present moment and seek support before attempting again.*

5. Offer yourself the words you need

We have the power to be our own cheerleaders and advocates. give yourself the voice you needed at the time.

"I did the best I could with what I knew at the time and the options I was given."

Self-compassion is how healing can actually begin to take root!

6. Know when to reach out

When in doubt, reach out!

If the distress is loud, persistent, or interfering with daily life, when you catch yourself ruminating and contantly in the past. These are all signs you may need more support. Reaching out for that support is a sign of strength!

Connect with me

You don't have to navigate this alone

Where else to find support · Canada & Ontario

These organizations offer peer support, directories, and care across Ontario and Canada.

Many services are free or low-cost.

Perinatal Wellbeing Ontario - Resource Directory

An Ontario not-for-profit offering support planning, peer support, low- to no-cost therapy, and educational programming for people struggling in the perinatal period.

Learn More

PSI Canada (Postpartum Support International)

The Canadian arm of the world's leading perinatal mental health non-profit. Offers a helpline, free online support groups, and a directory of trained providers.

Learn More

PSI Provider Directory

A searchable directory of certified perinatal mental health professionals — including many Ontario-based therapists who specialize in birth trauma and recovery.

Learn More

Working together

Sometimes a birth is too tender to hold on your own.

It can help to have someone steady beside you while you navigate this new chapter.

I offer a gentle, somatic-informed space to process and integrate your birth story, at whatever pace feels right for you. There's no rush, your story has room here.

Connect Here

Books & podcasts

Books:

How to Heal a Bad Birth - Melissa Bruijn & Debby Gould

A clear, compassionate guide for making sense of a difficult, disappointing, or traumatic birth (full of reassurance and practical tools for processing and moving forward.develop a personalized treatment plan that meets your unique needs).

Heal Your Birth Story - Maureen Campion

Written by a psychologist and birth trauma specialist, with journaling exercises that guide you gently through layers of understanding and healing.

Birth Trauma: A Guide for You, Your Friends and Family - Kim Thomas

An accessible look at post-traumatic stress following birth (validating for those experiencing it and helpful for the people who want to support them).

When Survivors Give Birth - Penny Simkin & Phyllis Klaus

A thoughtful resource for those whose birth experience intersects with earlier trauma (gentle, informed, and deeply respectful of the body's story).

Podcasts:

The Birth Trauma Mama - Kayleigh Summers, LCSW

Hosted by a therapist and birth trauma survivor, blending expert conversations with lived experience (honest, warm, & free of toxic positivity)

Mom & Mind - Dr. Katayune Kaeni

A perinatal psychologist explores maternal mental health, including birth trauma and recovery, with clinicians and parents sharing real stories.

Evidence Based Birth® - Dr. Rebecca Dekker

Helpful for understanding the medical side of what happened (clear, research-grounded episodes that can ease the "why" questions after a hard birth).

*Bracken Bloom Counselling does not endorse any of these books/podcasts this is purely for education

If you are in a crisis, please call or text 9-8-8. If you need emergency care or are at risk, please call 911 or go to your local emergency department.

Other current crisis lines:

Here 24/7 at 1-844-437-3247 (HERE247)

Trans Lifeline Canada 1-877-330-6366

Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868

🌿 We acknowledge that in Guelph, we are on the ancestral lands of the Attawandaron/ Chonnonton, Anishinaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples, as well as the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. 🌿

Welcome... We have space for your story here

SHARING THE STORY OF HOW YOU CAME TO BE A PARENT

When the birth stays with you

What this can look like...

REFLECTION PROMPTS & QUESTIONS TO SIT WITH

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

If my body could speak to me about that day, what would it want to say?

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

What did I need in that moment (emotionally, physically) that I didn't receive?

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

What did I need in that moment (emotionally, physically) that I didn't receive?

Who was I before this birth, and who am I becoming through it?

What part of the birth do I find myself returning to most & what does that part need me to know?

What did I need in that moment (emotionally, physically) that I didn't receive?

What am I still grieving? (an expectation, a moment, a version of the story, betrayal of trust)

What am I still grieving? (an expectation, a moment, a version of the story, betrayal of trust)

Where, even briefly, did I show strength or tenderness toward myself or toward my baby?

What am I still grieving? (an expectation, a moment, a version of the story, betrayal of trust)

What would I say to a friend who carried this exact story? Can I offer myself the same?

Looking for more like this? Book a session with me

Self-guided tools - Gentle practices - a place to start

1. Orient to safety!

2. Get it out of your body!

3. Use Breathe to settle

4. Map the timeline (Narrative)

5. Offer yourself the words you need

6. Know when to reach out

You don't have to navigate this alone

Where else to find support · Canada & Ontario

Perinatal Wellbeing Ontario - Resource Directory

PSI Canada (Postpartum Support International)

PSI Provider Directory

Working together

Books & podcasts

Books:

How to Heal a Bad Birth - Melissa Bruijn & Debby Gould

Heal Your Birth Story - Maureen Campion

Birth Trauma: A Guide for You, Your Friends and Family - Kim Thomas

When Survivors Give Birth - Penny Simkin & Phyllis Klaus

Podcasts:

The Birth Trauma Mama - Kayleigh Summers, LCSW

Mom & Mind - Dr. Katayune Kaeni

Evidence Based Birth® - Dr. Rebecca Dekker

*Bracken Bloom Counselling does not endorse any of these books/podcasts this is purely for education

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