An overview of my second annual series for mental health awareness, specifically focused on maternal mental health. Part resource, part description and discussion, part personal reflection. One encouraging observation: while I was in some low spots, I am not now. Everyday is a journey and I’ve survived every one thus far.
Tag Archives: mental health blog series
Mental Health Help for Moms in Rhode Island
One of the developments of the past year is my writing for Rhode Island Moms. While I was not hired to write specifically about mental health, fittingly, my first two articles for them were about this topic so near and dear to my heart. Then Megan Block, the founder of Rhode Island Moms, allowed me to share my personal postpartum story.
My Mental Health Articles for Rhode Island Moms:
Today, to mark 2025’s mental health awareness month, my latest article dropped to share resources with women and mothers who are thinking they might need extra support.
I am incredibly grateful that Rhode Island Moms gives mental health a platform on its site and allows me to write about it.
May 2013
May 2013 was the first time I undertook a month-long theme of multiple posts to mark mental health awareness. Below are some of my posts from that series. A trip in the way back machine that explains a lot about my current state of mental health, motherhood, and life – and how I got here.
Immaculate
When I was a child, bright May mornings were filled with energy.
Sturdy rubber soled, strapped toes met pebbly concrete as in formation we marched
to crown Mother Mary.
Even if your hands didn’t rest the blooms atop her head
the songs and solemn file made you feel special.
The Mother of our Church, it makes sense that this month also celebrates earthly mothers.
And given the true gravity of motherhood, it makes sense that it also celebrates mental health.
I’ve done all manner of mother-centric posts over months of May past.
This past year has been full of research and connection as well, but in some new directions. I’ve decided to share some of my experiences over this month of maternal mental health and mamas. To shine a light on some of the amazing work that mothers and women are doing. On their own and in support of each other.
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday
M’aider: help me
repeated three times in a row
internationally recognized distress call
Next 31 days – third May I’ve tackled mental health issues for a month straight
It is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, the beginning of a month dedicated to opening dialogue and resources to all women in the perinatal realm; that is, attempting to conceive, prenatal, postpartum, and living the dream. There are air quotes around that last phrase there – because sometimes mothering can be a nightmare – for too many reasons to list here, but May is a month dedicated to the mental health of mothers, be their struggles situational, emotional, or physical.
As maternal mental health is an issue close to my heart – and psyche – I endeavor to share my own experiences throughout this month and explore others’ and share information. The fact that I haven’t made it each May since the inception of this blog is an illustrative example of my life and the raison d’etre of the blog itself.
While I was blogging in 2012, I’d only just started my fifth month. And while I’d signed my name in ink and blood on its byline, I don’t know that I was fully in mind of where my daily life and mental health intersected. By 2013, I felt comfortable enough in the platform to tackle a month-long series to raise mental health awareness and work to eradicate stigma. Even then, I still saw the month as other; a separate function of my blog. I showcased the fabulous Blog for Mental Health Project, but hadn’t taken the pledge myself, feeling unworthy since my blog wasn’t dedicated solely to discussion of mental illness and health. By 2014, I was ready to laser my focus on not only mental illness, but the flavor that burned the back of my tongue after the birth of my third, inciting this whole process: maternal mental health. Ironically, this laser focus blew everything wide open. I began to realize that my blog was always focused on mental health even if I wasn’t discussing DSM or sharing the latest research; because mental health, whether an individual accepts it or not, affects every. aspect. of. one’s. life.
And then, 2015, I didn’t log daily posts during May. Perhaps I was burned out by the idea of daily posts with my three minions around. Maybe I felt I’d saturated my serial idea. I know I wasn’t naive enough to think I’d covered it all. Maybe I was naive enough to think my life had hit critical mass and I didn’t have the time.
Because in May of 2016, irony of all ironies, I gave birth to my fourth child. Another surprise. Another girl. But a new beginning with no mental health issues – other than the low-grade ones I’d been dealing with for the previous seven years. Needless to say, a month-long daily series did not occur with a newborn.
Enter 2017. I’m going to try to climb back on the horse, though it may look more like the dark ride of the ring wraith than the victorious march of the Mother of Dragons.
I’m not promising anything – except my ever-continuing support of all those struggling with mental health issues.
Chopping Potatoes 