Postpartum is a unique time in a woman’s life where everything shifts. Mothers experience a major hormonal drop, unpredictable and broken sleep patterns, an elevated nervous system, and a rewiring of the brain to care for a new baby.

When I work with postpartum mothers in my practice, isolation is one of the biggest risk factors for a lack of improvement in their mental health. It’s the silent yet very real barrier that can keep her feeling stuck in intrusive thoughts, panic, spiraling, and hopelessness.

If I could encourage every postpartum mother who is struggling with one next step, I would say, “tell someone.”

Many athletes who are struggling with their performance come to therapy for what they call a “mental block.” When asked to describe their experience, they say things like, “I’m choking,” “I’m in a slump,” “I keep freezing up,” or “I just can’t make myself do it.” These athletes are frustrated, confused, and disheartened because they don’t know what’s happening or how to fix it.

What they are describing is a performance block, most commonly known as the “yips” or the “twisties” in sports like cheerleading and gymnastics.

In Winter, trees look barren, flowers disappear, and the landscape feels empty. However, do you realize that each spring blossom you see in the trees and in the ground started the process of blooming in winter?

Beneath the barren surface, roots are intact and building resilience to the elements, nature’s systems are conserving energy, and life is preparing for the next cycle. You might feel like you no longer have the ability to bloom, but your roots might need to be tended a bit longer.

We have become all too familiar with addition and the wake of devastation it leaves behind.