Postpartum Passages
Donation protected
On Friday August 4th I cut off all my hair. Although my hair appointment has passed, if you're still interested in supporting this important cause your donation would be great appreciated!
Postpartum depression isn’t something I expected to get when I had my second child. I wasn’t prepared. I wasn’t prepared for how much it would change me, my every action and interaction. I wasn’t prepared for how bad it would get or how long it would last. I didn’t expect to go from being a positive extrovert who loved people to a highly depressed introvert who was afraid and anxious to leave the house or talk to even my closest friends and family. I was a mess and I felt totally broken and alone.
I went through assessment after assessment until I was finally placed with a councillor and psychiatrist. Unfortunately though, Northern Health cut the funding for group therapy, something I felt really would have helped me feel less alone and less broken. Even at the time, I couldn’t believe the gap in our system as it is estimated 1 in 4 women experience a form of postpartum depression or anxiety; that’s a LOT of people. I remember vowing that when I got better I would do everything in my power to make group therapy a reality for our region.
As fate would have it, I was introduced to two incredible women, two local doulas, with the same hope and vision to create a safe place for parents to navigate through this difficult transition. They call their new organization Postpartum Passages . Several years ago I started growing out my hair to eventually cut and donate to cancer. Although cancer has left its mark on my loved ones, I now feel that raising funds and awareness for Postpartum Passages is part of my personal journey. I hope that in sharing my story others will feel less alone and that maybe we can raise some funds for this extremely needed service.
Postpartum depression isn’t something I expected to get when I had my second child. I wasn’t prepared. I wasn’t prepared for how much it would change me, my every action and interaction. I wasn’t prepared for how bad it would get or how long it would last. I didn’t expect to go from being a positive extrovert who loved people to a highly depressed introvert who was afraid and anxious to leave the house or talk to even my closest friends and family. I was a mess and I felt totally broken and alone.
I went through assessment after assessment until I was finally placed with a councillor and psychiatrist. Unfortunately though, Northern Health cut the funding for group therapy, something I felt really would have helped me feel less alone and less broken. Even at the time, I couldn’t believe the gap in our system as it is estimated 1 in 4 women experience a form of postpartum depression or anxiety; that’s a LOT of people. I remember vowing that when I got better I would do everything in my power to make group therapy a reality for our region.
As fate would have it, I was introduced to two incredible women, two local doulas, with the same hope and vision to create a safe place for parents to navigate through this difficult transition. They call their new organization Postpartum Passages . Several years ago I started growing out my hair to eventually cut and donate to cancer. Although cancer has left its mark on my loved ones, I now feel that raising funds and awareness for Postpartum Passages is part of my personal journey. I hope that in sharing my story others will feel less alone and that maybe we can raise some funds for this extremely needed service.
Organizer
Jen Rubadeau Tkachuk
Organizer
Prince George, BC