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Postpartum Support International Podcasts

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Connect with PSI through the power of storytelling! Perinatal mental health advocates share their personal journeys through pregnancy and postpartum, detailing how they found support, discovered PSI, and now help others. Through storytelling, we bring PSI’s message to life: You are not alone. You are not to blame. With help, you will be well. Each episode affirms that Perinatal Mental Health Disorders (PMHD) affect many—and each of us can say, “I AM ONE.” Whether you're seeking connection or ...
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🎙️ Welcome to The Journey to VBAC, hosted by me, Petra Cruz – a passionate birth doula and proud VBA3C mom. Join me in sharing the highs, lows, and everything in between. In each episode, we will sit down and hear mom's birth stories. We'll laugh, cry, and celebrate the strength within each birth journey. I'm here to inspire, educate, and uplift you! Expect candid conversations, expert insights, and practical tips from professionals who support VBAC. Because, let's be honest, we can all bene ...
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show series
 
Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re spotlighting PSI’s English Helpline - an incredible, FREE resource available to anyone! The PSI Helpline is NOT a crisis hotline. It is a toll-free telephone number anyone can call or text to get basic information, support, and resources related to mental health during pregnancy, post-loss, and the postpartu…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down for an I AM ONE Podcast “first”! It’s our first-ever trans-continental conversation (recorded in Poland & the United States) with Karolina Lazarov, who is a yep - you guessed it - a Polish-born Perinatal Mental Health-Certified therapist, now living in the United States who is connecting the dot…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Michelle Yu, a perinatal mental health advocate, PSI volunteer, and the Co-Founder & CEO of a company providing targeted, 1:1 mental health and career coaching support before, during, and after parental leave. We’re so excited to chat today about a topic we don’t often hear about - supporti…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Dr. Jessica Vernon, a NYC based Board-Certified OB/GYN. She serves as the Membership & Professional Outreach Chair on PSI’s Board of Directors, and is a published author of a brand new book, “Then Comes Baby” (seriously - click on the link in the show notes & go get yourself a copy). Today,…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with the incomparable Divya Kumar - a Perinatal Mental Health-Certified psychotherapist, writer, speaker, co-founder of what is now The Alliance for People of Color & longtime friend of PSI! We’ll chat all about the complexities of perinatal mental health at all kinds of intersections (I’m gestu…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re doing something … a little different! We’re sitting down with Rachell Dumas, IAO podcast guest from episode 44, who was kind enough to answer some of our burning questions about her hometown of New Orleans - where PSI’s Annual Conference is being hosted this July. For any listeners attending the PSI conferen…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re spotlighting PSI’s Perinatal Psychiatric Consultation Program - an incredible & FREE resource (did I mention FREE?!?) for medical providers supporting folks in the perinatal period. To do so, we’re bringing in an expert! We’re sitting down with awe-inspiring Dr. Nicole Taylor, a psychiatrist specializing in …
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Nancy Goh Kelly, a PSI coordinator in the state of Minnesota, a skilled healthcare strategist and operator, and (surprise, surprise!) a massive perinatal mental health advocate! We’ll chat about how parenthood can inspire career change, about the difference that specialized care can make fo…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with the incomparable Charlotte Ramberg - a Perinatal Mental Health-Certified Licensed Professional Counselor & advocate in North Georgia, who may just be one of the biggest helpers we know. We’re thrilled that Charlotte was willing to share her experience with surrogacy - specifically as a gest…
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Send us a text TW: Cancer Diagnosis, Hysterectomy On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Kaitlyn Gardner, a passionate Perinatal Mental Health-Certified advocate, Licensed Professional Counselor, PSI volunteer, OH - and the founder of a non-profit supporting parents in the perinatal period in her home-state of Arkansas (just to name a few thin…
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Send us a text TW: Recurrent Pregnancy Loss On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Rachell Dumas, a registered nurse, keynote speaker, and the founder of A Light After Nine - a nonprofit dedicated to supporting women and families navigating infertility and pregnancy loss. We’ll chat about underserved populations, equity and compassionate care,…
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This conversation with Misty Rauscher was 🔥 She is a Trauma Recovery Coach and Transformational Life Coach. Misty specializes in mindset, visualization, and helping people navigate the mental “what ifs” that often come up after difficult or traumatic birth experiences. In this episode, we explore how Misty helps people “clear the slate” from previo…
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I have the pleasure of welcoming the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) to share the incredible work they do for VBAC hopefuls and cesarean awareness. Highlights from this episode: 🔥 What the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) is and why it matters for VBAC hopefuls 🔥 How ICAN supports women in advocating for their birth c…
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Have you ever felt like staying quiet was easier? That if you just “went with the flow,” everything would work out? I used to believe that too. From my childhood to my first three births, I stayed small, trusting others over myself. But when I found my voice, everything changed—especially in my VBA3C journey. In this episode, I’m sharing a deeply p…
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Highlights from this episode: 🔥 The optimal time for testing your mineral levels 🔥 How to make sure you have optimal minerals to help you have more energy postpartum 🔥 Who this test is for and how to utilize the results to help you stabilize your moods and menstrual cycle Connect with Vanda ⤵️ Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wellness.with.vanda Website: https…
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Have you ever felt like staying quiet was the easiest path? That if you just "went with the flow," things would work out? I totally get it—I used to think the same way. But what I’ve learned is this: doing nothing is still making a decision. And when it comes to birth, passive choices often default to the system’s preferences—not yours. In this epi…
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Owning your VBAC journey isn’t just about physical preparation—it’s about healing from the inside out. Trauma, anxiety, and even ADHD can shape how we experience pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, often in ways we don’t even realize. If you’ve ever felt tension in your body, struggled with racing thoughts, or carried shame around your past birth exp…
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I know that's a bold statement, but it's true. It's science-backed! Some highlights from the episode: Episode Highlights: 🔥 How Your Mindset Shapes Your Birth –The surprising research showing that attitudes, emotions, and cognitive flexibility can influence labor progress, epidural use, and even Cesarean rates. 🔥 The Science Behind Mental Flexibili…
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Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 Why a birth plan is so important to create 🔥 What you can include on your birth plan 🔥 The deeper meaning behind birth plans 🔥 How a birth plan can change your birth outcome Listen to the end to hear a special offer!! Download one of my freebies to get on my email list for tips and special offers! ⁠Free step-by-s…
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Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 Who you choose to be on your birth team can make your experience great or terrible 🔥 Each birth support member's potential role 🔥 How to choose your birth team 🔥 Red flags to look out for when interviewing your potential birth team member Listen to the end to hear a special offer!! Download one of my freebies to …
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Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 Why healing through your previous birth is so important 🔥 Practical advice for starting your healing journey ⁠Download the free VBAC myths guide, which has 6 debunked myths.⁠ ⁠Join The Journey to VBAC Membership waitlist⁠ Connect with me, Petra ⤵️ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@birthing_come_true⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Birthing…
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Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 Why it's important to know them 🔥 What to do if faced with these myths and more!!!! Download the free VBAC myths guide, which has 6 debunked myths. Join The Journey to VBAC Membership waitlist Connect with me, Petra ⤵️ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@birthing_come_true⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Birthing Come True⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bi…
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4 top mistakes and how to avoid them. Grab some paper or open your notes section in your phone so you can write these down! Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 What you should focus on instead of the outcome of your birth 🔥 Which choices you make that can affect you having a VBAC or not 🔥 What to stop neglecting 🔥 What you need to stop doing so you…
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Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 Why it matters who's at your labor 🔥 Education is queen! 🔥 How to be prepared to be supported by strangers in the hospital 🔥 How to choose homebirth vs hospital birth- tips for each hypnobabies Book: birthing from within BeHerVillage *Please note that some links shared may be affiliate links that I could earn a s…
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Get ready to hear Lizzy's transformative freebirth story! If you are not familiar with a freebirth, it is when you give birth typically at your own home without an OB or Midwife. It could be just you and your partner or you and your partner or doula or whoever else you choose to be there. Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 How to build community w…
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Lizzy had planned a homebirth after her cesarean but plans quickly changed and she was left with more trauma than she arrived with. Understanding the hierarchal birth culture so you can give birth confidently is so key! Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 The cascade of interventions is real and can happen to anyone but there are ways to avoid them…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Nicole McNelis - speaker, writer, therapist-mom & mom therapist. For anyone who attended PSI’s 2024 Annual conference in Washington, DC - you may remember Nicole from the highly-attended session that she led on rage. And if you didn’t attend, I’m sure you heard all kinds of buzz about that …
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Sabina shares her freebirth after 2 cesarean story and she chats about why educating yourself is the key to an empowered birth experience and once a c-section does not mean always a c-section! Your intuition is THE MOST IMPORTANT tool you have and should always be listened to Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 What important things you need to tal…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Aaisha Alvi, Postpartum Psychosis advocate, writer, and she also has a brand new title – a published author! We’ll hear all about her lived experience with Postpartum Psychosis on two separate occasions; we’ll chat about the importance of education and awareness - because Aaisha wasn’t diag…
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In this short solo episode, I explain what intuition is, why it's important to hone it during your VBAC, and how you can easily do this. If you'd like to watch the video of this episode, head to my YouTube channel on Friday to watch it 😜 Connect with me, Petra ⤵️ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@birthing_come_true⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Birthing Come True⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Web…
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In this shorty solo episode, I give you a quick guide to the most common acronyms you'll hear on your VBAC journey Connect with me, Petra ⤵️ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@birthing_come_true⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Birthing Come True⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Birthingcometrue.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: [email protected] The International Cesarean Awareness Network:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Keisha Reaves, a Perinatal Mental Health-Certified Licensed Professional Counselor in North Georgia who has a lot to to say about the state of mental health care for BIPOC parents in the United States. Speaking from personal experience, Keisha is a passionate advocate on a mission to educat…
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Brielle experienced sooo many barriers on her VBAC journey and she blasted through all of them! Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 Trauma is literally stored in the cells of your body and how you can start facing them in a way that's not overwhelming 🔥 When you feel like you've exhausted all of your options, it might be beneficial to keep trying. …
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Get out your tissues, this one gets emotional! Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 How previous births can affect you not connecting with your new baby 🔥 How to navigate a system that keeps telling you "no, you can't" 🔥 Tips for how to prepare your partner for Birthing Instincts Podcast What a bicornuate uterus is Connect with, Raquel ⤵️ Instagram:…
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Send us a text TRIGGER WARNING: Traumatic Birth, Intrusive Thoughts On Today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Lisa McCarty, a women’s health advocate, a mom, and a writer - who has long amplified her voice through words on paper. Today, we’re in for a treat when Lisa’s words will travel straight from her mouth and into our earbuds. We’ll chat abo…
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Preparing for your VBAC can go deeper than the physical and mental aspects, it can be rooted in your lineage, as far back as your mom, and your grandma or even further back than that. Take a listen to find out why having hard conversations can be absolutely essential to your VBAC journey. Some highlights from the episode: 🔥Questions to ask your mid…
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Alyssa Frain is a licensed acupuncturist turned full-time stay-at-home mom. She had her first daughter in September 2020, a missed miscarriage in 2022, and a successful HBAC in January 2024. She enjoys helping women take their health back into their own hands by showing them how to tune into their bodies and support it with Chinese Herbal Medicine.…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with our fabulous friend Courtney Ginder, who works at PSI on the Communications team and who first came onto our radar as a volunteer in The Climb program! We’ll hear all about how the pandemic impacted her entry into parenthood, how access to care and prompt support from her providers got her …
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Breastfeeding is a learned skill, it’s ok if it does not feel natural or easy. Feeding your baby is something you need to plan for but know that it’s ok (and very likely) that it may look different in the first few weeks than you planned or expected. Alex, who is an IBCLC has so much incredible knowledge and amazing tips for you to navigate your jo…
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Having a supportive team is more important than you may realize. When Jessica didn't have a supportive team she felt like she wasn't being heard or informed. But that all changed for her second and third birth. Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 Trusting your gut instincts is not a gimmick or just a fun saying, it can lead you down the path you we…
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Send us a text Trigger Warning: Traumatic Birth, Psychosis On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Kriti Lodha, a successful marketing leader in the business world, whose entrée into parenthood has turned her into a powerhouse of a perinatal mental health advocate! We’ll hear about the dichotomy of feeling both isolated during the pandemic and …
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Sometimes you have to put on your advocacy hat more times than you'd like. This definitely was the case for Carly who encountered a not-so-supportive OB while in labor. Some highlights from the episode: 🔥 How to deal with an unsupportive doctor 🔥 What one very important option is for handling an unsupportive provider 🔥 What an AMA is 🔥 and so much …
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Send us a text TRIGGER WARNING: Traumatic Birth On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with one of our dearest friends and colleague, Stacey Figg. She is a postpartum doula, a PSI staff member in the coordinators program & one of the silliest, funniest, realest people we know. Today you’ll hear about some of the most serious & vulnerable moments fr…
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Send us a text Trigger Warning: Intrusive thoughts, Pregnancy Loss On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with one of the world’s loveliest human beings, Lynn Turcotte-Schuh - a Certified Birth Educator, a speaker, a perinatal mental health advocate, a long-time PSI volunteer & a mentor for mothers everywhere! We’ll chat about parenting through deb…
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Send us a text Trigger Warning: Traumatic Birth On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Claire Hewson, an educator, a counselor & a PhD student at Queen’s University in British Columbia, Canada! Not only that, Claire is the very first PSI intern to hop into the recording studio with us. We’ll chat all about breast, chest and body feeding, troub…
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Plans in birth can change and that's okay, knowing what to expect, realizing you have options, and feeling confident in whatever decision you make is of utmost importance. I chatted with HeHe about all of these and she gave us her best tips for making sure your birth unfolds in a way that feels good to you.Some highlights from the episode:🔥 What is…
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Send us a text On today’s episode, we’re chatting with the one, the only, Dr. Kat Kaeni - Perinatal Mental Health Certified Clinical Psychologist, current PSI Board Chair, published author, podcast host extraordinaire (coming up on 350 episodes), and overall an incredible human being. Kat is involved in a lot these days. We’re so grateful for this …
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Send us a text Trigger Warning: Traumatic birth, Hemorrhaging On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with the lovely Cecily Beane Cullinan - postpartum doula, Kindermusik Teacher extraordinaire and incredible human who used her lived experience with Perinatal Mental Health Disorders to volunteer in PSI’s Peer Mentor Program! (Whisper – that’s where…
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Send us a text Trigger Warning: Intrusive Thoughts On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with the one, the only, Lisette Lopez-Rose, Assistant Manager of Support Groups here at PSI and an outspoken perinatal mental health advocate for Latino parents everywhere. We’ll chat about being surprised by postpartum rage, intrusive thoughts, difficulty get…
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Send us a text Episode 31 - Dr. Nicole Pensak, PhD, PMH-C On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Perinatal Mental Health-Certified Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nicole Pensak! We’ll hear about her experience recognizing that she desperately needed to reach out for help after becoming a mom. Dr. Pensak is an incredible advocate, a dedicated researc…
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