Therapy and Doula Services, the Golden Pairing
It all begins with an idea.
- guest post by Ashley Stafford, TBS
Is Therapy and Doula Services the golden pair for mothers to be? Birth isn't an easy thing. Technology has paired well with health care services, but there are many things it can't do. Mental health care is often overlooked or put on the back burner. This can be because everything else seems more important. Mental health means a lot in this time, for the mother and those they share parenthood with. This can look different for everyone like a spouse, partner, community, or family. Each with a different set of advantages and disadvantages but one thing remains, your mental health. While it's tempting to try and bury or sit alone with your struggles it's not sustainable. Your friends, family, partners, and more want to help you but they have struggles of their own. Having a person who is a trained Doula will help immensely for the birth and they will help tenfold in postpartum. When things feel overwhelming find the best person(s) to help. Combine the services you need in ways that make sense for you.
What if you added mental health training?
As a massage therapist I am often asked questions I am unable to answer. Until there are courses that address mental health to my standards I will continue to refer out.
I feel that therapy and Doula services are the golden pair-Ashley, Tranquil Therapy
Doulas are in a unique position to help mothers before and after birth. Therapists are often sought after symptoms have gotten "worse". When treating mental health it's always best to start yesterday so why not combine it? Wouldn't you want the person assisting you in birth to be aware of your mental health? We should stop separating mental and physical health and communicate with each other. This particular pairing seems natural so why don't more people do it?
Here are a few reasons why pairing it with mental health services is a golden pairing.
You can treat postpartum before it gets "bad". Start therapy in the early stages that align with your pregnancy. This way after the birth you can focus on recovery.
The Doula can catch symptoms early on. When a facility has both it's much easier for the doula to inform a therapist if something seems "off".
Therapists have a deeper understanding of what their client is going through and can offer more personalized solutions. Building systems for both the home and mental health.
If you are in Pennsylvania I highly suggest Stacy Martinez of Stronger Together LLC a Therapy and Doula Services provider. Although based in Lancaster County she uses telehealth services!