Originally from Melbourne, I lived in Los Angeles for 10 years. I was married there and raised my son until he was 18 months old in a part of LA called West Hollywood. During this time, and after the loss of my first pregnancy to a little boy with genetic abnormalities (please see Gemma’s story for more) I found the incredible community at Maternal Mental Health NOW (MMHN) – an institution set up to remove barriers to the prevention, screening and treatment of prenatal and postpartum depression in Los Angeles County – through them I was lucky enough to participate in a maternal healing workshop run by the incredible Melissa Bangs.

This workshop found me about two years after my loss, at a time I desperately needed to be acknowledge in my experience. At the time, my son was 7 months old. I spent the pregnancy with him dealing with strong anxiety and post-traumatic stress, in fear I would lose him the same way I lost my first little baby. On top of this, once my son was born, my husband disappeared into his ambitions and creative endeavours and I found myself alone, in LA, with no family and a tiny baby who didn’t sleep.

As I sat in the circle of women in the workshop who had each gone through her own tragedy, I realised my life had forever changed. The workshop helped me deeply on a personal level, as I was afforded the time, space and respect to openly share my heartache, without judgment, with others who truly understood my pain and were able to hold me in it. And these other women became steady friends for years to come. They became my community. But there was something else in it too… that day my priorities shifted and I realised I wanted to stand in this space, arms open wide, and help other women be seen, heard and held in community.