The Sad Moms Club

Today we speak with the three hosts of the Thoughts on Thoughts podcast: Jessica, Taylor, and KJ. They are three therapists who want to bring the therapy office to you. We talk about attachment styles including secure attachment, anxious attachment, and avoidant attachment styles. Learning this concept helped me immensely as a human being who has relationships with other human beings. If you are a...

Monica Ashton, a licensed clinical social worker and certified sex therapist who teaches us all about sex therapy: reasons you may consider starting sex therapy, topics you may discuss, topics you are allowed to discuss (hint: everything is on the table), and resources she suggests. Monica Ashton is part of the executive team and a clinician at The Healing Group in Salt Lake City.  Resources: The...

Welcome back! This is the first episode of season 2 of The Sad Moms Club podcast. Today I talk to Erin Shepard , owner and clinician and Yarrow Therapy & Counseling Services . She and I talk about something she calls sustainable wellness which is "the idea that a balanced life doesn't necessarily mean a balanced day." She also talks about how to get out of anxiety and depression...

Today we get to talk to Jenna Overbaugh, a licensed professional counselor, educator, and host of All the Hard Things . During the episode, she shares her story, normalizes intrusive thoughts, teaches us about the OCD/anxiety cycle, and explains basic concepts of exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. Though she doesn't work in Utah, she offers several classes, her free podcast, and...

Today we have Anj Lineback who is an LCSW, she has a private practice called Ripple Effect Counseling in SLC, and is the current Postpartum Support International Utah Chapter president. She is a spunky, extroverted person who loves helping perinatal women and especially loves helping them build community. We discuss what contributes to loneliness in motherhood (which is basically everything about...

Today I talk to Cassie, a mother of two and L&D nurse, who shares her personal experience with preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, anxiety, and postpartum depression. She talks about some difficult thoughts she had during this time of depression and how she found her way back to herself. This story is close to her heart, and it will touch yours. Big thanks to Cassie for her vulnerability. Resources:...

Today I get to talk to Dr. Deirdre Conway, a local reproductive endocrinologist from Utah Fertility Center. She helps us understand the difference between an OBGYN and a reproductive endocrinologist (REI), when to make an appointment with an REI, what a first appointment looks like, how common infertility is, and possible treatment options. She's an absolute delight, and you'll love gett...

Short solo episode on my number one question: how do I find a therapist who specializes in maternal mental health AND who takes my insurance AND who I like AND is taking new clients?  I also talk about how I navigate these sites, so the options are not so overwhelming. Here are the resources I share in the episode: PSI Helpline PSI Directory PSI Support Groups Utah-Specific Maternal Mental Health...

I get to talk to Louisa, a local Utah mother of two children. She shares her personal experience with postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety after delivering her first daughter and adopting her second. She explains some of her thoughts from when she was struggling the most and how therapy helped her.  Resources: PSI Helpline : 1-800-944-4773 Louisa actually called this number and the PSI coo...

Emily Freeze is a marriage and family therapist who specializes in working with couples as well as maternal and reproductive mental health. She is an owner of New Beginnings Counseling Group who has locations in Provo, Lehi, and American Fork. Emily shares a lot about her own story regarding her infertility journey. She normalizes going to couples therapy, common problems couples face, and offers...

Today I talk with Betty Flores, LCSW, who has a private practice called Perinatal Wellness where she sees clients in Utah and North Carolina. We talk about her experience postpartum, the mental load of motherhood, perfectionism, asking for help, and planning for the postpartum period while pregnant.  Resources: Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to...

This episode we talk about some of my experiences with loneliness, why connection is so important for humans, and some tips on how to make friends as an adult.  Resources: PSI Online Support Groups Call or Text PSI Help Line: 1-800-944-4773 maternalmentalhealth.utah.gov What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness TEDTalk by Robert Waldinger Making Friends as An Adult by Tho...

Camille Hawkins is a therapist and owner of Chapters & Seasons who shares her personal experience with infertility, pregnancy loss, and infant loss. She acknowledges and affirms that if you have lost a baby or pregnancy, your loss matters. Your pain is real and valid and that is due to the deep love and connection that you have with a baby or pregnancy that you lost. She teaches us a few thing...

Today I talk with two people from the Utah Infertility Resource Center (UIRC), a non-profit organization that provides education and emotional support to those who are struggling to grow their families so they are empowered, strengthened, and equipped to move forward on their respective journeys. First, I speak with Annie Hamilton who has experienced infertility herself and is now a therapist at U...

Today I talk with Dr. Lauren Gimbel who is an OBGYN at the University of Utah. We talk about the value of pre-conception visits, the risks associated with untreated mental illness during pregnancy, and the building blocks of mental health: sleep, nutrition, and exercise. After the interview, I talk a little bit about postpartum psychosis because of a recent tragedy that has been in the news. I als...

Sam Dawson-Tandy is a physical therapist and pelvic floor specialist in Utah. Sam shares reasons why someone may see a pelvic floor PT, how appointments work, and things she wishes women knew pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, and postpartum.  She realized as she worked over the last several years that pelvic floor physical therapy is not accessible to everyone, so she decided to start Birth, Embodi...

I talk to Megan Johnson, CSW who is the sister of Emily and co-founder of The Emily Effect. Emily Cook Dyches was a committed mother, a caring daughter, and a loving sister who lost her life to postpartum anxiety. Megan, her sister, talks to us about Emily as well as some coping skills to help mothers regardless of a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. We discuss managing expectations, mindfulnes...

Jessica Allred owns and provides therapy at Treat Counseling in Bountiful and Layton, Utah. She shares her experience with postpartum anxiety, teaches us what happens to the postpartum brain, and gives us concrete strategies to improve mom's mental health. My Type A brain loves this kind of stuff. She pulls a lot of her information from this literal textbook: Women's Reproductive Mental...

Jasmin Charles is a physician assistant and clinical director of the Substance Use in Pregnancy Recovery Addiction Dependence Clinic (SUPeRAD). She is a powerhouse of a human being and has a fierce love for humanity. Every single person could benefit from listening to this whether you have a substance use disorder or not. SUPeRAD is a specialty prenatal clinic that integrates maternal fetal medici...

I talk with Ashley Henderson who is an ownership partner and clinician with Reach Counseling in South Jordan and Salt Lake City, UT (though they, like most places now, offer virtual therapy). We discuss the difference between baby blues and postpartum depression as well as what you might be experiencing if you have postpartum anxiety. Resources: EPDS Scale. Contact your provider if you score above...

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Alyssa Hickert about the safety of medications in pregnancy including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics. She educates us on intrusive thoughts and how they showed up for her when she had her own baby. TLDR: Many psychiatric medications are safe. It's important to have a discussion with your provider about the best choice for you. We talk ab...

Jamie Hales works at Huntsman Mental Health Institute as an LCSW and is the co-chair of Postpartum Support International Utah Chapter. She shares her personal journey which includes infertility, IVF, pregnancy loss, postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, birth trauma, and her partner's postpartum anxiety. She offers hope for others who experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and d...

In this episode, we talk to Misty DeMann, LMFT who works at The EFT Clinic. We talk about the impact a child has on a relationship and how to maintain a healthy relationship during the postpartum period. Resources discussed: Connection & Attachment: Romantic Relationships Edition by Thoughts on Thoughts Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson PSI Utah Resources for Patients PSI Free Online Support Gr...

This episode features Lyndsey Proctor, LCSW owner of Serenity Recovery & Wellness. We talk all about boundaries: what they are, why they matter, who they benefit, and a formula for how to set them (a skill called DEAR MAN). We flesh out an example of how to set a boundary with a partner. DEAR MAN Worksheet Postpartum Support International Website PSI Free Online Support Groups Local Support Gr...

Laura Parry, LCSW owns Roots & Branches Wellness in Lehi, Utah. We discuss self-compassion, matrescence, and inner child work. Resources discussed in the episode: Find Maternal Mental Health Providers in Utah Kristin Neff's Self-Compassion Website  5 Minute Self-Compassion Meditation Alexandra Sacks, MD TED Talk on Matrescence The Birth of A Mother, NY Times Article by Alexandra Sacks, MD...