APT Counselling

Millennial friendships have survived a lot- big bang, worse time zones, group chats that should’ve been muted years ago.

So, it’s important to consider our ‘’Third space’’. Because 2023 meta analysis by Frontiers showed community friendship reduce social isolation and improve mental health outcomes.

What exactly is Third space?
It’s is a social environment distinct from home and work that encourages and facilitates community building, relaxation and connection.

Therapists often say, people can be our places providing the same psychological support as a third space increasing our mental health outcomes.

Because here’s the thing no one really tells you about the difficult conversation that we may need to have with someone about your prenatal appointments, disappointments, stresses and struggles which are beyond just glowing skin. That’s where friends show up not as a fixer but become your support person apart from health care professionals support, they become your google fact-checker, meme supplier and go-to person without any grand gestures. Please reach out to your therapist if you need more type of support. Remember, some friendship changes during pregnancy, it’s not a reflection of your worth, it’s a part of life’s biggest transition.

Happy International Earth day 🌍♻️💚🌱

If trees are poems, then losing them isn’t just environmental damage; it’s like tearing pages out of a book we didn’t finish reading.

You’re not “overreacting.”
You’re trying to make sense of something that changed you inside- out.

For many millennials, the conversation around birth is shifting. We are told to expect all pleasant things after birth. So when the birthing experience feels overwhelming, frightening, or disconnected, it can be deeply confusing.

“Was that birth trauma?”
“Or is this just postpartum?”
Let’s gently unpack this.
🌿 Postpartum is the period after birth and not just the first 6 weeks, but often months (even years) of physical, emotional, and hormonal adjustment. It can include: mood swings, difficulty sleeping, bonding issue
But it can get intense, persistent, or distressing if you have experienced trauma during birth.
🌿 Birth trauma is about how you experienced the birth.
🌿 So how are they connected?
Birth trauma doesn’t always stay in the delivery room.
It can shape your postpartum experience in ways like
Intrusive thoughts or flashbacks about the birth
Heightened anxiety or hyper vigilance
Avoidance of reminders (even medical settings or conversations surrounding birth)

Sometimes what’s labeled as “postpartum depression or anxiety” is actually trauma asking to be acknowledged.

🌿 Here’s the truth you deserve to hear:

Healing doesn’t mean forgetting.
It means making space for your story safely, gently, and without judgment.
If this resonates, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to carry it silently.

Some reminders for the days when your body remembers more than your mind wants to due to the overwhelming experiences caused by birth trauma.

For the hard days when birth trauma feels loud again:
Some days, it may come back in waves.
That doesn’t erase how far you’ve come. Here are some gentle reminders for you to know that you are doing your best!

Do you know the Power of Storytelling in Healing?
Storytelling isn’t just something we do for entertainment, it’s how we make sense of our lives, storytelling becomes a bridge between what happened and what it means.

When you begin to tell your story whether through journaling, speaking with others, or even quietly in your own thoughts, you would start to reclaim ownership. Trauma often steals narrative control. Storytelling gives it back.

On the other side, when we talk about story telling and children. We can also use storytelling through play:
Most importantly, create a simple bedtime stories where characters face challenges and find safety. Use toys or drawings to express feelings in a healthy way. Storytelling fits naturally into this.
By telling your story, you:
Reduce isolation (others will see themselves in you)
Normalize conversations around birth trauma
Model vulnerability and strength for your children.