May Thoughts: Family Life In A Crisis

Dear friends, 
 

This work has always been deeply important to me and my staff, but this time in history has us feeling that more  poignantly than usual.  We are so thankful that technology allows us to still be able to do the work we love, and to be of good use in this time.  

A unique part of our work is the windows we get into the worlds of our patients.  They trust us to let us in to their experiences, and from that unique perspective I can tell you that one thing is clear-- no one is doing well right now. This time has been hard for everyone--you are not alone! We all feel uncertainty and fear about the future--how far off is the vaccine timeline? How much longer can we live in this precarious state? There is so much on the line, and so much unknown.  

You’ve been telling us about the long days, and restless nights. The health and safety fears of being a front-line healthcare provider and essential worker. You’ve been telling us about crying in the shower, snapping at kids and partners, fretting over work deadlines, and the house that is bursting with chaos and clamor.  You’ve been telling us about feeling like you’re failing at work, and home -- and everywhere else you seem to turn. How there’s too much and not enough of anything--fear, patience, unrest and discomfort. There’s an audible hum of strain in the world as we now know it.  Our deepest existential fears are alive and well. The lows are lower, and the nervous system is ratcheted way up.  We know. We know. We know.

But I can tell you about the other side, because I get to know these things as well--that there is so much love and beauty still intact in all of our lives. Between the lines of perceived failure and fears are the joyful moments of family life. There are life-giving hugs and kisses to follow up the cranky moments. There are the miracles of laughter and levity after a night of wandering the house sleepless. There are movies and cookies in bed -- (and trust me, those will be the memories the kids hold onto). There are words of assurance, squeezes of connection, and coordinated planning for how you will persevere. And you will. We all will by some courageous grit or common grace, or both. There are miracles and moments that you will savor from this time, too --- I promise.

If we can be of any help to you in this time, please do connect. We’re here, we’re in this with you, and we can walk with you through it. We are available for teletherapy now, and we will open our offices again as soon as state guidelines allow. Our massage therapists can’t wait to get back to their craft, and we can’t wait to see more of your faces around our offices again! 

 
Motherhood Village Peer-group support is now on ZOOM Tuesdays @ 8:00pm, and Sundays at 7:00pm. Email ashley@maternalwellness.org to sign up and receive the secure link.

Are you longing for place? Community? Connection? Especially in this time of social isolation. We might have something you're in need of here at Maternal Wellness Center. Please contact us, if you are interested in any of these groups or classes. 

Warmly, 
Kellie Wicklund, LPC, PMH-C
Owner + Clinical Director, Maternal Wellness Center LLC