284: Blindsided by Anxiety and PTSD with Molly Vasa Bertolucci, PMH-C

Struggles in the transition to motherhood can be a great motivator to help others. Such is the story of today’s guest. Becoming a mom during the early months of the COVID pandemic left Molly feeling blindsided by her birth and postpartum experience, even as a therapist. Unexplained seizures sent her newborn daughter to the NICU, an experience that fueled her postpartum anxiety. Later, she had a missed OCD diagnosis and went through the understandably difficult decision to have a second child. Join us to hear Molly’s story!

Molly Vasa Bertolucci is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California and the founder of Poppy Therapy. She helps new moms, postpartum women, and moms who want to find meaning and courage in the emotions, big decisions, transitions, and new experiences that come with motherhood. She is a mother of two and is passionate about perinatal mental health. When she’s not doing therapy, Molly interviews moms about their first year of motherhood for her podcast, Our First Year. 

Show Highlights:

• Molly’s story of feeling blindsided and isolated by her daughter’s traumatic birth and postpartum anxiety
• How an earlier miscarriage and the COVID shutdown preceded Molly’s traumatic birth experience at a birth center 
• How breathing complications for her baby, being sent home too soon (after five hours), and unexplained seizures prompted a NICU stay of about ten days for her daughter
• How the continued COVID shutdown, nearby wildfires, mandatory CA curfews, and the death of a beloved family pet kept Molly feeling isolated, traumatized, and anxious
• How Molly experienced OCD with feeling consumed by fear and doubt as her life spiraled into chaos and upheaval
• How shocking intrusive thoughts prompted Molly to get help when her daughter was 6 months old
• How Molly found help and relief through EMDR with a therapist and from the Hand to Hold support group for NICU parents
• How medication helped with Molly’s OCD symptoms that she describes as mental and emotional torture
• Why it was a difficult decision to have a second child, even though that birth turned out to be a healing experience much different than the first time
• Why Molly decided to specialize in perinatal mental health and begin a podcast
• Takeaways from Molly: “There is help! If you are not feeling like yourself, reach out for support. There is a whole world of support out there for you.”

Resources:

Connect with Molly and Poppy Therapy: Website, Instagram, and Podcast 

Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support! 

Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.  

Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!

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