EP6. A Psychologist's Journey Through Birth Trauma & Postpartum Healing

About this episode

Jade and psychologist Kayla discuss her personal experience with birth trauma and postpartum anxiety, highlighting the disconnect between professional training and lived experience.

What happens when a psychologist experiences birth trauma herself? In this powerful episode, Jade sits down with a fellow mother and mental health professional, Kayla who shares her story of an emergency c-section under general anesthesia — where neither she nor her husband were present when their son entered the world. You'll hear about the unexpected disconnect between professional training and lived experience, the confusion of high-functioning postpartum anxiety that didn't match what she'd learned to look for, and the grief that comes when birth doesn't go as planned. Kayla opens up about the journaling journey that helped her process feelings she couldn't quite hold, the healthcare experiences that left her feeling rushed and shamed, and the moment her therapist finally named what she was experiencing: postpartum anxiety and birth trauma. Together, they explore the massive gap in postpartum care — where appointments focus on baby's weight while mothers slip through the cracks — and what real healing requires: safe spaces, the freedom to tell your story again and again, and someone who won't rush past your pain with "at least you're both healthy." If you've ever…

People in this episode

Host: Jade Marklew

Guest: Kayla

Topics covered

• birth trauma
• postpartum healing
• mental health
• motherhood
• anxiety
• healthcare experiences

Keywords

• birth trauma
• postpartum anxiety
• mental health
• emergency c-section
• motherhood
• healing
• healthcare

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