Hello Beautiful Soul,
June is National PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Awareness Month and with this, has been my reflection on what my intuition and spirituality has done for my PTSD, specifically the perinatal PTSD that I experienced as a result of my daughter's life threatening diagnosis in utero . A lot of this inner work and reflection has helped me to affirm my belief that my spirituality has provided incredible resilience and benefits for my mental health and overall wellbeing.
One of the most widely asked questions when people found out I was having another baby after the trauma I went through with my first born was, how? How did I have the courage to do it again?
In fact, only a few weeks before my sons birth, we were at my daughter’s full day of appointments with her team of specialists at Boston Children’s Hospital. Knowing our journey, those medical providers also asked "how." They had seen the depths of the journey we went on and what other parents they support go through and were lovingly curious how my mental health was. My answer every single time was “I just know it will be okay.“
Being intuitive doesn’t mean you are without hardships. For me, the hardships still come, but my connection to soul and spirit are my compass when I need to sail the rough water. They help me stay present in the current while staying hopeful for land.
I always had an inner knowing that this baby would not have the congenital defect that my daughter had. He would be okay and we would all be okay. During my pregnancy with my son, Spirit would often show me signs clairvoyantly of him at various ages throughout his life. Spirit knew I needed this confirmation and so, it was there. My faith and confidence in Spirit supported me through the experience of my daughter’s first two years here on Earth and I knew I could trust this connection to not lead me astray. In fact, we all joked that even though my son did not have a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, we still faced perinatal challenges (as most people do). I had gestational diabetes with my son and was monitoring my glucose four times per day and I ended up being induced which was the last thing I wanted after the medical trauma I went through with my daughters induction. Yet, the BIG whammy was that on Christmas Day, one day after we were discharged from the hospital, we all tested positive for COVID-19. All chances of a “normal” postpartum period were shifted once again. But you know what? I knew we would be safe. I knew this little three day old baby would be safe because Spirit showed me this over and over again. In my heart, I had confidence that this was part of my soul’s path to experience this and so I anchored down and let the waves pass by me. This is the power of connecting to Spirit. There is hope. There is clarity and there is surrender. During times of struggle, our mind tries to harbor control and shift direction as much as possible. Yet, at the end of the day, we are truly where we are needed. We come out of it and find glimmering meaning in it all. For me, it was the commitment to and reminder of my steadfast faith in Spirit and my soul’s journey. By leaning in, I reminded myself that I was able to receive the lesson of growth and healing. Healing the fear and disconnect from myself during the perinatal period of my first born. Letting go of the expectation that I know what should be and really experience the gratitude of what is.
Here are some questions to support you in identifying the role that your intuition or spirituality has in your mental wellness:
1. How does your connection to something greater positively influence your mental wellness?
a. What ways are you reminded of this connection during your everyday life?
b. What ways have you been reminded of this connection during hardships?
2. Do you desire further connection to something greater?
a. If so, how can you create more space within your everyday life to strengthen this relationship?
b. If no, why not? What is this communicating to you about your spirituality and life at this time?
As always, I am here for you and cheering you on!
All my love,
Kate Stacom, MSW, LICSW
Clinically-Informed & Soul-Centered
"Bridging Mental Health and Spirituality to Help Your Soul Shine"
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