Balanced Beginnings Counselling

01/13/2025

This wonderful group is being offered by Cheyenne Currie, RSW, LCT-C of Indigo Healing Support and Services who works with us here at the Balanced Wellness Collective and has been an incredible addition to our team. Please share widely with people you know who could benefit from this type of support.

11/04/2024

We are SO excited to be able to offer this FREE perinatal screening day on November 15th, 2024 as a way to support birthing parents in our community. Here is the link to find out more information and to register:

https://www.indigohealingsupport.ca/upcomingevents/nov-2024-free-community-perinatal-mental-health-screening-day

Please share widely so more people can access this essential support.

10/25/2024

Exciting News from Balanced Wellness Collective! 🌿

We are thrilled to welcome Cheyenne, a new practitioner specializing in Perinatal Mental Health, Liberation, and Emotional-Decolonial Healing! With a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive approach, Cheyenne offers culturally competent care focused on Black, Indigenous, and People of the Global Majority Healing, Perinatal Mental Health, Q***r Healing, and Reproductive Trauma.

Cheyenne is now accepting clients! Book your FREE 15-minute consultation with Cheyenne to explore how they can support you on your healing journey.

Ready to connect? Reach out today at cheyenne@indigohealingsupport.ca or visit www.indigohealingsupport.ca

08/01/2024

I’m so thrilled to share this information about the valuable counselling services being offered by my colleague and friend, Rebekah Duval!

Hey there! I'm Rebekah Duval, a Licensed Counselling Therapist-Candidate from Fredericton, NB. With a focus on perinatal mental health, I'm here to provide practical support and guidance to individuals.

​My academic background includes a Bachelor's in Organizational Management from Crandall University and a Master's of Education in Counselling from the University of New Brunswick. These experiences have equipped me to offer tailored solutions to your unique challenges.

​Outside of counselling, you'll find me enjoying family time with my husband and three kids. Parenthood has taught me a lot, fueling my passion for supporting new parents through the ups and downs.

​I bring a unique perspective to my practice as both a bio and adoptive mom, understanding firsthand the diverse paths to parenthood and the joys and challenges that come with each. I've also pursued specialized training in perinatal mental health, understanding the importance of addressing specific needs during this transformative time. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, depression, or the general chaos of parenting, I'm here to offer support and practical strategies.

​My counselling approach is rooted in a person-centered and solution-focused framework, aimed at empowering you to overcome challenges and thrive. I believe in creating a supportive and non-judgmental environment where your unique experiences and strengths are valued. Together, we'll work collaboratively to identify your goals and develop practical strategies to navigate life's obstacles, fostering growth and resilience along the way. I look forward to working with you!

06/22/2024

It’s a good day!! After years of work behind the scenes, tax free therapy has now been made law, so licensed counselling therapists and other regulated counsellors no longer have to collect HST! Current clients can expect an email from me immediately with more information. This is a step in the right direction toward making therapy more accessible.

05/03/2024

May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness month, something that is close to my heart for personal and professional reasons. 1 in 5 women and birthing people experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder. Every day I listen to stories from women who are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, intensely sad, experiencing intrusive thoughts, and/or navigating how to put themselves back together after a traumatic birth. Nearly every one of these women thinks that she’s alone, that she’s somehow defective, that she’s failing at something that should come naturally, that women were “born to do”. The reality is that our society is not set up to support mothers, and we, and our children, are suffering as a result. An untenable work week, intensive and unrealistic mothering expectations, lack of childcare, lack of healthcare, lack of mental healthcare, lack of social and family support all contribute to the struggles of modern motherhood. Postpartum Support International’s campaign aims to start important conversations around maternal mental health.

Those who know me well know that I’m also 1 in 5. With my first son, I suffered from perinatal anxiety so intense I couldn’t sleep and couldn’t leave him with anyone and could barely function for the 15 months of his life. With my last son I was depressed throughout his pregnancy and traumatized by his birth and subsequent NICU stay. With support my symptoms have improved, but healing isn’t something that happens on its own or that we can do alone. If you’re struggling, reach out to someone you trust. I’m always here to offer support or a listening ear.

05/01/2024

Today is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day – an important opportunity to spotlight the necessity of equitable and compassionate maternal mental health care nationwide. Today, and everyday, it is critical to shine a light on supporting mothers/birthing parents through every step of their perinatal journey.

Did you know:

1 in 5 women/birthing parents experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD).
7 in 10 women/birthing parents hide or downplay symptoms due to stigma.
1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage or stillbirth, and mothers/birthing parents carry this grief while living with a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder.
What can you do this Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day? Let’s take action:

Attend a maternal mental health awareness event, like Flora's Walk, near you. 🌿

Learn about maternal mental health services, or lack thereof, in your area. 📚

Connect with federal, provincial, and local government representatives about the importance of maternal mental health care. 🤝

Donate to organizations advocating for inclusive, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed maternal mental health care. 💕

Together, we can break the silence, reduce stigma, and ensure that all birthing parents receive the support and care they deserve.

02/16/2024

An interesting article about the loss of identity many women experience in early motherhood. If you’re feeling completely disconnected from who you used to be, there might be grief around this. Know that it’s a season, not your forever reality, and that you’re not alone.

Over the course of my career as a psychotherapist specializing in maternal mental health, one theme reoccurs: our culture’s image of…

12/29/2023

This couch has seen and heard a lot this year. Tears, secrets, whispers of shame, and bursts of laughter. It has held parents grieving the loss of their babies, women experiencing the first movements of their little ones inside them, and women praying that this will be the year they finally see those two pink lines. It has seen diaper changes, lots of dog snuggles, the shedding of unhelpful patterns, and has been the birthplace of hope for a better tomorrow for so many. I am beyond grateful for the privilege of holding space for your stories, your triumphs, your pain and your joy, and I look forward to where 2024 will take us together.

10/16/2023

Losing a child fundamentally changes who you are and how you see the world. Whether you carried that child in your heart, your body, or your arms for far too short a time, the grief is all consuming. As you mourn your loss and honour their life today and every day, please know that you’re not alone.

10/15/2023

Today, October 15th, is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. At 7pm, join me in lighting a candle for all the babies born sleeping; the mothers who never got to hold their babies; the parents who had to make the most difficult decisions; and those who had to say impossible goodbyes. Miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, TFMR, embryo loss— losing a child at any stage brings with it unimaginable grief. Sending love to all those who hold their babies in their hearts, today and every day.

10/02/2023

Our office dog, Maia, highly recommends Karen Kleiman’s “What About Us” for new parents who find themselves suddenly struggling within their intimate partner relationship after having children. A whopping 90% of couples report being less happy immediately after having kids, and this is often due to struggles with communication, lack of sleep, lack of support, an unequal mental load, and lack of time and space to prioritize the relationship. This book offers excellent information and practical strategies to manage the new and challenging dynamics with your partner in the postpartum period.