Betty Flores, MSW, LCSW

11/09/2025

Our ofrenda wasn’t traditional this year, but it was full of love and meaning. The girls were curious—asking who everyone was, how they were connected, and what we remembered. My oldest kissed each photo, saying she missed them and wished she could’ve met them. The only one they knew was Isa—whose kindness left a lasting imprint. 🕯️

As a perinatal therapist and daughter of my lineage, I’ve learned that remembrance is also healing. Día de los Mu***os invites us to hold both love and grief—to honor what was given, and to gently question what no longer serves.

We can honor our ancestors while dismantling old cultural norms of patriarchy, silence, and machismo. We can carry forward the love, resilience, and joy — while allowing space for the anger, sadness, and repair that also live in our stories.

Parenthood gives us that chance. To honor. To heal. To rewrite. ❤️

***os

11/07/2025

Last night’s MOM Dance Party with was everything I didn’t know I needed.

I was asked to get up on stage and dance it out — anxiety almost got the the best of me. But then I remembered what I teach every day in perinatal mental health work:
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS and let our nervous systems experience joy at the same time.

So I said yes.
And it was brave.
And it was so fun.

Dancing with other women felt like the collective exhale we all needed — a reminder that movement, music, and community aren’t extras; they’re essential forms of care in the perinatal season.

Whether you’re pregnant, postpartum, navigating loss, or just carrying the invisible load of motherhood — your body deserves moments of release, laughter, and belonging.

Here’s to more dance floors, more community, and more moments that remind us we’re still here, healing together.

🪩 Thank you for creating this space. Already counting down to the next one!

Educational only; not therapy or medical advice. If you’re struggling, reach out to a perinatal-trained provider or visit Postpartum Support International for support.

11/07/2025

11/05/2025

There will always be one more thing on the to-do list in the perinatal season —
whether you’re pregnant, postpartum, in the thick of toddler life,or holding grief and loss in this journey.

And when loss is part of your story —
self-care can feel impossible. There’s a layer of fog, tenderness, survival, and disbelief in your body and nervous system.

If that’s where you are:
you don’t need to be “energized” or “joyful” to deserve care.
You deserve gentleness, comfort, and moments where you don’t have to hold it all alone.

Because the dishes will still be there. The appointments, the feedings, the worry, the ache — all still there.

But windows for soft joy, for movement, for being held in community?
Those matter.
They regulate us.
They remind us we’re still here.
They help us breathe again.

Movement and music in the perinatal period can support:
✨ nervous system regulation
✨ stress + anxiety reduction
✨ mood support
✨ identity + body trust
✨ grieving bodies + hearts
✨ connection + belonging

Sometimes care looks like a nap.
Sometimes it looks like putting the spoon down, stepping away from tasks, and allowing your body to remember what ease feels like — even briefly.

🪩 SLC mamas — come dance with us Thursday

Not perfection.
Not pretending.
Just presence, possibility, and community.

If you’re in grief, there’s room for you, too.
You can step in and out as needed.
You’re welcome exactly as you are 🤍

What chore are you pressing pause on today so you can choose nourishment instead?

Educational only; not therapy or medical advice. If you’re needing support, connect with a perinatal-trained provider or visit Postpartum Support International.

11/03/2025

Perinatal isn’t one moment — it’s a season that stretches from pregnancy through postpartum and into motherhood.
So much changes — body, identity, nervous system, relationships, expectations.

And in a season with so much stress, uncertainty, and mental load…joy becomes a PROTECTIVE FACTOR, not a luxury.

Movement and music aren’t just fun — they support the perinatal nervous system by:

✨ reducing anxiety
✨ boosting mood + motivation
✨ increasing oxytocin + connection
✨ regulating stress hormones
✨ helping us feel in our bodies again
✨ building community in a time many feel alone

In pregnancy, postpartum, TTC, loss, or parenting littles —
your nervous system deserves support.

I wish I knew this during my first perinatal journey.
Self-care wasn’t just “rest and do everything alone quietly” —
sometimes it’s letting your shoulders drop, hips move, and body feel alive again.

🪩 SLC Mamas — Mom Dance Party Thursday WITH

Not about perfection.
Not about going “back.”
About connection, belonging, and remembering we get to feel good, too.

DM me if you want the link for tickets!! Save and Share as a reminder to MOVE that body.

Educational only; not therapy or medical advice. If you need support, connect with a perinatal-trained provider or visit Postpartum Support International.

06/16/2025

Two tragedies.
One weekend.
A protest and a festival—both places that should’ve been safe.

As a mom and a therapist, my heart is heavy. If you’re feeling shaken, you’re not alone. This carousel is for those of us holding our babies a little tighter and trying not to spiral in the “what ifs.”🖤

🫶🏽 Betty

06/15/2025

As a perinatal therapist, a mother, and someone who believes in using my voice—I showed up to the No Kings protest in SLC today.

It was peaceful. Until someone pulled a gun.

This is what happens when systems of power feel threatened—when voices demand justice, equity, and the dismantling of white supremacy. These moments of violence aren’t isolated. They ripple. Into our bodies, our nervous systems, our homes.

My family and I are home and safe.
None of us should have to normalize fear just to stand up for what’s right.

I’ll keep showing up. For the ones who can’t. For the ones who are too scared. Too overwhelmed. Too exhausted.
Because trauma is generational—but so is healing.

🫶🏽 Betty

06/11/2025

As a perinatal therapist and a parent, this isn’t just a professional issue—it’s personal.
I will die on this hill.

We cannot talk about breaking generational cycles or raising emotionally healthy children without talking about body autonomy.

Teaching our kids the automatically correct names for their body parts…
Teaching them they can say no to hugs, kisses, or touch they don’t want…
Teaching them that they are the boss of their body—this is where prevention starts.
This is how we raise children who trust themselves, who speak up, and who understand consent before they even know the word.

As a therapist, I’ve seen the impact of not having this foundation.
As a parent, I refuse to let silence or discomfort get in the way of protecting my kids.

This work starts at home. This work starts early.
And no, it’s not too much. It’s not too heavy. It’s necessary.

🫶🏽 Betty

06/09/2025

Ten years married. 6/6
We’ve lived lifetimes together—
before kids, during the identity shifts, the unraveling, the rebuilding.
We are different in so many ways…
but aligned in all the ones that matter.

This is the speech I gave at our anniversary party.
It’s raw, honest.

Because love doesn’t stay the same.
And that doesn’t mean it’s broken.
It means it’s real.

💛 Betty

03/28/2025

GAD & OCD: More Similar Than You Think

Both involve compulsive rumination driven by intolerance of uncertainty—just with different themes.

In the perinatal period, this can look like overanalyzing parenting choices, seeking reassurance, or mentally replaying interactions. The problem? Compulsions don’t create certainty—they just reinforce doubt.

The key to breaking the cycle isn’t finding the “right” answer but learning to sit with uncertainty and trust yourself as a parent.

Which of these patterns feels familiar to you? Let’s talk in the comments! ⬇️

🫶🏽 Betty

03/25/2025

I’m a therapist, and not ashamed to admit the following in this post. I make mistakes. I unlearn, relearn, and grow—not to be perfect, but to truly understand. There’s no shame in needing support, no shame in healing, and no shame in being a work in progress.

🫶🏽 Betty