Going Below the Surface: Emotional Care

“I can’t do this!”

“There is no one that I can talk to without being judged.”

“I don’t know how to move on from what I’ve experienced.”

These are just a few of the things our nurses and social workers hear from some of the moms they see each week. Often shared through tears and isolation. Thankfully, for some, the gentleness, compassion and genuine care shown to them emboldens them to open up and share some of their story with us.

These are not always easy to hear. Some relay stories of abuse, neglect or a past trauma. Often the stories are followed up with, “I’ve never told anyone that before” or “not many people know that about me.”

The stories they share are a gift to our staff. Their vulnerability is a nod to the safety and security they find in our office. And these stories are a window into a soul that is bearing more than anyone ought bear alone. So our staff comes alongside and shoulders the burden with them, praying with them, counseling them. Many of these moms attend our Trauma Healing Workshop and find great help there to process their past. The journey of sharing and learning to process is very often a catalyst, propelling them forward with a new found hope. No longer weighed down with regret or feeling bound by their circumstances, these women are free to make their own way.

This is our prayer for them. That with God’s help they would go forward in hope, for themselves and their baby.