10 Things You'll Love About Us + Many Spring Things!
Dear friends,
We've been busy continuously striving to make Maternal Wellness Center a place where our staff love to work, and our patients and patrons enjoy being. I've been thinking about what it is that makes the experience here a positive one, and at the heart, what values, principles and practices facilitate that environment. These are the 10 things that I believe set us apart as care providers in the area:
1. We hire the best talent we can find (value them, pay them well, give them support and flexibility). In turn, they stay with us and keep perfecting their craft and expertise each day that goes by. Take a minute to read the bios on our website and appreciate the variety of specialized care we offer (including three creative arts therapists!) as well as the depth and breadth of experience our therapists bring to our center.
2. We cross-train and share information with each other in multiple forums. The books in the office make the rounds; the articles and trainings get shared, and all my clinicians can contact me at any time with concerns. We put out heads together (sometimes also with the expertise of Dr. Danial consulting as well), and we find the absolute best course of care and support for every patient.
3. We are specialists in the field of maternal mental health! There are many clinicians that check that box on various therapy finders, but we are the real deal. I have 20 years of experience in the field, and 15 years specialized only in perinatal mental health. The rest of our clinicians here have years of experience as well. No one sees patients before they have completed at least 16 hours of specialized training through Postpartum Support International.
4. NO judgement--ever! We will not be shocked by anything you tell us. You will be met with kindness, compassion, and understanding. We uphold the mandate given by Carl Rogers which is to offer "unconditional positive regard" to our patients at all times. Fit matters, and we are always happy to make a switch if a patient lets us know it just isn't the right person for them. The ability to match patients with a provider who is an excellent fit for them is one of the gifts of working with a team of providers who are all well-versed in this specialty.
5. We value holding space for you and your needs by practicing very limited self disclosure. You will not experience a therapist chatting away about themselves and shifting the energy away from you and your needs. We will share some very broad information (such as do you have kids, training expertise etc), but by and large we will keep the focus on you and your needs. Instead, you will experience empathy and support regardless of if a therapist has walked the exact same path. We believe this gives you the deepest experience and allows us to be focused on what you need rather than muddying the waters with our details, and you will know we understand by the depth and precision of empathy.
6. We know our overarching values, speak them, and practice them. (feminism, reproductive justice, racial equity and inclusion, access to high-quality care for all). If there's an area where we can do better, let us know!
7. Our therapists are in therapy! We absolutely believe that one cannot be not be an effective therapist without knowing your own "stuff" and working through your own pain and conflicts. We preach this; we support this, and all of our staff are in their own therapy. You will feel that in the experience and know that our clinicians can very much understand what it's like to be in on the couch as the patient.
8. We can find a therapeutic fit for almost everyone in a range of specialty care and price points. We take pride in our flexibility, but we are also passionate about finding care for everyone who reaches out. If we aren't a fit, then we will make a referral. We want to know that everyone lands somewhere--even if it doesn't end up being with us.
9. We embrace the philosophy of "good enough" parenting without a strong agendas about what parenthood should look like. Parenting is different for different for different people. We are welcoming of all choices about how you feed your baby, arrange your sleeping configuration, select parenting philosophies, work outside the home or don't, etc. We strongly believe that the road to "good enough" parenting is wide and generous, and what we are most interested in understanding is what YOU and your family need to function best for who you are in the context of your life. We offer developmental information when applicable without imposing an agenda. Stay for a long or short as you like, you decide, and you will get better --- but do consider making the investment in yourself, for you, and for those you love. you're worth it!
10. We are committed to a community of care. We offer therapeutic massage in addition to support groups and classes to help families find healing and support, and in addition we house women-owned complementary care services that enrich our community. We are grateful to share space with Maria Silver Pyanov's Doula Care+Parenting Education, Empower Your Pelvis Women's Health and Pelvic Floor Occupational Therapy, Therapy with Jenny, and Choosing Kind. In one building, you can visit a pelvic floor OT, take a birth or parenting class, attend therapy, get a massage, visit drop-in hours with parent support, and attend support groups. I can't wait to see what comes next!
Our outdoor spaces are greening up and new picnic tables have arrived to facilitate outdoor groups as the weather warms. We hope you will come by to see the inviting spaces we’ve been.
Warmly,
Kellie Wicklund, LPC, PMH-C
Owner + Director
