I am linking here an article I wrote about birth trauma for the current issue of The Maryland Psychologist, a publication of the Maryland Psychological Association. Birth trauma is often overlooked—if you are experiencing these challenges in the post-partum phase, you are not alone! There are many available and effective treatments.

https://7572073b.flowpaper.com/MarylandPsychSU23Final/#page=12

More and more, women are initiating conversations with me about their alcohol use.  They are expressing concerns about their drinking even when they consider themselves to be “moderate” drinkers.  They want to stop or cut back but they aren’t sure where to start. 

There is research that alcohol poses unique risks for women.  Annie Grace, in her book, “This Naked Mind,” a guide to quitting drinking, cited some sobering (pun intended) statistics on the link between drinking and cancer for middle-aged women.  Alcohol is also marketed to women in different ways than it is marketed to men. Women, especially mothers, are encouraged by marketers and advertisers to use alcohol as a way to relieve stress and engage in self-care. 

Because of the complicated relationship so many women have with alcohol I am offering a short-term discussion and support group for women who want a safe and confidential space to explore their drinking.   The ideal group members are women and female-identified people who feel like alcohol is no longer serving them but aren’t sure they want to stop drinking. We will use the book, “This Naked Mind” by Annie Grace as a starting point.  We will focus on the intrapsychic and relational aspects of alcohol use as well as the fears and hopes of group members, regardless of whether the goal is reducing alcohol intake or sobriety.  

If you are brand new to the sober literature and looking to learn about the experiences of others who chose sobriety, you might read one of several memoirs that are available in this genre.  I have read many of them!  They are not all amazing but the cumulative effect of reading several sober memoirs made a significant impact on how I understood the dilemma of alcohol addiction. Often, individual stories have common threads.  The typical plot lines:  smart, successful, feminist woman drinks too much in an attempt to manage stress, cope with trauma, prove her worth, or cope with pressures of the patriarchy.  In the sea of sober memoirs, the one I recommend is “Blackout” by Sarah Hepola.

Finally, if you are a runner or triathlete (or anyone) who is struggling with drinking, I highly recommend Meredith Atwood’s website and blog.  She is a woman with a story to tell and she tells it with eloquence, grace, and courage.  Find her at https://swimbikemom.com

For more information about my book discussion and support group, go to the Groups tab on my website. 

To see my blog posts about pregnancy after loss and related topics, visit https://pregnancyafterlosssupport.com/author/rachelfreedman/

My latest blog post at www.pregnancyafterlosssupport.com deals with the loss of “everyday” symbols that can happen following a pregnancy loss. This is true of other types of losses and also of traumatic experiences. Read the blog post here:

https://pregnancyafterlosssupport.com/everyday-symbols-triggers-pregnacy-after-loss/