Fiona Rogerson - Trauma and Perinatal Counsellor & Birth Educator, Perth

In my sessions with mums, a common concern surfaces: the struggle to find what many call a "village." This sentiment resonates widely among perinatal women and is often amplified by social media's portrayal of a seamless support network comprising lifelong friends and ever-present family. However, the reality for most is far from this ideal.

I've felt it too... wondering what was wrong with me that I didn't have that close-knit circle of friends, and resentment at those that did.

One of the things that has helped over the years to overcome those feelings of defection and rejection was to intentionally expand my idea of what a "village" is. And this is something I often share with my clients. It's not just about having an "inner circle" of life-long friends that are always there for us at the drop of a hat. That village can come in many forms, from many people, for many reasons, and in many dimensions of life.

For example, your village may be filled with those whose support is ongoing, or their support may be fleeting.
Sometimes we need people who will be there for us for the long haul, and sometimes we just need someone to validate our feelings in the moment.
Sometimes is just a smile from the same checkout assistant you see every week when you do your grocery shopping.
Sometimes it's the other mums you say a quick hello to every week at swimming lessons.
Sometimes its your counsellor you see every fortnight!

Our village can be found face to face, or it can be found online.
Our village can be built from friends, acquaintances or from paid professional support.
Our village in our home life may look different from that in our work life.

The truth is, having a combination of all of these types of support can be more helpful and realistic than relying solely on an "inner circle." That way, we have support where, when, and how we need it most.

We CAN have a village if we widen our view of what that can actually look like.

Calling all midwives, birth workers and professionals who support perinatal individuals...

📣 Rethinking Trauma - The Live Workshop, is back for only 2 more workshops this year!

This is THE 5 hour workshop for ALL perinatal professionals supporting clients through or after birth trauma.

A live, interactive online workshop, designed to move you from confusion to clarity, so that you can gain the confidence you need to effectively support individuals who have experienced trauma during pregnancy or childbirth. Rethinking Trauma gives you the tools, strategies and techniques to not only will you improve your clients' experience with your services, but to also allow you to find greater satisfaction in your work - all within the scope of your role... yes, even if you're completely new to learning about trauma.

Rethinkingng Trauma: The Live Workshop designed to teach you the tools to be truly trauma-responsiveness in the perinatal space, covering:
➡️ Defining trauma and the various types
➡️ Recognising signs within your clients
➡️ Working safely within your scope of practice
➡️ How trauma works in the brain and body
➡️ Polyvagal theory
➡️ Trauma sensitive language
➡️ A framework for how to make successful referrals
➡️ Debriefing structure and guidelines
➡️ Vicarious and secondary trauma
… with new content!

Our next workshop is rapidly approaching on Friday August 9, with only 4 places left (places strictly limited to ensure personal support for those involved).

CPD Endorsed by the ACM for 5 hours of professional development.

Our next workshop is rapidly approaching on Friday August 9, with 80% of places now sold. We have only 3 places left at the current early-bird price!

It really is a must for every birth worker and perinatal professional, and it will absolutely change the way you work.

I can't wait to see you there!

As a perinatal professional you often see first hand the impact of birth trauma…

Your clients are your top priority so you want to make sure you know how to safely and effectively care for them – and that’s why I’ve created something especially for you.

After supporting hundreds of women across the birth trauma space and training many perinatal professionals (just like you) – there are 8 crucial elements you need to know to support your clients after birth trauma.

Come inside and I’ll take you through exactly what every perinatal professional needs as a foundation for their work. Download it now through the link in my bio 👆🏾

The statistic that no one is talking about...

66.7% of mothers that have experienced birth trauma attribute the cause of that trauma to be at the hands of their care professionals (Reed, 2017).

Every day my team works with women who have experienced birth trauma, with the impact of their experience lasting weeks, months or years.

As hard as it is to hear, this trauma is often caused at the hands of our medical model of birth.

It’s because of this that many women then go on to find their visits to supporting health professionals post-birth, very difficult.

Some are then being retraumatised by this experience too.

While the intent behind the interaction is always to provide support, the outcome isn’t always as hoped.

If you’re a perinatal professional looking for resources on how to more effectively work with trauma within your clients, I implore you to download my FREE Resource - 8 Critical Elements You Need to Support Your Patients and Clients After Birth Trauma.

It's available through the link in my bio 👆🏾

As a perinatal professional I know you see first hand the impact of birth trauma, and I know that impacts you too.

I know you deeply care about your clients and you want to make sure you know how to safely and effectively care for them.

Yet, many of you also share that you don’t feel equipped with the training and knowledge to effectively respond to disclosures of birth trauma.

And I understand, because I’ve been there too.

When I first stepped into perinatal work in 2016, I had no idea of the deep impact my daily interactions with my clients would be having on them. And not in a positive way, despite my work focusing on providing antenatal and postnatal care…

It wasn’t until I entered the trauma therapy space that I became aware of how ignorant I had been for so long, and how many mistakes I had made through the years with how I’ve responded to the trauma within my clients.

I realised that so much of the information I had been given taught me how to listen to respond - instead of teaching me how to listen to deeply understand - without seeking to create immediate change or resolution.

I’ve since gone on to support hundreds of women across the birth trauma space, and train as many perinatal professionals – and I’ve poured my knowledge and experience into a free guide on the ‘8 Critical Elements You Need to Support Your Patients and Clients After Birth Trauma.

If you’re a perinatal professional this is essential reading for you. Inside, I take you through exactly what every perinatal professional needs as a foundation for their work.

Download your free copy now from my bio link.

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Today marks the beginning of Birth Trauma Awareness Week for 2024.

As many Instagram accounts will be highlighting the realities of traumatic experiences for birthing women (and so they should!), I want to shine a light on what we know to be the primary source of birth trauma, so that we can move toward solutions. Because as this quote says, until we address the wound, we can’t begin to heal.

A significant portion of birth trauma (research shows this to be 66.7% of reported birth trauma) stems from interactions with health professionals, underscoring the need for systemic change. Acknowledging these origins is essential in working toward better support and care for mothers.

So to the perinatal professionals reading this post...
I know you witness firsthand the impact of birth trauma on your clients and yourself. You deeply care about providing safe and effective care, yet many of you feel unprepared to address these complex issues. I understand this challenge because I've been there too.

When I began perinatal work in 2015 as a doula, I had no idea of the deep impact my daily interactions with clients would have on them. Despite my focus on antenatal and postnatal care, it wasn't until I entered the trauma therapy space that I realised the extent of my ignorance and the mistakes I had made in responding to clients' experiences and their trauma.

Since then, I’ve supported hundreds of women and trained numerous professionals in the birth trauma space.

I've taken the lessons I've learned and compiled my knowledge into a free guide on the '8 Critical Elements You Need to Support Your Patients and Clients After Birth Trauma.' This essential resource is designed to help perinatal professionals identify what is needed to provide the best possible care to the women and families they serve.

If you’re a perinatal professional, this is essential reading for you. Inside I take you through what every perinatal professional needs as a foundation for their work.

Download your free copy from the link in my bio. We need to make changes from the inside if we're serious about supporting our women.

Is this you? (👇🏽 Scroll through the slides to find out what parenting through trauma looks like).

Somewhere along the way, that vision of parenthood you dreamed of fell away…

And in its place came anxiety, rage, sadness, grief, disappointment and confusion…

You don’t know what this all means, but you know you don’t want this to be how your parenting experience is…

I hear you - I remember finding myself in this place too.

In 2007 I became a mother for the first time.
As a new mum, I was experiencing signs
of postnatal depression, anxiety and
trauma, which for years went unrecognised
and unacknowledged.

I didn’t feel myself, so I had no idea who I
was. I felt incredibly lonely and although I
craved connection, I found myself moving
away and retreating from others. The
disconnect from others, and from myself,
was screaming loudly.

I didn’t want to be alone with my baby. I felt like I was the only one who was struggling with the whirlwind of what I was feeling… one minute overwhelmed, the next numb.

I couldn’t articulate any of this to anyone… even to myself.

If this sounds like you too, I want you to know that you’re not alone. And it can be a better experience, for you and your child.

If you are recognising signs of trauma within your parenting here's how to take proactive steps toward healing:

1. Acknowledge Your Experience:
The first step towards healing is acknowledging and validating your experience of birth trauma.

2. Seek Professional Support:
Consider seeking guidance from healthcare professionals or therapists who specialise in perinatal trauma-informed care.

3. Practice Self-Care: Prioritise meeting your needs as you navigate the healing process.

4. Communicate Openly:
Foster open and honest communication with those in your circle.

5. Set Boundaries:
Establishing boundaries is essential for protecting your emotional wellbeing and maintaining healthy relationships.

Access more information in my free guide: "7 Signs Your Birth Trauma Is Impacting Your Parenting."

You can download it now
https://fionarogerson.com.au/free-download-7-signs-your-birth-trauma-is-impacting-your-parenting/

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Wondering if you might benefit from a Birth Debriefing session with us but don't know what it is?

Read on, and pin this post to come back to 📌

Birth debriefing can be done individually or as a couple, online or in-person. It gives you an opportunity to talk openly and honestly about your experience of birth, with a specialist trauma and perinatal counsellor.

This session can help you make sense of not only the events that happened during and surrounding your birth but also gain an understanding of the array of deep emotions and feelings that went with it and still continue.

It's never too late to seek out a Birth Debriefing session with us if you have lingering confusing emotions.

Comment below with the word DEBRIEF and I can send you some more information.

Are you finding yourself parenting in a way that feels so disconnected and far from how you imagined?

Perhaps you're experiencing outbursts of rage, anxiety, or detachment. All closely followed by shame and guilt.

What I know to be true from working with thousands of clients is that often the underlying cause is this:

Birth trauma.

That's why I've created the "7 Signs Your Birth Trauma Is Impacting Your Parenting" guide.

In this free resource, you'll discover:
✔️ A deeper understanding of what birth trauma actually is
✔️ 7 common signs that birth trauma is affecting your parenting journey
✔️ How birth trauma can influence your attachment and connection with your child
✔️ Direction to begin healing and reclaiming the parenting experience you deserve.

You don't have to continue struggling alone.

Download your free guide today and take the first step toward understanding and overcoming the effects of birth trauma. Head to the link in my bio to find it 👆🏽

This is what I've learned as an EMDR counsellor who has had the privilege of walking alongside many brave women as they move towards healing after birth trauma 👇🏼

1. Healing is possible
No matter how deep the wounds or how long ago the trauma, healing is always possible. EMDR therapy has shown me time and time again that our minds and bodies possess an incredible capacity for resilience and change. With the right support and guidance, we can emerge from the shadows of birth trauma stronger, more empowered, and more whole than we ever thought possible.

2. Reintegration helps us to heal
Birth trauma can fracture our sense of self and leave us feeling fragmented and disconnected (from ourselves and our loved ones). But through EMDR therapy, we have the opportunity to reintegrate those fragmented parts of ourselves - to reclaim our wholeness and rediscover the inherent strength within us.

3. Honour your pace and your journey
Healing is not a linear path—it's a process of ups and downs, breakthroughs and setbacks. And that's okay. In fact, it's more than okay—it's part of the process. Through EMDR therapy, I've learned the importance of honouring each woman's own journey and pace, meeting her where she's at with compassion, empathy, and unwavering support.

4. Empowerment rewrites narratives
Perhaps most importantly, EMDR therapy empowers women to become active participants in their own healing journey. It fosters a sense of agency and control over their emotional well-being. By facilitating the reprocessing of distressing memories, EMDR enables women to reclaim a strength that was always there by may have been overshadowed by trauma. Empowerment rewrites narratives of shame and failure into stories of triumph, paving the way for profound personal growth, connection and a renewed outlook on life.

To all the women who are on this journey of healing after birth trauma, know that you are not alone.

And, when you're ready to start your journey toward healing, head to the link in my bio to find a date that suits and book directly.

Are you experiencing postnatal depression or anxiety, or is it actually trauma?

This is a really important conversation for anyone who is navigating mental health changes after birth.

Unfortunately there is still a lack of understanding around trauma by many GP’s, leading to women being diagnosed with Postnatal Depression (PND) when in fact they are experiencing trauma.

Let’s unpack this so you know what to look out for:

1️⃣ Prevalence
Postnatal Depression and Anxiety are more common than we often realise, affecting approximately 1 in 6 women in Australia.

1 in 4 women describe their birth experience as traumatic in some way.

2️⃣ Symptoms
Postnatal Depression can bring feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest or pleasure in activities.

Postnatal Anxiety may manifest as excessive worry, restlessness, and even physical symptoms (rapid heart rate, sweating, shaking hands).

Trauma symptoms can include these signs, as well as flashbacks, nightmares and intrusive thoughts related to the birth experience, and avoidance of places, people or situations that are reminders of what happened.

3️⃣ Risk factors
Risk factors for Postnatal Depression and Anxiety are very individual, however they can include: personal or family history of mental health issues, lack of social support, or a difficult birth experience.

Trauma happens when there’s a real or perceived threat to safety at any point through the birth, resulting in feelings of helplessness, loss of control, or fear of death or serious injury.

4️⃣ Treatment
Treatment for Postnatal Depression and Anxiety typically involves therapy and potentially medication.

Trauma-aware therapies such as EMDR can be effective for processing and healing after birth trauma.

Have a question about the differences between PND, Anxiety and Trauma? Drop it in the comments below or send me a DM.

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I know there are times when you feel broken.

When the reality of motherhood doesn't match the Pinterest-perfect vision you had. When your body doesn't cooperate like you thought it would. When the emotions you expected to feel are nowhere to be found.

You look at your stretch marks, your post-baby body, and think "this isn't what I signed up for." You struggle with breastfeeding, sleep, or a fussy baby and wonder "am I doing this all wrong?" You feel detached, overwhelmed, or unlike yourself and fear "I'm not the mum I'm supposed to be."

But you're not broken. You're human.

Motherhood is one of life's biggest transitions. Of course there will be bumps along the way.

Being a mum is the toughest job there is, with no instruction manual. You'll make mistakes, have tough days, and experience a range of emotions (or sometimes none at all).

What you're going through doesn't mean you're failing or meant for anything less than this. It simply means you're human.

So be kind to yourself, mama. You're doing an amazing job.

Let this be your reminder, a message from me to you, that I want you to save now and come back to as many times as it's needed: Whether today is your best day or your hardest, you are exactly enough.

Fiona x

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Are you plucking leaves or digging for the root?

The postpartum period can be a rollercoaster of emotions, especially if you've experienced birth trauma. Navigating this terrain often involves an ongoing dance between coping strategies and resolution - much like pulling leaves off a w**d versus digging out the roots.

Coping strategies are like plucking the visible leaves off a w**d - they provide immediate relief but don't address the underlying issue.

Examples include:
➡️ Deep breathing, mindfulness, journaling to manage intense emotions in the moment.
➡️ Leaning on your partner, family, friends, or support groups for encouragement and understanding.
➡️ Ensuring you get enough rest, nutrition, and moments of respite amidst the demands of new parenthood.

While crucial, coping strategies alone can't resolve the deeper roots of postpartum distress or trauma.

Resolution involves unearthing and processing the core experiences and emotions fueling your struggles. This deeper work is akin to digging out the entire w**d, roots and all.

Approaches may include:
➡️ Working with a perinatal-specific trauma-informed therapist, potentially utilising modalities like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to reprocess difficult birth experiences.
➡️ Exploring mind-body approaches somatic practices.
➡️ Couples counselling, to address deeper relational issues.

The path to healing is rarely linear. You may find yourself cycling between coping and resolution, plucking leaves one day and digging roots the next. Be gentle with yourself and know that this ebb and flow is natural.

If you would like support as you move towards resolution, send me a DM, or head to the counselling link in my bio for more information. We would love to support you.

Why does the onus of preventing emotional birth trauma still weigh so heavily on expectant parents? 🤰 It's a cruel paradox that those most vulnerable are tasked with doing the most to protect themselves.

Mainstream advice tells parents to:
✅ Educate yourselves extensively on birthing options, procedures, interventions, etc.
✅ Meticulously create a birth plan to advocate your preferences.
✅ Hire additional support to help you maintain your rights.
✅ Switch providers or facilities if you sense any lack of respect.
✅ Be your own watchdog against unnecessary interventions.

All this on top of the monumental physical and emotional work of pregnancy and birth itself! 🥵THEN wrap it all up quickly so you can move into parenthood and leave all this behind like it never happened/

Meanwhile, research shows many root causes of birth trauma stem from the very systems and provider interactions that are supposed to be guiding families safely:
⚠️ Lack of informed consent
⚠️ Coercion into procedures
⚠️ Violation of bodily autonomy
⚠️ Dehumanising language and behaviour
⚠️ Failure to listen to a mothers' needs

When will the burden shift to addressing these systemic issues at their core, instead of heaping more work onto parents? 💔

True prevention means transforming disrespectful, traumatising models of care into compassionate, evidence-based, human-centered approaches.

Birthing families deserve to be supported, not survival-mode.

It's time institutions prioritise accountability and lasting change to create the empowering, healing birth experiences all should expect.

Agree? Let me know below 👇🏽

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Did you know Dads experience birth trauma too?

Let me explain 👇🏽

💡The body responds with the same trauma reactions whether you directly experienced a traumatic event or merely witnessed it.

The body can exhibit typical trauma reactions like hyperarousal, intrusive thoughts, avoidance, and physiological stress responses regardless of whether the traumatic event was directly experienced or just witnessed.

The brain and body do not necessarily distinguish between personal experience and observation when it comes to initiating a trauma response.

We need to start including dads and non-birthing parents when we talk about birth trauma - because the truth is, they can be deeply impacted by it too.

Yet, the weight of witnessing a traumatic birth experience, the helplessness and the emotional scars often go unnoticed and unacknowledged.

Noticing your partner may need support?

☝🏽Swipe through the slides to learn more and share this post with your partner.

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Are you ruminating over our next birth experience after a traumatic previous birth?

Maybe you're actually trying to avoid thinking about it altogether, but thoughts and questions still creep in at night?

Or maybe you're ready to make your next birth a different experience but you're overwhelmed at how to do it, so thoughts and plans are racing around in your head?

Ruminating over these experiences - what was and what is to come - is absolutely natural. But it's not always helpful.

If you ARE finding yourself ruminating, these questions may be helpful to ask yourself...

1️⃣ What parts of my experience do I want to be different next time?
2️⃣ How did those parts of my experience leave me feeling and thinking?
3️⃣ What do I need to do to avoid feeling that way again?

Breaking down your experience into what happened, what was felt, and what is needed, can support you in preparing for your next birth in a way that can minimise potential trauma.

If you're finding yourself ruminating over what is to come, my free guide "7 Ways Previous Birth Trauma Can Influence Your Upcoming Birth... And How To Prepare" is available to download now through the link in my bio 👆🏾

🚨 What you need to know about birth trauma 👇🏽

Firstly, it's that 'birth trauma' isn't just a buzzword; it's a physiological response that reverberates through a women's psyche, emotions, and her body.

It's a state in which our normal coping mechanisms become overwhelmed by the perception of a threat to our (or our baby's) safety during birth (or any moment during the entire pregnancy/birth/post-birth span).

This perceived threat can take place in any way, shape or form... and what poses threat to an individual is likely to be different from person to person.

ANY event during birth can become a trauma trigger if it sends a women's nervous system into overwhelm in response to a perceived threat to safety. This results in ongoing physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural attempts from our body to regain a felt sense of safety way beyond the experience itself... aka signs of trauma.

💡 So here's the thing— the opinions of others as to what was or wasn't traumatic for you is 100% IRRELEVANT. Whether your experience is seen as traumatic by others isn't the point. It's your personal journey, your feelings, your emotions that count. Your decide here - no one else.

Why is this important to understand? Because knowing this means that you don't have to wait until you receive 'permission' or validation from ANYONE to seek help. You don't have to wait for a diagnosis to seek help. You don't have to wait for acknowledgement.

What's the first step in healing the intense emotion and feelings in your body that surround your birth experience? It's to recognise the potential presence of trauma.

If you're reading this and you know that you're living with the fallout from a traumatic birth, DM me. We'd love to support you.

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Here it is, the biggest lesson my clients learn when working with me to confidently birth again after trauma ⬇️

📢 It’s just as important to work on the internal as it is on the external.

In other words, it’s just as important to cultivate safety within your nervous system as it is to cultivate safety within the birthing environment (which we do be choosing our birth space and care providers, for example).

Why? Because ultimately, you can do all of the 'external' work, but if your nervous system is still working from a space of fight or flight, it may not make any difference when it comes to how your body perceives, then responds to, potential threat in birth. If threat is perceived, fight/flight/freeze will kick in in birth too.

There's a deeper understanding that the state of one's nervous system plays a critical role in minimizing trauma during childbirth.

The key takeaway... readiness for subsequent births extends beyond logistical arrangements.

Want to know where to start?

Head to the link in my bio for the link to my free guide on where to begin... "7 Ways Previous Birth Trauma Can Influence Your Next Birth, And How To Prepare"👆🏾

Feeling the pull to start working on your healing?

How can we help you?

+ Counselling
Counselling for those seeking healing from birth trauma, perinatal trauma, medical trauma, anxiety, PND, loss, infertility, or termination. Together we figure out where you would like to be, as opposed to where you are now. We create a game plan to work through what is happening for you.
This may involve us being a safe place for you to vent or openly explore your situation; or it may involve us looking into your past.
It may involve introducing evidence-based therapeutic approaches (including EMDR) for coping and healing; or education where you can learn more about what is happening for you psychologically, emotionally, and physically.
It may involve inviting in other modalities as needed, whether that be western medicine or other therapies.
It can be a beautiful combination of all of this, unique to you, your journey, and your goals.
You will no longer be stagnant. You will be moving forward, with us in your corner.

+ EMDR therapy
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing - a profound therapy working with events, the body, core beliefs, and emotions to lessen the intensity of painful past experiences. Immediately reducing symptoms of traumatic experiences, PTSD, anxiety, fear, grief & childhood trauma.

+ Birth debriefing
A safe opportunity for you and your partner to talk openly about your birth experience, understand events, identify feelings, and develop tools to move forward.

+ Couples and relationship counselling
Work to: disarm conflict; increase intimacy; remove barriers that create stagnancy; create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding; manage expectations of parenthood; and learn strategies for effective decision-making as partners and parents.

+ The Birth After Trauma Program
Move through our signature 4-session program with your partner and an experienced perinatal trauma therapist. Be fully resourced with education, practical tools and effective strategies to emotionally and psychologically move beyond fear and confidently birth again after trauma.

Ready?

Head to the links in my bio to get started ☝🏽