Was it Trauma? A Compassionate Look at Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum

Becoming a mother changes everything, including your brain. While pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood can be filled with joy and meaning, they can also bring experiences that leave a lasting impact. Many women find themselves carrying memories, emotions, or reactions they don’t fully understand, wondering: Was what I went through actually trauma?

Join Allie Stefanelli, LICSW, PMH-C, for a compassionate and informative conversation exploring how the maternal brain and nervous system respond to stress, overwhelm, and difficult experiences during the reproductive years. Drawing on maternal neurobiology and polyvagal theory, Allie will help make the science accessible, relatable, and deeply human.

Together, we’ll explore:

• How motherhood changes the brain and nervous system

• What trauma can look like during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond

• Why certain experiences continue to affect us long after they are over