Kaleidoscope Wellness PLLC

Taking Parent Collective Online

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 11:22:11 -0800

Hiya folx!

I have made the decision to take the Parent Collective peer support group online for a couple of reasons:

First and foremost, I don't know about your household, but sick season has already hit mine a couple times, and we are doing our best to dodge COVID and RSV by wearing masks and washing hands often. And, I know that many of our fellow parents are not able to leave their homes for their own health and safety, including some of our youngest group members (babies under 2 years of age) who are unable to wear masks. We want to keep every healthy and safe and I want Parent Collective to be more accessible to more people. I am grateful for the ability of technology to bring people together across space and time (though, I do have a soapboax I can pull out about the downsides of technology, too).

Second, if you are a pregnant or new(er) parent, you know how hard it can be to get out of the house and arrive somewhere on time. Taking the group online allows new parents be in the comfort of their own home, while still attending to their child's needs in a way that feels comfortable.

We will still meet on Wednesdays, 10am to 11:30a, but on Zoom. You'll find the link here .

I hope you will consider joining us, and finding part of your parenting village here.

Warmly,

Lindsey

Lindsey Burns, MS LPC NCC

Parent Collective Peer Support Group Facilitator

Layers of Self

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 13:44:07 -0800

Something that's been a theme in my life and the lives of several of my counseling clients is the idea that healing is like peeling an onion - when you pull back one layer of some element of your life - your identity, attachment style, communication and conflict-resolution styles, relationships, etc. - you start to find that there is another layer beneath the one you just peeled off that needs healing, or at minimum, exploration and curiosity.

Sometimes during the healing journey, we can discover Parts of ourselves that we didn't know existed, and tango with them. Our relationships may start to change as we begin to set boundaries or change our communication style. We move lose or decide to end relationships that we find are toxic.

This can make the work of engaging in a healing journey difficult. At times, it may seem overwhelming, never-ending, or isolating. We might feel emotional exhaustion when we think about what layers could be left to explore. We may even feel helpless. We most likely feel some degree of grief.

It's okay to give yourself permission to adjust the intensity of your healing journey depending on whatever host of factors you have going on in your life. In fact, sometimes that is the RIGHT thing to do. Sometimes it is self-care to pause or change intensity. That does not mean you stop doing the work for good. It means that you listen to yourself and take measure of both your internal ability to access coping resources and your ability to tolerate added distress.

Peeling back the layers can be an intensely uncomfortable journey at times, including for those around you. They may be cynical, confused, or want you to revert back to old patterns, behaviors, or ways of thinking. It does not mean that you stop your journey.

Continuing on peeling back the layers means you're showing...Read More

Feeling Lonely During the Holidays?

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 15:46:36 -0800

Hey Friends,

Welp, it happened. After almost 3 years of avoiding the coronavirus, our family finally caught it, testing positive the night before Thanksgiving. Yep, you read that right. We tested positive and immediately moved into isolation at our home the night before Thanksgiving. Here's where I take a brief moment to plug vaccines - 3/4 of our family members tested positive, and we had minor symptoms for no more than a day. Compare that with two years ago when 3,000 people were dying per day from COVID... I am SO grateful for our scientists and for vaccines. But getting back on track...

Thanksgiving was lonely in isolation, and I had a lot of quiet time to reflect. Don't get me wrong - I had plenty of Netflix and chill time, read some of my neglected books, and did a healthy portion of doomscrolling. And I reflected on my sadness at being separated from my family and not being able to enjoy one of my favorite meals of the year with my loved ones. I reflected on how much we rely on our human rituals for connection, and how empty it can feel when they are gone. I thought about all of the new Parents at home, stuck to the bed or couch feeding their newborn baby, feeling sleep deprived and lonely and sore and swollen.

Being a new parent, especially in the age of COVID and other dangerous respiratory diseases, can be VERY isolating. Balancing the need to keep the family healthy with our very real NEED to connect with other adult humans can be exhausting. Add to that sleep deprivation and/or emotional complications such as anxiety, depression, OCD, Bipolar, or Psychosis; connection can be downright debilitating. And yet, safe connection brings healing. That's the whole principle behind my desire to start the virtual Parent Collective peer support group. Research supports that being able to speak our truths about our experiences during pregnancy, the postpartum, about birth, feeding, coparenting, sex after baby, etc - telling the truth and being...Read More

Are you less than 25 weeks pregnant?

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 14:13:37 -0800

Hiya Folx!

The Mamma Mia Study is recruiting pregnant individuals for a study on emotional health and well-being in pregnancy and postpartum.

If you are in your first or second trimester, and currently reside in the US, you are invited to visit our website to sign-up or learn more: www.MammaMiaStudy.org

Online surveys completed from your phone/device. Optional opportunities to use the supportive Mamma Mia app with resources on mindfulness, relationship/communication techniques, infant cues, and more.

Interview opportunities to share your experiences and provide feedback confidentially.

Website to learn more: www.MammaMiaStudy.org

Email: MammaMiaStudy@vcu.edu

Call/text Sara, our Project Coordinator: 804-339-1230

There is no cost to participate. Gift card compensation is provided. Please consider helping us better understand how to support overall well-being for pregnant and postpartum individuals in the future.

Participating in studies such as these are a great way to give back to your community!

Thanks for your consideration,

Lindsey

Introducing the Parent Collective

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 17:28:14 -0700

Hello, and welcome to the blog of Lindsey Burns, LPC the owner and sole therapist at Kaleidoscope Wellness PLLC. I will be using this blog to share and explore ideas that I find meaningful, themes I’m noticing in the community, and whatever else strikes a chord in Life!

For this first blog post, I wanted to explore more about the upcoming peer support group I will be facilitating, the Parent Collective. It will be an in-person group, with masks optional. It will start on Wednesday, October 26th, and will run weekly from 10:00am to 11:30a. This is group is free group. Masks will be requested during times of high viral load of communicable illness in the community.

At the Parent Collective, we will explore hard truths about pregnancy, birth, the postpartum, and parenting in a respectful, confidential, nonjudgmental, and advice-free zone. It’s a great opportunity to meet other parents who may be experiencing similar or vastly different struggles from you. It’s a brave space where you get to speak your truth - and we believe speaking your truth is revolutionary. You’ll get the opportunity to share without interruption, and engage in deep listening.

If you are struggling with being a new Mom, Mom-identifying, or birthing Parent, we’ve got a brave space with a seat just for you. Welcome.