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The use of art as therapy has countless benefits for one's overall well-being. Creating “art for art’s sake” is an exercise of self-care that can cultivate self-compassion and aid in healing.

It’s not easy to practice what we preach. As a working mama of 2 supporting other caregivers for a living, it’s hard to find the time/energy/motivation/space/art supplies/etc etc etc to engage in any kind of regular art-making practice like I used to.

In honor of Creative Arts Therapy week, I want to highlight a recent “Art and Object” article about the fascinating intersectional field of “neuroaesthetics,” which is the use of evolving brain imaging technology to measure exactly how engaging in visual art, music, and dance impacts the human body and corresponding behavior, with evidence that only 20 minutes of art exposure daily can positively impacts both.

It was such a pleasure to be featured on the “Fit as a Fiddle” podcast with my colleague Dr. Sneha Gazi discussing how art therapy can be helpful in navigating more “messy” life stages throughout the reproductive spectrum, building creative resilience to manage stress, and learning to make meaning from overwhelming or traumatic experiences.

In the past six months, ten children tragically lost their lives to the unspeakable actions of mothers who were all suffering from severe and untreated symptoms of PMADs, including Erin Merdy in Brooklyn, Dimone Fleming in the Bronx, Paulesha Green-Pulliam in San Francisco and Lindsay Clancy in a Massachusetts town.

Just three weeks after George Floyd’s murder, 26 year-old Sha-Asia Semple died shortly after the birth of her first child due to fatal errors in properly administering her epidural and a subsequent failed intubation in a Brooklyn public hospital.

A recent "Discover" magazine article highlighted the benefits of visual art exposure on mental health. Viewing visual art activates the same brain reward systems as other pleasurable, highly sensory activities.

I agree that children need to learn experientially by trial and error so that they can better cope with distress in the future and that parents shouldn’t “hover” or overly interfere with their children’s every concern, but I fundamentally disagree with the covert parent-shaming that is often the subtext of these parenting buzzwords that have become mainstream, like “snowplow parent, lawnmower parent, helicopter parent, tiger mom,” etc. etc.

Cheryl Beck (2018) shares that up to 45% of new mothers have reported experiencing birth trauma and adds that “birth trauma is in the eye of the beholder.”

Aside from individual and group therapy, I offer arts-based wellness workshops as a chance for these populations to reconnect with their "inner artists" and immerse themselves in a much needed creative self-care break.

Holiday season is always emotionally charged, especially for new parents who are stressed about introducing their new bundles to loved ones, attending first family-friendly social gatherings since emerging from their pregnancy or newborn “bubble,” feeling pressure to host, or trying to present themselves as more “put together” than they actually feel during this massive life stage transition.

Trish Duggan writes in a recent “Rolling Stone” article, “…the need for art does not always strike at the most convenient times. In fact, the need for art may come when you are feeling the least inspired."

Today I had the privilege of chatting live with Lindsey Bliss, doula, mother of 7, and co-founder of Carriage House Birth.

Perinatal loss impacts 1 in 4 childbearing families. It is estimated that about 10-15% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. A stillbirth occurs after 28 weeks of pregnancy and before birth, and neonatal death occurs within the first month of birth.

With school almost back in session and the autumnal equinox around the corner, it's a perfect time to practice self care. Join CBT expert Dr. Terri Bacow, Ph.D and myself virtually on Thursday September 22 from 12-1pm for a free, experiential workshop to learn several concrete coping strategies to reduce daily anxiety and practice mindful art-making for stress management in real-time.

The process of becoming a parent involves a massive bio-psycho-social-shift that can shatter one’s previously formed sense of self. This can feel overwhelming and even traumatic without a compassionate space to process, repair and authentically integrate the birth of this “new” parent identity.

When it comes to an infant's diet, there is no one "right" way. The primary caregiver’s mental health overrides any formula vs. breast milk debate. But in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, let’s review some nursing pros and cons.

Just back from a month of travel throughout France visiting family, I'm reacquainting myself with the streets of my beloved city. I pass a compelling mural by ​​collage artist Brittney DiMauro depicting actors of “The Handmaid’s Tale” on currency wearing their signature red uniforms with “Blessed Be My Basic Human Rights” written above in ransom-style lettering.

Just established as a federal holiday last year, Juneteenth is a loaded reminder for Black Americans that although we celebrate the 1865 date when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved Black communities in Texas, true liberation includes reproductive justice now.

Behind the scenes of the ongoing maternal mental health crisis that has been exacerbated by pandemic parenting complications, threats to reproductive rights, and shortages of invaluable resources like baby formula and tampons, there is the non-birthing partner or those who identify as the father.