Another in a series intended to showcase our advocates and team members and their story in the arena of maternal mental health care.

Kate’s story:

GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ - I am a mom, a wife, a business-owner, an advocate. I am trained as a therapist (professional counselor) and my expertise is maternal mental health. I am driven by the desire to walk the journey with mothers as they rediscover themselves as their young families grow. Maternal mental health is directly linked to child mental health, children grow up to be adults. Start with moms seems like the best place to start if we want to make the world a better place.

Q: What compelled you to join the board of 2020 Mom?

A: I’ve been with the board since it’s early days. Joy, inspired me, as she inspires so many others. We had “crossed paths” (quite a feat since I was in NJ and she was CA) in a discussion about training clinicians and became fast friends, when given the opportunity to join the Board it was a very easy decision: more time with Joy, another avenue to effect change in the arena of maternal mental health, connecting with like-minded professionals all over the country.

Q: 2020 Mom’s mission is to close the gaps in maternal mental health care. What’s your big hope for how 2020 Mom can fulfill this bold mission?

A: We are already fulfilling this mission! Our joint training series with PSI has trained hundreds of clinicians from all over the country (a few from outside of the US too!) and our advocacy efforts in Washington DC have been wildly successful in changing legislation on the Federal level while simultaneously teaching our advocates how to effect change locally in their own states. We are making noise and being noticed, and change is happening now.

Q: If you could choose to have a superpower, what would it be?

A: Is it a superpower to help others find their superpowers? If so, then that’s the superpower that I want. It’s how I help people heal, by finding their healing powers and strength within themselves. Sometimes we carry the burden and the hope for a while, if someone is really suffering, but in the end, the real healing comes from within them.

Do you have a "My Why" story, about why you are going deep with 2020 Mom, that you'd like to share on our blog? If so click here.