A note to anyone who recognized themselves

What you heard today wasn't a hypothetical. Simone is a composite of real Black mothers. The gap between what they carry and what gets named in a six-week visit is not unusual. It's the rule.

If parts of that talk hit close to home for you, for someone you love, or for someone you're caring for — please know you are not alone. What you carried wasn't normal postpartum adjustment. It deserved to be named.

Below are three pathways for clinicians, systems, and partners ready to do this work differently. And further down, a list of national resources I trust most for trauma-informed perinatal mental health support.