Survivor Moms’ Companion
Help for new moms coping with trauma
Survivor Moms’ Companion (SMC) is an evidence-based support program for pregnant people and new parents who have experienced trauma.
Whether from childhood maltreatment, sexual or physical abuse or assault, or other distressing life events, trauma can have a deep impact on the lives of pregnant and parenting people.
As such, Survivor Moms’ Companion teaches skills for coping with memories, emotions and triggers related to past events.
You do not have to talk about the traumatic events in your past in order to participate. We focus on coping skills, self-care, building supportive relationships, and healthy preparation for birth and parenting.
What is Survivor Moms' Companion?
In the US and globally, one in five women has a history of childhood maltreatment (physical, sexual, emotional abuse and/or neglect.)
20% of women have PTSD at some point in their lives.
8% of pregnant women have PTSD.
The “4 trimesters” of the childbearing year—from early pregnancy to the postpartum period—is the ideal time to break the cycle of abuse and maltreatment.
Survivor Moms' Companion is a psychoeducational program designed to help women with a history of childhood maltreatment and other trauma break the cycles of abuse and psychiatric vulnerability in their lives and the lives of the newly born.
The SMC program is based on a workbook that is filled with instructive stories (vignettes), educational topics, and self-reflection questions. Participants meet regularly with a peer tutor for support with working through each chapter. All meetings take place by video chat or in person.
Please visit this link to explore whether the Survivor Moms’ Companion may be right for you.
What’s involved?
Survivor Moms’ Companion® (SMC) is a trauma-informed mental health education program designed for the unique needs of survivors and the professionals that serve them during and after pregnancy and in the early years of parenting.
The course requires about 4-16 hours of time depending on your needs. The SMC course consists of up to ten modules. Each client may choose the modules they feel best suit their needs in addition to the CORE 4 and the Closure Module.
There is a version of the program specifically for during pregnancy, and a slightly different version for during the postpartum/early parenting period. Some clients have enjoyed taking both versions and benefitted greatly from the continued support and continuity of care as they transition from pregnancy into parenthood.
You’re not alone — 1 in 5 moms have experienced trauma. With the SMC program, you do NOT have to talk about the trauma to benefit from the course. Our focus is on the present and future.
SMC Clients experienced significant improvements in:
Anger expression
Social relationships and emotional reactivity
Management of PTSD symptoms in the presence of triggers
Number of PTSD symptoms
Postpartum mental health
Improved bonding with the newborn
Rating of labor experience
Satisfaction with care providers
Dissociation during labor
Here’s what some past SMC participants have had to say:
“This was the most helpful thing I did during pregnancy. It made a big difference, particularly the vignettes—a bigger difference than I expected.”
“I liked it because it helped a lot [with] emotions during pregnancy. I'm glad I said yes to the program.”
“It was a really great experience. I learned a lot about myself; that I have trust issues. Some of those things are PTSD-related. I didn't test positive [for PTSD], but I was close.”
“I enjoyed the vocabulary. It allowed me to talk to different people about it. It allowed me to feel safe giving birth.”
“It helped me out knowing I wasn’t the only one out there, that I wasn’t alone. You just don’t want to talk about it [otherwise].”
“It gave me more ideas about dealing with certain situations. It was a very good experience.”
Investment
This program is approved as prenatal and postpartum doula care by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and therefore covered 100% by all Medicaid Health Plans,
making this entire program free to Michigan Medicaid recipients as part of their doula services.
The fee for Survivor Moms’ Companion tutoring is $250, which may be reimbursable by your insurance or FSA/HSA.
Please do not let finances be a barrier to getting help. I offer all services on a sliding scale, which you can learn more about by clicking here.