Today’s topic is all things matrescence as we look at the book, Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage. We will discuss the process of matrescence and the developmental steps that many people do not understand. Join us to learn more!

Jessie Harrold is a coach and doula who has been supporting women through radical life transformations and other rites of passage for over 15 years. She works one-on-one with women and mothers to facilitate mentorship programs, women’s circles, rituals, retreats, and nature-based experiences. Jessie is the author of Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage and Project Body Love: my quest to love my body and the surprising truth I found instead. She also hosts The Becoming Podcast. Jessie lives on the east coast of Canada, where she raises her two children, writes, and tends the land.

Show Highlights:

What is matrescence?

Comparisons between matrescence and adolescence (both transitions are processes that take time)

Jessie’s model of matrescence: The Four Elements of Radical Transformation:

Earth – Orient yourself to what’s true, and name the change.

Water – (Think tears.) Grief over the self you were before this transformation is a normal part of transitioning to motherhood.

Air – The liminal space of the “in-between” when you haven’t fully integrated into the identity of being a mother.

Fire – An igniting of the ember within you as you integrate into the identity of motherhood.

This motherhood transition is an opportunity to let go of other things that aren’t serving us well.

Systemic factors that force women into “losing themselves in motherhood”

The challenges we face in motherhood are part of the development into matrescence, but we still need the tools and resources to navigate them.

“The Mother Powers”- the things that help us get through matrescence

Matrescence is a beautiful process.

A glimpse into Jessie’s next book project 

Resources:

Connect with Jessie Harrold: Website, Instagram, Email, Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage, Project Body Love: my quest to love my body and the surprising truth I found instead, and The Becoming Podcast. 

Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit cdph.ca.gov

Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to be more supportive in offering services. 

You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms

Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.  

Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!

If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me about openings for private pay clients.

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