Birth Trauma & Birth Story Support
Space for birth experiences that still feel heavy, unresolved, or hard to carry.
Virtual and in-person support in Harford County, MD & York County, PA
Birth stays with us.
Sometimes the birth is over, but it doesn’t leave you — especially after a difficult or traumatic birth.
Your baby is here. Life moved forward. And everyone else moved on — except you. Somehow the story is still sitting in your chest like a weight you can’t put down.
You may find yourself replaying moments, asking what if, or wondering how — or if — you’ll ever be able to do this again.
Sometimes the birth was clearly traumatic. Other times nothing “went wrong” on paper, yet something about the experience still hurts. Maybe you find yourself asking, I have a healthy baby…so why does this still feel so heavy?
This work offers a space to tell your story, let it be witnessed, and begin gently shifting the way you carry it. No fixing or trying to make it neat — just care, curiosity, and a deep respect for how profoundly birth can shape a person.
We can’t change what happened. But we can change the way the story lives in your body — and how you carry it forward.
What This Support Looks Like
I offer two different kinds of birth story sessions.
Birth Debrief
A birth debrief is a space to simply tell your story and have it witnessed.
Some people need the chance to say the whole thing out loud with someone who understands birth. Others want help making sense of confusing moments or filling in context they never fully understood at the time.
There’s no agenda here. You talk, I listen carefully, and together we make sense of the experience.
Birth Story Medicine
Birth Story Medicine is for people who feel stuck inside the story and want help shifting it.
This is a structured process where we look at the meaning and beliefs that formed during the experience and gently reshape them. The goal isn’t to erase your experience but to change the weight it carries so it no longer feels like something you’re still living inside of.
Sometimes the story that sticks with you isn’t the birth itself but what came after. Birth isn’t the only experience that can linger — we can also talk about a difficult or overwhelming moments in the postpartum period, including breastfeeding challenges.
If you’re still in the early weeks with a new baby, postpartum support or breastfeeding mentoring may help you feel more settled and confident about the experience you’re still living through.
What People Say
💬 I am so thankful for Sadie and her work. During our sessions I was able to identify the triggers connected to my birth trauma and begin working through them. My only regret is not reaching out to her sooner.
—J. H.
💬 Sadie was incredibly helpful in processing my first birth and finally being able to find joy in the experience.
—S. D.
💬 I decided to work with Sadie after my chiropractor suggested my lingering neck and should tension might be connected to my birth experience. It surprised me that even 10 years later it could still be affecting my body. Sadie immediately put me at ease, and we covered a lot in our time together. I’ve seen a big decrease in my neck and shoulder pain since working with her, and I’m so grateful for the help processing this years later.
—C. B.
💬 Sadie is genuinely invested in her clients — caring, empathetic, warm, and supportive. I’m so thankful I took the leap and signed up for a birth story session. I was able to heal layers of trauma I didn’t even realize were affecting multiple areas of my life.
—E. W.
About Sadie
I’m Sadie — a birth worker, educator, and listener.
I understand that birth isn’t just a physical event. It’s intense, emotional, and deeply personal, and the experiences people have there can stay with them for a long time.
I bring professional knowledge of birth and a deep respect for the emotional reality of these experiences. When people tell their stories, I’m listening for the meaning under the events — the questions, feelings, and beliefs that took shape in those moments.
The way I show up to this work is simple. I’m not here to judge or explain it away. I’m here to listen carefully, understand what the story has come to mean, and help you shift the weight it carries.
Session Details
These sessions are conversation-based and grounded in careful listening. The pace is thoughtful and respectful of your experience, with space to talk openly about what happened and how it has stayed with you.
📍Location — virtually or in-person at my private studio in Delta, Pennsylvania
🕒 Length — 75 minutes
💰 Cost — $115 per session
If you’re not sure which kind of session you need, that’s completely fine. We can decide together what will be most helpful based on your situation and how recently your birth occurred.
Some people come for a single conversation. Others choose to continue the work over a few sessions. We can talk about what feels right to you.
For some people the story isn’t just something they think about — it’s something they feel in their body. Pairing birth story support with a Reiki session can help with nervous system regulation and physical grounding.
Common Questions
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These experiences are welcome here.
Even when there’s no baby coming home, there was still an experience. There were still moments that may have felt terrifying, confusing, or impossible to process in the moment. There is still a story that lives inside you.
Loss can be especially hard to speak about. People often don’t know what to say — or avoid saying anything at all. This is a space where you don’t have to make it smaller or easier for other people to hear. You can bring the whole thing.
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No. This work is for anyone who directly experienced or witnessed the birth. That can include partners, fathers, and birthing people who don’t identify as mothers. It can also include medical and birth professionals who need to talk about a birth they witnessed or supported.
If you were there and the experience is still sitting with you, you’re welcome to reach out.
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Some people come a few weeks or months after their birth. Others come years later when they realize the experience is still affecting them. Sometimes people reach out before a subsequent pregnancy or birth because they want to feel steadier going into it.
If the story is affecting you, now is a good time to reach out.
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No. These sessions are not psychotherapy or clinical mental health care, and I do not diagnose or treat mental health conditions.
This is a focused space to talk through your birth experience with someone who understands birth and postpartum life. The work centers on telling your story, making sense of what happened, and reducing the emotional weight the experience may still carry.
If you are experiencing severe depression, active PTSD symptoms, or other significant mental health concerns, working with a licensed therapist is important. This work can complement therapy but does not replace it.
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No. These sessions are private pay.
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Sessions are available virtually or in my private studio in Delta, PA.
The studio is quiet, easy to access, and has plenty of convenient parking. It’s about a 45-minute drive from Bel Air, York, and Lancaster. Exact directions are shared after booking.
Booking
To schedule a session, send me an email at sara@mandalamotherhood.com.
If you’d like to talk briefly first, I’m happy to schedule a short phone call to answer questions and see if this feels like a good fit.