Author Archives: Hopeful Beginnings

Perinatal Anxiety & Perinatal Depression

When my kids were very young, summer was always the most stressful time of year for me. I felt a tremendous amount of pressure to make the most of each day, plan amazing…

Safe Haven Law

You may have read a recent article about a firefighter in Florida adopting the baby, who was dropped at his fire station under the Safe Haven Law. We hope you read and share…

Happy Mother’s Day Mom

Mother’s Day is soon approaching, and it just feels right to give a shout out to all the mammas out there. Mothers do so much for their families and make all sorts of…

Child Abuse and Neglect

Child abuse is an ugly thing: this is a fact that most of the world can agree on. However, there is a form of child abuse – the beatings with objects, the hitting…

Maternal Mental Health

The Blue Dot  (https://www.thebluedotproject.org/) has become a symbol of solidarity for families that have experienced perinatal mood disorders. Hopeful Beginnings is proud to offer free counseling services that help empower and heal families.…

From Adoptee to Board Member and Beyond

A Mother’s Counseling Journey

Although my pregnancy started off as planned, it quickly went off course due to all the chaos within my personal life. For years I battled with anxiety disorder and depression, but I was…

Mom’s Balance

Balance. A buzzword right now on social media platforms, specifically geared towards mothers. Mothers are encouraged to find a balance of self-care, tending to the needs of children, and possibly even a career…

Pregnancy Taking Care of Yourself

At Hopeful Beginnings, we talk a lot with mothers and families about taking care of themselves during pregnancy and after baby is born. As a social service agency that provides counseling, generally we…

One Child vs Two

When I tried to picture what parenting two babies under two years old would look like, I could only imagine utter chaos. I saw myself holding two screaming babies. Everyone, including me, was…

Fathers Experiencing Postpartum Depression – PPD

In 2022, Hopeful Beginnings was proud to take on our first few male clients into our mental health/counseling program. It was a much-needed mindset adjustment for myself as a human services professional and…

What are the Signs of Perinatal Depression

Depression or anxiety that occurs during pregnancy is called perinatal depression or perinatal anxiety. Perinatal depression can include symptoms such as; frequent crying, mood swings, irritability, extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleep problems, loss…