Sage Tree Therapy

I’m a therapist for moms, and I was diagnosed with ADHD during the pandemic.

Looking back, I honestly don’t know how I kept it all together for so long — but I did. I was a strong student, went to grad school, had two high-risk pregnancies, cared for two preemies, built a thriving small business, and nurtured a loving marriage.

Then the pandemic hit, and I hit a wall.

Since then, through a lot of mental health and neurodivergence training, I’ve learned how common this is for moms. Many of us have been struggling for years, creating coping systems without even realizing it — and not knowing it doesn’t have to be this hard.

I didn’t know other people didn’t need a bazillion reminders to complete one task. I didn’t know mailing a card didn’t take everyone 7–10 business days: buy the card, sign it, get family members to sign, buy stamps, put on the stamp, walk to the mailbox… so many steps, so many chances to get distracted.

For most of my life, I thought everyone struggled like I did, and other people were just smarter, better, more disciplined, or somehow more capable. That led to shame and embarrassment, which makes it even harder to connect or ask for help.

Now I understand my ADHD is part of my wiring — and honestly, part of my superpower, along with being a Highly Sensitive Person. I’ve learned to use brain hacks, skills, supports, and resources that actually work for my brain.

That includes medication. The first adhd medication I tried wasn’t a good fit, so I barely took it for years. Then I found the right one, and it has helped tremendously. My to-do list is still never-ending - because, motherhood - but I have more capacity, more follow-through, and more energy.

Medication can be one helpful tool in the toolkit. Therapy with someone who truly understands ADHD can be another.

Have you been struggling and wondering if it could be ADHD? Or hormones? Don’t get me started on that one yet — a bomb was dropped on me last week, and I’m still recovering. More on that hot mess later.

Drop in the comments: what behaviors, practices, or supports have helped your brain and your life?

We can learn from each other.

🍩 🍩
Had a bunch of donuts delivered to the NICU and the Antepartum Unit at Mercy Hospital in honor of my Claire Bears 20th birthday.

All of those nurses are such angels. We were so scared and weren’t supposed to have a baby 7 weeks early. I hope they enjoyed their sugar rush!

Behind every number is a woman with *Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) trying to make it through the day. Maternal Mental Health Day is a reminder that mental health conversations must include those living with HG. Believe Us!

HG increases the risk of maternal mental health complications:
🔸1 in 3 report suicidal ideation (Nana et al.)
🔸1 in 2 diagnosed with PMAD (Tain et al.)
🔸18% meet full criteria PTSD (Christodoulou et al., 2011)
🔸83% report negative psychosocial outcome(s) or economic consequences (Poursharif et al.)
🔸HG is a top 4 predictor of Postpartum Depression (Munk-Olsen et al.)

Please donate today to support our 26th year of helping women and babies facing HG: hyperemesis.org/donate



*HG is defined as a potentially life-threatening pregnancy disease that may cause weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and debility due to severe nausea and/or vomiting, and may cause long-term health issues for mothers and babies.

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Trigger Warning for the latest episode of The Pitt, the series finale.
Much of the episode centers around a ‘wild birth’ with someone choosing not to get any prenatal care who ends up being treated for preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome.

It’s haunting to think how close I came to something like that scene when I was in Antepartum with Claire. It was scary and intense for both Mike and I to watch. 20 years later and those flashbacks and memories still come in clear.

This time I was reminded of the day after Claire was born. I was still in a recovery room in L&D bc I was so sick I guess. I think I was alone, everyone must’ve been visiting Claire in the NICU. Several doctors came in, including my friend , and trusted St Louis OB/GYN Dr Jamie Joyce, who was a resident there at the time I think.

I couldn’t open my eyes to see her but I could hear her voice asking me if I had a boy or a girl. I could barely mouth “girl”. I remember having a terrible headache and feeling super hot. They started putting ice packs all over my body. That’s all I remember. It sucked. I was almost too sick to even be scared.

Anyway - the episode has a positive outcome for both baby and mom - but I always feel compelled to let it be known when there are shows or movies with pregnancy trauma - so there’s my public service announcement.

(This photo was taken the day after she was born, and several hours after the memory I shared above. She was doing so well in the NICU that nurses wheeled her little incubator down to me in recovery so I could hold her. This was over 24-hrs after her birth and I was just getting to hold her for the first time.)

Some of the most complex obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) compulsions today don’t happen in obvious ways—they happen online.

For many, these behaviors can be easy to overlook or misinterpret, especially as they blend into everyday internet use.

Here are just a few examples of how OCD can show up digitally:

Endless researching: Spending hours Googling or asking AI questions, with no sense of resolution

Subtle reassurance-seeking: Posting or sharing experiences online to gauge reactions or reduce doubt

Excessive security rituals: Repeatedly checking passwords, privacy settings, or potential data breaches

Compulsive scrolling: Searching for content that neutralizes intrusive thoughts or avoids discomfort

Overanalyzing online presence: Re-reading, editing, or deleting messages and posts repeatedly

Digital hoarding: Saving texts, screenshots, or posts compulsively