Pregnancy Loss & Infant Loss Awareness Month

Grief that deserves to be seen

Pregnancy Loss and Infant Loss Awareness Month is a time to acknowledge a reality that far too many families experience but too few people openly talk about.

Pregnancy and infant loss affect millions of families every year. While every journey is different, one thing remains true: every loss matters. Whether a loss occurs shortly after conception, during pregnancy, at birth, or within the first year of life, the love for that child is real, and so is the grief.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss by the Numbers

There are many different types of pregnancy and infant loss, each carrying its own unique heartbreak.

The statistics remind us just how common—and often invisible—these experiences are:

• 5 in 6 women will give birth.

• 1 in 5 women who give birth will experience postpartum depression or anxiety.

• 1 in 4 women will experience a miscarriage during their lifetime.

• 1 in 3 women who experience a miscarriage will struggle with depression or anxiety.

• Approximately 1 in 125 women will experience infant loss during their lifetime.

• More than 2 in 5 women who experience infant loss are at risk for depression or anxiety.

Behind every statistic is a family whose life has been forever changed.

The reality is that we all know someone who has experienced the loss of a pregnancy or a child—even if they've never shared their story.

The Grief No One Warns You About

It's easy to assume pregnancy loss or infant loss will never happen to you. But if it does, many parents describe feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and unsure whether their grief is "allowed."

Please hear this:

Every loss is valid. Every child is worthy of being remembered. Every parent's grief deserves compassion.

Grief after pregnancy or infant loss often extends far beyond the loss itself. You may find yourself mourning:

• The memories you imagined creating during your first pregnancy.

• What birthdays, holidays, and family traditions would have looked like.

• Sharing your pregnancy news before you were ready.

• Feeling carefree or excited about becoming pregnant again.

• The milestones you won't get to witness.

• The fear that others will stop saying your baby's name.

• Packing away or returning clothes, gifts, or nursery items.

• Wondering if you'll ever feel "normal" again.

• Experiencing postpartum recovery while your arms ache for the baby who isn't there.

These losses are profound. They deserve space to be acknowledged.

Carrying Your Child Forward

One of the greatest misconceptions about grief is that healing means "moving on."

For parents who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss, healing rarely looks like leaving your child behind.

Instead, healing often means learning to carry them with you.

Their memory becomes woven into your story as you slowly learn to navigate life while honoring the love you will always have for them. Healing doesn't erase grief. It creates space for both joy and sorrow to exist together.

You Don't Have to Walk Through This Alone

The emotional impact of pregnancy and infant loss can last long after the physical healing has ended. Professional support can provide a safe place to process the complex emotions that often accompany loss.

You may benefit from counseling if you're struggling with:

• Processing or grieving any type of pregnancy or infant loss.

• Fear or nervousness about becoming pregnant again.

• Anxiety during a pregnancy after loss.

• Worries surrounding the birth of a healthy baby after a previous loss.

• Questions or concerns about what postpartum may look like following a subsequent pregnancy.

At Mend Counseling, we believe no one should have to carry this grief alone.

Our perinatal specialist, Emma Porter, LPC, PMH-C, CPD, CBE, provides compassionate, evidence-based support for individuals and families navigating pregnancy loss, infant loss, pregnancy after loss, and postpartum healing.

If you're ready for support—or simply need someone who understands—please reach out.

Emma Porter, LPC, PMH-C, CPD, CBE

Connecting Past “How was school today?”

Oftentimes, kids hop in the car after school and are immediately met with a familiar line of questioning: “How was school today?” “What happened?” “Did you have a good day?”

But after a long day of learning, sustaining attention, navigating social interactions, and monitoring their own behavior, many kids simply don’t have the bandwidth to answer. They’re exhausted. And on top of that, there’s often still a pile of homework waiting for them at home.

So how can parents honor their child’s need to decompress while still making space for connection?

First, let them decompress. Give their brains a little break by taking away the questions and the need to make too many decisions. You might ask, “Would you like some quiet time or music?” If they choose music, you can even make the decision making even easier by asking “Do you want to pick the music, or would you like me to?” Then let them relax and simply enjoy the ride.

Next, fuel them. Keep a few snacks in the car that they can choose from. Sometimes a little food and a little downtime can make a big difference in helping a tired brain reset.

Then, once they’ve had a chance to recharge, connect. Instead of sticking with surface-level questions, try questions that invite reflection, curiosity, and meaningful conversation:

“What’s one thing that was hard today and one thing you’re proud of?”

“What are you excited about for the rest of the week?”

“Did you find yourself being brave today?”

“Did you help someone or get help from someone today?”

“Did anything silly or funny happen today?”

“What would help you feel prepared for tomorrow?”

“Before you get started on homework, would you like to energize your body with a quick walk or a jump on the trampoline?”

These questions can be tailored to your child’s age, mood, and energy level. The goal isn’t to turn the car ride into an interview. It’s to create opportunities for connection when your child is actually ready to connect.

Finding Your Footing: Coming Back to Routine After Summer

Happy August!  

Why It Feels Hard

Your nervous system genuinely adapts to slower rhythms. After weeks of rest, the sudden return of early mornings and full calendars isn't just inconvenient — it is a real adjustment. And if summer gave you something meaningful (more time with people you love, space to breathe, a lighter pace), coming back to "real life" can carry a quiet grief alongside it. Both things can be true at once.

A Few Things That Help

Start small. Rather than overhauling your whole schedule at once, pick one or two daily anchors — a consistent wake time, a regular dinner, a wind-down ritual. Let the rest of your schedule fill in gradually.

Be patient with yourself. Most people need a few weeks to genuinely settle back in. Feeling off after a few days is not failure — transition takes time!

Prioritize sleep first. Everything else is easier when you are rested. If your sleep schedule shifted over the summer, ease it back in small increments rather than forcing a hard reset.

Stay in the present. It can be tempting to mentally race ahead to everything that the fall holds. When you catch yourself doing that, gently come back to today. You do not have to plan or solve everything at once.

When to Pay Closer Attention

Sometimes the struggle to readjust is pointing at something deeper — persistent dread, symptoms returning, or a growing sense that the pace you are returning to is not sustainable. Those feelings are worth exploring, not just pushing through.

That is exactly what we're here for. If this time of year feels like more than a bumpy transition, reach out. We would love to help.

Want to connect? We're accepting new clients — contact us to schedule an appointment.

Written by: Stacy Henry, LCSW

Freedom to Be Yourself

Happy June, everyone! 

If your calendar suddenly looks like a chaotic game of Tetris and all you smell is sunscreen and bug spray, you are not alone. The transition from the school year to the wonderful chaos of summer is a massive shift. If you are struggling to keep up with new daily schedules, please hear this: you are in excellent company. Almost every family walking through our doors right now is feeling that exact same hectic energy.

• To our parents: Yes, it is loud and busy, but this season is incredibly fleeting. Before you know it, these chaotic days will be the ones you look back on with deep nostalgia. Take a deep breath, let go of perfection, and focus on being present. Soak up the messy minutes—even if "being present" means ignoring the iPad screen-time limit warnings or mutually agreeing with your kids that Netflix counts as an official summer hobby.

• To those who aren't parenting (much like myself!): This season is for you, too. While my days are spent supporting kiddos in the playroom, during my free time I’m right there with you trying to navigate a slower rhythm. For me, that looks like staring at the always-growing stack of summer books I promise I'm going to read, while actually just soaking up the AC, scrolling, or chatting on the phone. Use this extra sunshine and fresh air as an invitation to find balance, practice self-care, and give yourself a little extra love.

As Winnie the Pooh wisely said, "Doing nothing often leads to the very best kind of something."

As a play therapist, I officially give you permission to take that literally. In a world obsessed with productivity, choosing to "do nothing" on a hot summer afternoon is actually some of the most productive mental health work you can do.

Let’s all agree to give ourselves, our friends, and our families an extra dose of grace over the next few months. We’re all figuring it out as we go!

Wishing you a bright, grounded, and joyful start to the summertime season.

Warmly,

Gracie Donnell, MS, LPC-Associate

Play Therapist at Mend Counseling

Finding Your Summer Groove

Happy June, everyone! 

If your calendar suddenly looks like a chaotic game of Tetris and all you smell is sunscreen and bug spray, you are not alone. The transition from the school year to the wonderful chaos of summer is a massive shift. If you are struggling to keep up with new daily schedules, please hear this: you are in excellent company. Almost every family walking through our doors right now is feeling that exact same hectic energy.

• To our parents: Yes, it is loud and busy, but this season is incredibly fleeting. Before you know it, these chaotic days will be the ones you look back on with deep nostalgia. Take a deep breath, let go of perfection, and focus on being present. Soak up the messy minutes—even if "being present" means ignoring the iPad screen-time limit warnings or mutually agreeing with your kids that Netflix counts as an official summer hobby.

• To those who aren't parenting (much like myself!): This season is for you, too. While my days are spent supporting kiddos in the playroom, during my free time I’m right there with you trying to navigate a slower rhythm. For me, that looks like staring at the always-growing stack of summer books I promise I'm going to read, while actually just soaking up the AC, scrolling, or chatting on the phone. Use this extra sunshine and fresh air as an invitation to find balance, practice self-care, and give yourself a little extra love.

As Winnie the Pooh wisely said, "Doing nothing often leads to the very best kind of something."

As a play therapist, I officially give you permission to take that literally. In a world obsessed with productivity, choosing to "do nothing" on a hot summer afternoon is actually some of the most productive mental health work you can do.

Let’s all agree to give ourselves, our friends, and our families an extra dose of grace over the next few months. We’re all figuring it out as we go!

Wishing you a bright, grounded, and joyful start to the summertime season.

Warmly,

Gracie Donnell, MS, LPC-Associate

Play Therapist at Mend Counseling

Tending What Matters: What Relationships Can Learn from Gardening

As we leap into spring, the delightful April showers are preparing the way for beautiful May flowers. Just like the blooms outside, our relationships need a bit of tender loving care to truly blossom and flourish. Let’s try treating our relationships like we do our favorite plants.

As John Lennon said, “Love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard…You’ve got to keep watering it and really look after it.”
Let’s dig into some fun tips for nurturing both your plant pals and your lovely partner. Let’s get growing.

1. Choose Wisely:

Pick a robust, happy and healthy plant or partner. Look for stability and vibrancy. Avoid the ones that are wilting under pressure. Check for resilience, integrity with capacity to grow.

2. Water Regularly:

Never let your plant or your relationship dry out. Healthy and happy relationships thrive on attention. Plan date nights, activities, and have fun together. This encourages reconnection. Enjoy each other. Keep your plant and your love fresh and lively.

3. Feed with Love:

Just as plants crave fertilizer, your partner craves kind words and gestures. Sprinkle compliments like fertilizer and watch both your plants and love life blossom. Show your partner appreciation DAILY!

4. Pull Weeds:

Don’t let pesky weeds of negativity grow. Pull out early and

regularly. Address conflicts with a friendly chat before they grow into something bigger. Keep your love and garden tidy by daily pruning.

5. Show off the Blooms:

Just like you will proudly display and celebrate your flowers – celebrate your relationship and each other. Commemorate anniversaries, shared laughs or even just a Tuesday night. Give your relationship priority and the spotlight it deserves.

When you take good care of your partner and plant, they will reciprocate. Be patient. Your tender loving care will bring rewards. just as every plant needs care to flourish, every relationship needs a little nurturing to blossom beautifully and last. Go forth and tend your love garden. May it be vibrant, joyful and full of life.

Susan Schlehuber

M.A., LPC 

susan@mend-counseling.com

Dallas County Master Gardener – Class of 2026

A Return to Normalcy and Tools to Cope

We hope this past winter week brought moments of rest, connection, and maybe even a little joy for your family. Whether plans went exactly as expected or required some last-minute pivots, we hope you were able to practice flexibility and mindfulness along the way, meeting each day as it came with curiosity rather than pressure. As routines resume, we’re grateful for the return to a sense of normalcy, structure, and rhythm that can feel grounding for both parents and children. There’s comfort in familiar schedules, and we hope this transition back has been gentle for your household.

As we move forward, it’s also important to acknowledge the mental load that often accompanies challenging seasons. Many of us rely on compartmentalization, mentally “boxing up” stress or emotions just to get through the day. While this can be useful in short bursts, over time it can lead to emotional buildup, burnout, or disconnection from ourselves and others. To combat this, try creating intentional space to unpack what you’ve been holding: brief check-ins with yourself, journaling, mindful pauses, or talking things through with a trusted person. Allowing emotions to be felt and processed instead of stored away supports resilience, emotional regulation, and long-term mental well-being.

-D’Anna Klassen

MS, LPC, CSAT-Candidate

Celebrating 10 Years of MEND Counseling!

Ten Years of Mend Counseling: A Letter of Gratitude

Ten years ago, Mend Counseling began with a simple but courageous idea: that healing happens best in spaces where people feel deeply seen, supported, and invited to grow. What started in a small executive office on Knox has grown into something far more meaningful than square footage or numbers; it has become a community rooted in care, connection, and purpose.

From those early days, Mend took its next bold step into Mockingbird Station with just three offices and a vision bigger than the space could hold. As the need grew, so did we; expanding our main office, and eventually adding the two satellite locations that now allow us to reach even more individuals, couples, and families. Each expansion was not just growth for growth’s sake, but a response to trust: trust from clients, belief from therapists, and partnership from a community that said, this work matters.

To our therapists, both past and present, thank you for being the heart of Mend. You bring your clinical excellence, your humanity, your curiosity, and your compassion into every room you enter. You sit with people in their most vulnerable moments and hold space with integrity and courage. Mend Counseling is what it is because of the clinicians who choose to show up fully, day after day, and who believe deeply in the power of healing relationships.

To our community partners: physicians, schools, organizations, colleagues, and collaborators; thank you for walking alongside us. Your referrals, your trust, and your shared commitment to whole-person wellness have allowed Mend to grow with intention and integrity. We are better because of the partnerships we’ve built, and we are grateful to be part of a larger ecosystem of care in our community.

And to our clients, thank you for allowing us into your stories. Thank you for your bravery, your honesty, and your willingness to do hard and meaningful work. It is a profound privilege to witness your growth, resilience, and transformation. Mend exists because of you, and your trust is something we never take lightly.

Ten years in, we are still guided by the same belief we started with: that people can heal, relationships can change, and growth is always possible. As we celebrate this milestone, we do so with gratitude for the past, excitement for what’s ahead, and a deep commitment to continuing to create spaces where healing and connection can flourish.

Thank you for being part of the Mend Counseling story! We couldn’t have done this without you…and we are just getting started!

Wholeheartedly,

Annie and the Mend Counseling Team

A Holiday Reminder

A Poem for You, in This Season of So Much
Written by Annie Tam

This time of year
has a way of piling things up—
calendars, expectations,
dishes, emotions,
and that one ornament
that somehow tangles itself
no matter how carefully you put it away.

So here’s a gentle reminder
just for you:
The holidays are not a test
you can pass or fail.
There is no rubric for
“perfect joy,”
and you don’t get extra credit
for attending every event
you secretly hoped would be canceled.

You’re allowed to buy the store-bought cookies.
You’re allowed to step outside
for a breath of winter air
when the chatter gets loud.
You’re allowed to feel tender,
or tired,
or quietly proud of yourself
for making it through a moment
you would've sworn you didn't have patience for.

And if your family gathering
starts feeling like a reality show
you never auditioned for,
remember:
you can take a break,
a walk,
or a very long trip to the “forgotten” room
where the wrapping paper and nameless junk lives.

This season,
look for the pockets of wonder
that appear when you slow down—
the glow of a candle,
the softness of a blanket,
a song you haven’t heard in years,
the rare silence
that lets you notice your own heartbeat.

These small things count.
They always have.

So here is your holiday homework,
and it comes with no deadline,
no grading,
and no gold stars required:

⭐ Rest when you can.
⭐ Laugh when something is truly funny, cry whenever you need to release.
⭐ Say “no” without apologizing.
⭐ Allow joy in whatever size it arrives.
⭐ Let yourself be present for even one tiny moment that feels real.

You are doing enough.
You are enough.
And you deserve a season
with room to breathe,
to feel,
to heal,
and to simply be.

Happy Holidays—
may peace find you gently this year.

Noticing What Arises: Practicing RAIN During the Holidays

The holidays can stir up a wide range of emotions, including joy, gratitude, nostalgia, stress, or even grief. We often label these feelings as “good” or “bad,” but in reality, they’re all part of being human. One gentle way to meet whatever comes up is through the RAIN technique:

• Recognize what is happening. Pause and notice what you are thinking, feeling, or how you are acting.

• Allow the experience to be there just as it is, without trying to change or push it away. Give yourself permission without judgement, to simply be how you are.

• Investigate with interest and care. Notice how your body feels, ask yourself "why do I feel this way?" "What am I believing in this moment?" and "What do I need right now?"

• Nurture yourself with kindness and compassion. Use an affirmation, or offer yourself what you need at this moment.

This simple practice invites us to notice our inner experience without judgment.

Example: Missing a Family Member

• Recognize the ache of missing them. I'm feeling disconnected and sad during this family tradition.

• Allow it—give yourself permission to feel the grief without labeling it as negative.

• Investigate gently—what’s beneath the sadness? What do I need right now?

• Nurture—comfort yourself with kindness, perhaps lighting a candle, looking at a photo, or simply saying, “It’s okay to miss them." Take a break to do what you need in that moment.

By practicing RAIN, we learn to hold space for all that the holidays bring with compassion and curiosity. If this resonates, it may be something to gently explore in your own reflection or with your therapist.

- Sarah Watts, M.S., LPC, PMH-C