E tūtaki ana ngā kapua o te rangi, kei runga, kei runga te Mangoroa e kōpae pū ana | The clouds in the sky close over, but above them spreads the milky way

Ā Tātou Kōrero | Our Stories

Ā Tātou Kōrero | Our Stories

Stories inspire and heal us – you are not alone.

We know that talking therapies can help us in expressing our stories, and sharing our journeys can be a helpful extension of this. On the other side, hearing the stories of others, especially people who may have been in a similar situation, can be inspiring and connecting. Other’s accounts expressing what you might be feeling can provide reassurance and build courage to ask for support.

We aim to bring you more personal accounts in the coming months. If you wish to share your personal story with us, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

Early Childhood PND

Before my daughter was born, I had trained and worked for many years as an early childhood teacher. This was a job I was confident in, and passionate about. I assumed I’d be the last person who would suffer from PND. Erin

My daughter rang me with a plea to come up, she said, “something awful might happen”. One day my daughter took off in the car…. Jane, Grandmother to a Mum with PND

I couldn’t laugh, watch TV, or read. All the things that I knew used to make me laugh and feel good were gone. This out of control, panicked, incredibly sad pain was unbearable. Kathryn

Problems Breastfeeding

Why did my child cry so much? And why did I feel so lost and so panic stricken? It wasn’t long until things began to really spiral out of control. Rachel

Early Childhood PND

Sleep eluded me and my life felt out of control. I felt overwhelmed with stress and worry. I felt a huge responsibility being a father who should financially support the household and keep things together. John, a Father with PND

Early Childhood PND

“[The doctor] said to me, when was the first time you had postnatal depression? And I said, it might have been when I was pregnant with my second child. He said, “Well, I don’t have it here on the records.” And I said to him “Well, at the time, why didn’t I get help?” Eva, Māori māmā

Sharing our stories connects us and brings hope to those who feel alone. If you would like to share your story, let us know.

Email us today: [email protected]

Ā Tātou Kōrero | Our Stories

Blue Stories Project

Karolina Gorton, an illustrator and designer, approached Perinatal Support Nelson with the idea of the Blue Stories Project: sharing journeys of getting out of perinatal depression (PND). They decided to collaborate and bring this project to you. Karolina created nine portraits of women, who shared with her their blue stories. Each image contained a story and an encouraging message for the viewer to read. The project includes four audio recordings on that topic. The project exhibition was displayed in Elma Turner Library in May 2021, and in Richmond Library in June 2021. And it is here for your to explore.

Read the Blue Stories here

Listen to the Audio Interviews here