A guide for navigating identity, gender roles, and the invisible load through reflection and compassionate communication By: Sarah Donovan, LCPC, PMH-C Perinatal Trauma Specialist · EMDR Therapist & Consultant November 14, 2025 As the holidays approach, this conversation surfaces in nearly every therapy session I hold with parents. The mental load, shifting roles, and quiet resentments often feel heavier this time of year.  Expectations run high to keep the “holiday spirit” a

Written By: Sarah Donovan, LCPC, PMH-C | Perinatal Trauma Specialist | Certified EMDR Therapist & Consultant and Founder of Tilted Root October 29, 2025 Photography By: E. Brady Robinson We often imagine birth as a joyful new beginning — but for many, it can also feel terrifying, disorienting, and deeply isolating. In my work, I often hear: “Everyone says I should just be happy.” “I can’t stop replaying what happened.” “Something about that day still doesn’t sit right.” These

How to Support Your Healing and Stay Grounded Between EMDR Sessions A practical guide for women and parents navigating stress, trauma recovery, and the day-to-day realities of caregiving. By: Sarah Donovan, LCPC, PMH-C Perinatal Trauma Specialist · EMDR Therapist & Consultant December 4, 2025 Pictured Above: EMDR therapist Sarah Donovan demonstrating handheld bilateral stimulation tappers, a common EMDR tool used to support trauma processing for women and parents. Other forms

Written by: Sarah Donovan, LCPC, PMH-C November 6, 2025 Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Maryland | Perinatal Mental Health Certified | Certified EMDR Therapist & Consultant | Founder of Tilted Root Counseling Dark mornings. 4 p.m. sunsets. Frozen windshields. By the time November settles in, many of us are already living on emotional reserves.   Over the years, the more I’ve allowed myself to meet this season honestly—with body, mind, and spirit—the more it has ev

By: Sarah Donovan, LCPC, PMH-C | September 23, 2025 For the past six years, I’ve stepped away from social media for at least one month a year. That month is almost always September—the month my mom died. The purpose is to grieve. In the weeks before her passing, I was torn in every direction: Should I stay by her side? Care for my toddler? Keep working? Make space for friends? Take care of myself? The questions felt endless and impossible. Two weeks before she died, I was in