Lowcountry mothers have a new resource with the Balanced Birth and Wellness Collective
The Balanced Birth and Wellness Collective is a new, nonprofit maternal mental health program that offers free and low-cost services to women in need. Their primary purpose is to provide access to mental health support and doula services, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent access to necessary care.
The organization aims to promote the emotional well-being of families and foster a healthier community by offering free and low-cost mental health therapy services, increasing access to mental health support and doula services for marginalized communities, and making charitable donations to organizations improving birth and postpartum mental health outcomes.
The Balanced Birth and Wellness Collective was created by two organizations with women’s heath focused programs: Balanced Birth Doula Agency and Balanced Wellness.
The Balanced Birth Doula Agency provides holistic care for women to help navigate the early days of parenthood. The role of a doula is to provide individualized pregnancy, labor and postpartum support. Balanced Wellness works with women and families’ mental health to help navigate the multifaceted road of parenthood. Over the past three years, these organizations have donated almost $70,000 in care to families in need.
Women from both companies have combined their talents to create a community of wellness for women in the Lowcountry. Dr. Theresa Roman, Chief Psychologist/Clinical Director of Balanced Wellness and Alexandra Gonsor, Executive Director/ Co-Owner of the Balanced Birth Doula Agency felt that women in the Lowcountry need access many grants, programs and support, but often times don’t know about what is available or how to access it. The Balanced Birth and Wellness Collective offers the space, expertise and camaraderie women need to be successful as parents, partners and individuals. Dr. Roman says, “Bringing a new life into the world can be both beautiful and overwhelming. No one should have to navigate that journey alone. At Balanced Wellness, we’re honored to provide mental health support through our non-profit partnership with Balanced Birth Doula Agency because caring for families means caring for the whole person - mind and body. Everyone deserves a safe space to process, heal, and feel supported during this vulnerable chapter in their lives.”
This program is not designed to be a “Mommy and Me” playgroup but instead is aimed to provide comprehensive support to families throughout conception to birthing and beyond. The Balanced Birth and Wellness Collective helps ensure support is accessible to everyone by removing the financial strain of hiring a doula or therapist. Gonsor says, “We know that every family deserves to feel cared for and supported during the pregnancy, birth and postpartum months. When we can offer free and low-cost doula and mental health services, we’re helping families feel less alone and more confident during such a tender and life changing time. This work comes from the heart because every parent should be surrounded by care and kindness.”
So, how can you become involved in the Balanced Birth and Wellness Collective? Volunteers are always needed to be a part of peer support groups as well as to help in whatever way best serves the new parents. And, as a nonprofit organization, they are always looking for some financial support. Make a donation or learn more about The Balanced Birth and Wellness Collective at their website: https://www.balancedbirthandwellnesscollective.org.
Tracy Winslow is the Owner of Low Country Shrimp and Knits, the Lowcountry’s premier yarn store. When she is not teaching knitting classes, she teaches Spanish at Montclair State University, and writes about her life’s foibles in the humor column, Chaos on Fire, for the Bluffton Sun. You can reach out for help with yarn, Spanish past tense conjugations, and more at shrimpandknits.com.
