Our full 2 day live Becoming Us professional training had been a long time in gestation. So I guess it was right that the first time it was delivered was via Peach Tree Perinatal Wellness in Brisbane, where I was born.
Peach Tree is a special and unique organisation. Founded in 2012 by Vivianne Kissane and Rani Farmer, Peach Tree was created around a peer support model, giving accessible, compassionate and meaningful education and support. Viv and Rani believe it really does take a Village and are doing their best to provide hubs for Brisbane mothers and families.
It was exciting to see the new Peach Tree House in Geebung (and spying a copy of Becoming Us on the desk) and to hear about Peach Tree’s expanding into their new new locations in Springwood and Morayfield.
I am honoured that Peach Tree have integrated Becoming Us into their Sunshine Parenting Program, a 6 week program for mothers experiencing, or at risk of developing, postnatal mental health challenges. The program is facilitated by Peer workers who share their lived experience of perinatal mental health challenges and their personal stories of hope and recovery. Feedback from mothers attending the program has been fantastic, with most mothers showing significantly improved levels of postnatal anxiety, depression and bonding.
Peach Tree also generously hosted a separate 2 hour Becoming Us Seed Planting Workshop for other Brisbane perinatal professionals and it was great to meet with this dedicated and passionate community of health, mental health and counselling professionals. Participants at the workshop came away knowing what the “transition” into parenthood actually means for mothers, fathers and families, an introduction to the Becoming Us Relationship Developmental approach to parenthood and exciting new research into easy and powerful ways to work with expecting and new parents that supports their mental, emotional and relationship wellbeing.
It was also a trip down memory lane for me, as the taxi passed the hospital where I was born, the hill where our family lived in a tiny house that had been home for four generations of our family, the showground and the local school.
