Doulas Making a Difference: Gillian Cullen from Birth Mark Artwork

Perinatal Wellbeing - The Podcast about Prenatal, Pregnancy & Postpartum Health

Let's talk about Prenatal, Pregnancy and Postpartum health! This podcast is all about authentic conversations centred on Perinatal health and wellbeing; from mood and anxiety disorders, to breastfeeding challenges, to grief and loss in the Perinatal period and literally everything in between! This is the place to have real and honest conversations about these experiences so we can break down barriers to accessing treatment and crush stigma! I open these conversations up by sharing my knowledge as a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional, interviewing others with lived experience and talking with colleagues who also work in the Perinatal field supporting clients and sharing their wisdom. You will walk away with more knowledge and understanding of the Perinatal period and ideas for coping with the many challenges that can come up in this period. You are not alone and there is a community of support waiting for you! For more information about Perinatal Wellbeing visit our website www.perinatalwellbeing.ca. If you want to submit a question to be answered on a future podcast please email me at info@perinatalwellbeing.ca.

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Perinatal Wellbeing - The Podcast about Prenatal, Pregnancy & Postpartum Health

Doulas Making a Difference: Gillian Cullen from Birth Mark

November 07, 2022 • Season 2 • Episode 23

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Content Warning:
Postpartum psychosis and suicide

Hello and welcome to Perinatal Wellbeing episode #23. Today Gillian Cullen she/they Full-spectrum doula, CST practitioner, founder and CEO of Birth Mark joins me to talk about starting Birth Mark, a charity dedicated to providing full spectrum doula support for marginalized and at-risk communities throughout the GTA and Hamilton. Gillian started Birth Mark from the ground up and is doing incredible work in the community to raise awareness, advocate for better care of those in the Perinatal period and provide amazing doula care access to people in underserved communities.

In this episode Gillian really broke down the deep impacts that the pandemic has had on birthing parents. Gillian shared with us what Doula support looks like and how Doulas at Birth Mark support their clients who are birthing babies. And Gillian provided their insight about gaps in mental health services in Ontario and the advocacy work they do to try and fill gaps in these services.

Highlights:

2:04 - Gillian’s background and starting Birth Mark

6:36 - Barriers to starting Birth Mark

10:37 - Birth Mark’s Core values, services and outreach

18:07 - Impact of the Pandemic on Birth Mark

35:49 - The loss of a Birth Mark’s client Flora to postpartum psychosis

39:44 - Gaps in reproductive care in Ontario

43:48 - Having Doulas provide support to help reduce the burden on the healthcare system and diversifying the healthcare systems

48:37 - What do Doulas do?

58:40 - How you can support Birth Mark

1:01:14 - The benefits of having a doula

1:03:35 - What would Gillian like to see and change in the perinatal community

Resources:

You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email info@perinatalwellbeing.ca

You can find Gillian on Instagram and Facebook: @gillian.doula.cullen and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-cullen-a73798193/

Birth Mark’s website is https://birthmarksupport.com

You can donate to Birth Mark here: https://birthmarksupport.com/donate

Instagram @birthmarksupport

Facebook @birthmarksupport

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