Second Time Around - And Healing Was Possible
When Mary got in touch early last year, she was 30 weeks pregnant with her second child. After a traumatic first birth during COVID, she wanted to approach this birth in a way that felt safe, supportive, and healing. After an initial phone call to ensure this approach was right for her, we scheduled in the two key sessions.
Through my Birth Trauma Recovery (BTR) sessions, we began with a Birth Debrief. This gave Mary a safe space to share her experience, explore how it was affecting her life, and imagine the future she wanted. This initial session ends with deep relaxation, helping the mind and body settle after revisiting difficult memories. I sent Mary the recorded relaxation, personalised to her personal hopes for the future. Her homework was to listen to it at least a few times in preparation for her second session.
The next step was the TBR 3-Step Rewind, a week later, an NLP-based technique designed to gently release the emotional weight of trauma. The memory itself remains, but the distressing emotions attached to it are lifted, allowing the experience to be fully processed and safely stored in long-term memory. A couple of weeks later, I checked in with Mary via Zoom to see how she was doing. She was feeling noticeably better and was happily planning for her next birth with one of my colleagues, a wonderful birth doula I had recommended to her.
Read Mary’s story below, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you think this approach could help you or someone you care about.
Mary’s Story
I first reached out to Lynn when I was pregnant with my second child, around 30 weeks, I was carrying more than just a baby — I was also carrying unresolved trauma from the birth of my first daughter. That birth had taken place during the height of COVID, and much of the experience felt shaped by fear, restrictions, and isolation. There were quarantines, masks, and constant uncertainty. Most difficult of all, my partner wasn’t able to be with me for much of my labor. By the time I became pregnant again, the thought of giving birth a second time was deeply triggering, and I knew I needed to find a way to heal before doing it all over again.
Lynn guided me through a thoughtful, multi-step process that allowed me to revisit my first birth experience and gently re-experience it in a new way. Initially, my memories of that birth were dominated by a sense of powerlessness — of being told what to do and having no control. But as Lynn helped me walk through the experience again, something unexpected happened. I began to see that I had actually used my voice more than I had remembered. I had made choices. I had advocated for myself in ways I hadn’t previously acknowledged.
That reframing was incredibly empowering. It shifted how I viewed my first birth and allowed me to let go of much of the emotional weight I had been carrying. Instead of being overwhelmed by trauma, I could now look at that experience more objectively, without the same intensity of emotion attached to it.
Because of this work, I was able to approach my second birth with clarity, confidence, and a sense of calm. Lynn also connected me with a doula, whose support made a profound difference. With that guidance, I felt informed, supported, and capable of advocating for myself throughout the process.
As a result, my second birth was a truly positive, healing experience. I am deeply grateful for the support Lynn provided during such a pivotal time. Her guidance didn’t just help me process the past; it set me up for a successful, empowering birth the second time around.
Mary’s message to me after her second birth.
“Thanks so much, Lynn! This time around was such a positive experience, and it all started with your support. I felt empowered and informed and was able to advocate for myself on the day. It didn’t go exactly as planned, but accepting changes to my birth plan helped me have the birth I wanted. Agustina was also incredible — thank you for connecting me with her!”