Healing After the NICU with Psychologist & Miracle Moon Founder, Frankie Harrison

In this deeply human and heartfelt episode, Mary sits down with clinical psychologist and NICU parent Frankie Harrison, founder of Miracle Moon, a global online support community for families navigating life after neonatal care. Frankie shares her powerful personal journey—from a traumatic pregnancy marked by preeclampsia, to a six-week NICU stay, to the emotional aftermath that reshaped not only her identity as a parent, but her entire professional path.Together, Mary and Frankie explore:What it means to experience trauma before, during, and after the NICUWhy so many parents don’t realize they’re experiencing trauma until long after dischargeHow anxiety, hypervigilance, dissociation, and grief often hide beneath the surfaceThe cultural and clinical barriers that make parents feel unseen, dismissed, or “palmed off”The healing power of community, validation, and meaningful attunementThe critical need for clinician training, nervous-system literacy, and emotionally attuned careWhy support shouldn’t end at NICU discharge—and what true post-NICU “rehab” might look likeFrankie also shares the evolution of Miracle Moon—from an Instagram page to a global community providing trauma-informed resources, peer support, and evidence-based guidance for the long arc of healing that follows neonatal care.This conversation is a profound reminder that trauma-informed developmental care is not only for babies—it’s for parents, clinicians, and entire systems. And that healing happens in connection.NICU trauma as both a psychological and physiological experienceDissociation, survival mode, and why parents often can’t “take things in” while hospitalizedThe overlooked emotional labor of cliniciansShame reduction through validation and shared experienceThe need for rupture-and-repair in healthcare relationshipsWhy birthdays, transitions, and milestones often retrigger traumaStrategies for rehumanizing clinical spacesHow community care can become a lifelineFrankie Harrison, CPsychol, is a UK-based clinical psychologist and founder of Miracle Moon, a groundbreaking online community providing trauma-informed support for NICU families worldwide. After her own traumatic pregnancy and NICU journey, Frankie transformed her career to focus exclusively on neonatal trauma, parent mental health, and nervous system healing.Miracle Moon offers resources, videos, community spaces, and evidence-based guidance for families navigating life during and long after the NICU.Important Links:Miracle Moon: https://www.miraclemoon.co.uk⁠Follow Frankie on Instagram: @miraclemoonuk  Podcast: https://www.miraclemoon.co.uk/podcast LinkedInLearn more about Trauma-Informed Developmental CareIf this episode resonates with you, please share it with a NICU parent, clinician, or advocate who could use the validation and support. And don’t forget to rate and review the podcast—it helps amplify trauma-informed conversations that change lives.