My Therapist Dismissed My Story: When Birth Mirrors Sexual Violence

In this episode of the Resilient Birth Podcast, Justine Leach and Sarah Adelmann delve into the complex interplay between trauma, birth experiences, and the importance of consent and validation in therapeutic settings. Justine shares her personal journey of navigating her traumatic birth experience as a survivor of sexual assault, highlighting the disconnect between what she wanted for her birth and the reality of her experience. Justine shares how a lack of consent during her birth mirrored her experience of rape through stripping her of her sense of autonomy and control and how this aspect of her birth trauma was not recognized by her therapist at the time. The conversation emphasizes the need for therapists and medical providers to listen deeply, validate experiences, and honor the autonomy of individuals during birth.    Keywords: birth trauma, sexual assault, rape, consent, listening, validation, therapy, counseling.   Takeaways The importance of consent in birth experiences cannot be overstated. Listening and validation are crucial for those sharing their trauma. Prior trauma can significantly impact the experience of childbirth. Grief is a natural response to a birth experience that didn't go as planned. Therapists and providers must recognize the vulnerability of their clients. Medical interventions without consent can strip away a person's sense of control. Reclaiming power in birth can be healing. Chapters 00:00 Connecting Sexual Violence to Birth Trauma and the Failure to Listen 03:07 The Role of Consent in Birth 06:12 The Importance of Listening and Validation 12:12 A Fantasy of Reclaiming Power in Birth 15:00 The Impact of Medical Interventions Without Consent 20:59 Grief and the Birth Experience 24:00 The Power of Vulnerable Sharing 26:57 Understanding the Complexity of Birth Stories On the Resilient Birth podcast, Justine and Sarah explore the impact of trauma across the perinatal period, from trying-to-conceive to pregnancy, from childbirth to postpartum and parenting. Through an inspirational quote that drives our weekly conversations about trauma and healing, Justine and Sarah explore topics such as birth trauma, parenting as a survivor, and finding healing with vulnerability and compassion that support birthing people and birth professionals. Each week, listeners leave with takeaways to utilize in their lives and/or clients. Justine and Sarah hold the stories they share with honor and respect with the hope to impart knowledge, increase understanding, and bear witness to this challenging topic. Sarah is a licensed mental health counselor, educator, and mom of three. She walks with a story of trauma from before and as a result of her perinatal experience. Justine supports survivors of trauma through perinatal coaching and childbirth education. As well as being a mother of three, she holds a Ph.D. on representations of consent and sexual violence. Learn more about Sarah and Justine's course called Trauma Informed Fundamentals here: https://resilient-birth.mykajabi.com/traumainformedfundamentals