Finding Shalom After Postpartum Depression: How One Family Is Healing with a Therapy Dog
If you’ve ever walked through postpartum depression or anxiety, you know how isolating it can be. The expectations of new motherhood crash into the harsh reality of sleepless nights, racing thoughts, and feeling emotionally “off”—and too often, you suffer in silence, wondering if anyone truly understands.
I know this pain because I lived it.
The Unexpected Reality of Postpartum Depression
When my first child was born, I thought I was prepared. But within hours, something felt wrong. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t calm down. My body was exhausted, but my mind wouldn’t shut off. As days turned into weeks—and then months—I found myself in a constant state of hypervigilance, fear, and overwhelming sadness.
Doctors brushed off my insomnia and anxiety. Friends didn’t understand. I felt guilty, ashamed, and completely alone. Eventually, I hit a breaking point. I began medication, stopped nursing, and started down a long, slow path toward healing. But that path was far from easy—and the trauma left its mark.
A Decade Later: Redemption, Restoration, and a New Chapter
Years passed. Therapy helped. EMDR helped. Jesus met me in my brokenness. And slowly, I began to feel like myself again.
Then something beautiful happened—my family and I took a two-week vacation. For the first time in more than a decade, I felt free. That trip was a Red Fern moment for us—a sign of life and beauty growing out of something once broken.
Now, we’re preparing for our next chapter of healing: welcoming a therapy dog into our home.
Over time, through therapy, EMDR, and God's grace, I found healing. I reclaimed pieces of myself I thought I’d lost forever. And in 2015, our family was blessed with a second child—our daughter Samantha Shalom, whose name means “God has heard and answered my cry for peace.”
She has brought so much joy into our lives—and one of her biggest dreams is to have a dog of her own. Not just any dog, but one that could become a therapy or emotional support dog, helping bring the same peace she’s helped restore in me.
We began researching dogs that are:
Calm and affectionate
Highly trainable
Great with kids
Low to moderate energy
Hypoallergenic and low-shedding
That’s when we discovered the Australian Mountain Doodle, and ultimately, Stokeshire Designer Doodles.
Why Australian Mountain Doodles Are Ideal for Postpartum Recovery
As we learned more, we realized that this wasn’t just about giving Sammy a pet. This was about bringing home a companion that could continue our family’s healing journey—especially for moms still carrying the weight of perinatal anxiety or depression.
Many women find that dogs help regulate emotional stress, provide comfort during anxious episodes, and bring daily structure and connection. For our family, the thought of having a trained doodle—especially one that has completed Stokeshire’s Doodle School program—was deeply comforting.
My husband, a police lieutenant, has walked through his own trauma in supporting me through postpartum. The idea of those first overwhelming weeks with a new puppy felt daunting. But a dog who has already been trained? That felt like a gift of grace—for both of us.
Red Fern Scholarship: Making Hope Possible
As a homeschool family living on a single income, finances are tight. And after an unexpected van replacement and ongoing medical costs for our son born with a cleft lip and palate, this dream felt out of reach.
That’s why the Red Fern Scholarship means so much to us.
It’s not just financial help—it’s an investment in a story of redemption. A way to extend healing through the power of dogs to others who feel broken, unseen, or overwhelmed.
A New Chapter of Restoration
For us, this dog won’t just be a pet. It will be a part of our testimony. A daily reminder that peace is possible after pain, and healing is real—even if it takes years. We hope to train our dog as a therapy/service companion—bringing joy not just to Sammy and our home, but to others navigating similar valleys.
So to any mama reading this who feels stuck in the shadows of postpartum depression, you are not alone. There is hope. There is healing. And sometimes, it comes on four legs with a wagging tail.
Could a Dog Support Your Postpartum Healing?
At Stokeshire, we believe in the transformative power of therapy-grade dogs. If you or someone you love is walking through postpartum anxiety, depression, or emotional burnout, consider how an Australian Mountain Doodle might be part of your healing journey.
→ Learn more about our Red Fern Scholarship
→ See why families love Australian Mountain Doodles
→ Explore our Doodle School Program