Meet Ivy Sias of Ivy Counseling & Wellness Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivy Sias.

Hi Ivy, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
Growing up I have always known I wanted to help others. When trying to decide on a career, I called it different things, but I knew that I was passionate about creating a safe space for people to express themselves and figure things out. Over the years I would create and join different groups that promoted support and understanding through different phases of life. Once I started my motherhood journey, I noticed that a lot of my social media friends were in the same phase of life and were completely lost, scared, and filled with emotion with nowhere to put it! We all needed support, so I started a support group on social media called “Let’s Talk Babies,” which grew quickly and had participants from all over the world. It was a safe space where all us new moms could talk about what we were experiencing without the judgment. 

After the birth of my son, I had a whole new understanding of motherhood. My son, a double rainbow baby, was unexpectedly sent to the NICU, and that experience created strength in me I didn’t even realize was there. It was also during this experience that I realized that the system that says they care so much about babies does not take care of the people who birth them. Society loves to see the perfect pictures of pregnancy and postpartum, but what do you do when yours looks different? How do you support those families? Mine certainly wasn’t perfect, and I was grateful to have a space to share the imperfections as well as the beauty of motherhood. 

A few years later, my husband and I planned for another baby, and that pregnancy ended in a loss. We quickly decided to try again and a few months after I became pregnant with our daughter. During that pregnancy, I experienced depression and anxiety that got worse after she was born, but because I was so high-functioning, no one knew but me. Finally, I decided to say something at my six-week visit and was told, “Postpartum depression doesn’t look like you because those women cannot get out of bed or take care of their children.” It was also mentioned that I had two healthy children and a supportive husband, so I had nothing to be sad about. I knew I needed support. I looked for resources and struggled to find anyone that understood perinatal mental health and what I was experiencing. 

At the time, I had already been a therapist for over five years, so I decided to do research to find out what was happening to me. As I explored, I came across Postpartum Support International, and what I found was there was so much to know about maternal mental health, so I sought specialized training to gain a deeper understanding. I wanted to know why people were not talking about the number one complication of pregnancy and childbirth, and I was determined to raise the volume on this topic. Right around this same time, I started Ivy Counseling & Wellness Services LLC, a private practice specializing in the treatment of people on their parenthood journey and other life transitions. I also created networking events to connect those of us that work with the birthing population, in-person and virtual support groups, community trainings and outreach, and advocacy work. Since the appropriate resources were not available for me at that time I needed them most, I decided to become a resource within my community and beyond. I have always believed that my adversities are tools that provide insight for my next steps in life. I find healing in being the resource that may not have been available for me so that others have a better chance at overcoming their obstacles. My private practice and the work I do is a reflection of this. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Yes, there have been struggles. Because the people I serve are the birthing population, I know that the what society says parenthood is supposed to be is inaccurate. I know that people smile for the camera and cry in the closet. I know that there are a lot of people hurting that should have access and support to get the help they need. I know that lives are being lost because society is failing mothers and birthing people. We all have to work to change the narrative if we want to create a world that supports people during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives. We have made progress, but there is so much to be done. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Ivy Counseling & Wellness Services LLC?
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas and Louisiana, Perinatal Mental Health Certified, and the owner of Ivy Counseling & Wellness Services LLC, a private practice specializing in the treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, which includes preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. My practice was birthed after being discriminated against during my pregnancy with my daughter, my own experience with perinatal depression and anxiety, and my inability to find professionals knowledgeable in maternal mental health. As I began to discuss my experience, I realized that so many, particularly in the Black community, had similar stories. As I did my research, I found that perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are the number one complication of childbirth yet there was little support or dialogue about it. The perinatal period can be a beautiful and also a very challenging time and I never wanted another person to struggle to find resources, so I became one and encouraged others to do the same. 

I am known for being down to earth and being able to understand my clients in a unique way because I have lived experience and extensive training to support them on their healing journey. Over the last six years, I have touched so many lives through therapy, networking with other professionals and educating them about perinatal mental health, local and national advocacy, and by being dedicated to fighting for the rights of birthing people past, present, and future. 

I provided individual therapy to adults, and soon, I will be reintroducing group therapy. Most often, my clients are dealing with feeling overwhelmed, exhausted physically and mentally, going through phases of life issues and life transitions, and just need a safe space to focus on themselves to figure it all out. I work collaboratively with my clients to determine the most effective approach to treatment and provide support to help them identify challenges, combating self-defeating beliefs, and uncovering and validating their truths and strengths. The world can be hard and judgmental, you are safe in this space. 

What matters most to you? Why?
My husband, my children, and my village that is built of people I have found through this life that are my family. They are my absolute everything. Also, being able to hold space and help amplify the voices for those who are not being heard is a gift that I do not take for granted. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ivycounselingandwellness.com
• Instagram: @ivycounselingandwellness
• Facebook: Ivy Counseling and Wellness