04/08/2026
One of my favorite aspects of breastfeeding are the beautiful connections. A latch, a fl**ge fit, a little hand wrapped around mom's finger, Dads doing skin to skin. I love the physical and emotional connections.
A lot of clients are often surprised when we chat and they find that my college degree wasn't in a health field. It was actually a BFA in blacksmithing. I was particularly enamored with with the simple connections of hand tools, like a hammer. And that theme was a common thread in a lot of the works I made.
So it was very serendipitous, when perinatal mental health therapist, Betty Barratta, messaged me and asked if I wanted to meet up at a coffee house called "The Forge". The interior decor was inspired by blacksmithing tools. We knew of each other through mutual clients, but had never met.
It was really fortuitous. I was having several consults where I needed help troubleshooting psycho somatic connections to breastfeeding outcomes. I was hearing from my clients that Betty was a knowledgeable and empathetic clinician that helped them with those connections.
I was curious this morning, when I started this post, if The Forge bakery where we met, was the site of an old blacksmith shop. I found that the owners actually liked the theme of forging connections and friendships with people. And I love that too!
I will put Betty's business website in the first comment, if anyone needs a great perinatal mental health therapist!