Let’s Keep the Conversation Going – In June and Beyond

It’s hard to believe that it’s already June. Ten years ago this month, I had just given birth to my second child. My older daughter was four, and I thought—naively—that I had parenting figured out.

But when my son was born, while everyone around me celebrated and congratulated me on the birth of another healthy child, I grieved. I grieved the loss of my old self—the parent who could give all of my attention to one child, the person who had already made it through the infant and toddler years, the version of me who felt capable, organized, and present.

I struggled to feel affection or connection with my son. I battled relentless self-critical thoughts. I couldn’t motivate myself to do much more than the bare minimum, and joy felt inaccessible. From the outside, I tried my best to perform as someone who was happy and thriving—the way I thought I was supposed to be. In private, I was struggling more than I knew how to say. At the time, I didn’t realize it, but I was deep in postpartum depression.

One day, at a follow-up appointment with my son’s pediatrician, she asked me a simple question: “How are you really doing?" I looked at her and burst into tears. That moment became a turning point. She connected me with care and resources that eventually helped me find my way back to myself.

That’s one reason June feels meaningful to me. It’s not only the month we celebrate Raymond’s birthday—it’s also the month that follows Mental Health Awareness Month. Every year, June reminds me that awareness can’t end when May does.

Mental health impacts all of us, directly or indirectly. Conversations about mental health don’t only belong in campaigns, trainings, or designated months; they happen in pediatricians’ offices, at kitchen tables, in workplaces, between friends, and in ordinary moments when someone asks, “How are you really doing?”

We all have opportunities to notice, ask, listen, and connect people to support. We need to be ready for those conversations—not just in May, but all year long. What will you do in June to keep the conversation going?