I’ve been leading the Ithaca PPD support group for 16 months. Since October 2010, our meetings took place at the lovely and amazing community room at the natural parenting store in downtown Ithaca. The owner, Mandy, and her team were so wonderfully supportive.
I thought it was perfect: right on the Ithaca Commons (the downtown pedestrian shopping district), across the street from the main downtown bus station and the public library. The room itself was beyond perfect. Soft carpet for the babies to role and crawl on, cushions, books, toys, even a kiddie-slide.
I felt safe there, I felt taken-care-of. I could tell that the participants felt safe too. And yet, I’m moving the free monthly support group to the at 315 North Tioga Street.
Why is that? I’m so glad you asked:
At a recent meeting at the I used to volunteer with, said to me: You know, maybe this natural parenting store is not the most inclusive location. I bet there are mothers who need this kind support who do not feel comfortable going there.
It was a lightbulb moment. She was absolutely right. The women who were coming to the group had a lot in common. Too much in common. It meant that I wasn’t serving the whole community. My initial reaction was “I should have thought of this myself” and then I noticed I was feeling guilty and disarmed that. I harvested the guilt and took action: first, I asked some more people for their opinions. What I heard back was in support of looking for a new space, preferably one that is in the non-profit sector, rather than a retail, or a house of God environment.
This was a good case of “seek and you shall find”. I’m happy to report that what I found exceded my expectations: I can hardly believe that I was able to find another room with a carpeted floor, toys and kids-books. And And the cherry on top is that it’s right around the corner from the old meeting location, on the bus lines, just one block from the Tioga municipal parking garage and the Ithaca commons. Score! I couldn’t ask for more.
The is located at 315 North Tioga Street, between Buffalo Street and Court street.
Confusion alert: this is NOT the Women’s Community Building on the corner of Cayuga and Seneca, the women’s Opportunity Center is across the street from the downtown branch of HSBC on Tioga. See the map below.
Our first meeting in the new location is on Tuesday, March 6 at noon.
All kinds of mothers invited. Babies and toddlers welcome. It doesn’t matter how old your kids are, if you got a nagging “I’m a bad mom†feeling, if you feel overwhelmed by motherhood, you are not alone. Please come to this safe space for sharing, sisterhood, and coping skills for sleep deprivation, guilt, anxiety, and postpartum depression. If you are struggling while mothering, please join us.
Later payments are only possible in exceptional cases.
More information about the group on the .