From bliss to psychosis and the long road back to mental health - An interview with Emmeline Tyler

We now know it's important to be on the lookout for signs of postnatal depression, anxiety and even psychosis in the early days, but what happens if a mother experiences a mental health crisis further down the track?

In this episode of the Anna Asks podcast, Emmeline Tyler (she/her) shares openly about her birth and blissful postpartum, and how these assisted in helping her be well. She explains how personal and societal factors influenced the unravelling of her mental health during the toddler years, which escalated into psychosis and hospitalisation 2.5 years after birth. Recorded a further 2.5 years down the track, Emmeline shares her insights into the mental health system, her path to recovery and ongoing mental health management, and how her family are seeking to build a life with mental wellness for all as their focus. We also go on a few feminist-y tangents and discuss books because it's us and how could we not?

Listen here

Content warnings: birth interventions, medical and hospital trauma, psychosis.

Note: This episode was recorded in 2023 and discusses homeschooling. Both mine and Emmeline's children are in formalised educational environments this year (2024).

Links

On use/misuse of certain words including "tribe": 

https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/spring-2001/the-trouble-with-tribe

https://www.wellandgood.com/spirit-animal-native-american/

If you are interested in finding out more about the Newborn Mothers postpartum care and education course you can do so via this affiliate link: https://newbornmothers.simplero.com/products/172434-Postpartum-Education-and-Care?ref=46186-Anna-Cusack

The Talia Hibbert books we mentioned: https://taliahibbert.com/series/the-brown-sisters/

Where to find us

Emmeline is the co-host of the soon-to-be-released "Explaining Autism" podcast with Julia Jones. She also has a YouTube channel where she does the hard yards of reading and reviewing a stack of fiction and non-fiction books so you'll never get stuck with a dud read again! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChzD1TesIcsfEkuitdQhXTQ

and a newsletter: https://emmelines-letters.ghost.io

You can connect with Anna's services (birth mapping, postpartum planning, birth debriefing and parent support sessions), upcoming mothers' circles and book "Mama, You're Not Broken - Unmasking the Unspoken Emotions of Modern Motherhood" right here.

You can also find them both (sometimes) on Instagram @emmelineysun and @annacusackpostpartum