Veronica’s Story: The Art of Making Mothers a Priority

Veronica Chandler’s home in north Wilmington is her sanctuary, and it shows. From the soft instrumental music to the scent of lavender to the comfortable chairs that invite visitors to put their feet up, the message is clear: rest, relax, recharge.

In this space, Chandler celebrates her newfound self, and it’s a journey she shares with all who visit. Part of the cozy feel of her home comes from the artwork that covers the walls—mostly her own paintings and drawings, created over the past six years as she navigates the challenges and triumphs of motherhood and discovers new ways to care for herself and her loved ones.

After suffering from anxiety, panic attacks and deep depression following the birth of her daughter in 2018, Chandler sought help from ChristianaCare Center for Women’s Emotional Wellbeingwhere a combination of medication and therapy helped her feel healthier and more connected. She also returned to a former passion: art.

“When I started painting, I found a way to quiet my brain. By being able to focus on one thing, my body was able to regulate my nervous system,” she said. “I didn’t know what was happening to me. I just felt great.”

More than ‘baby blues’

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are among the most common complications that can occur during pregnancy or in the first year after giving birth.

For assistance, contact the Center for Women’s Emotional Wellness at 302-733-6662 or call ChristianaCare’s 24-hour crisis line at 302-320-2118. If you believe you are an immediate danger to yourself, your baby, or others, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

While many parents experience feelings of anxiety, fatigue and sadness in the first few days with a new baby, postpartum depression can occur several months after the birth. Symptoms are often more severe and can include extreme stress.

Despite increased awareness efforts in recent years, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders – including postnatal depression, which occurs in up to 20% of all births – remain underdiagnosed, untreated or undertreated, even though their impact on health extends beyond the person giving birth, according to Malina GeestPsy.D., MEd, director of the Center for Women’s Emotional Wellness.

The center opened in 2013 to help patients and their loved ones understand the challenges of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Since then, the program has tripled its clinician count and expanded services to include outpatient and inpatient consultations, ongoing psychotherapy, and psychiatric medication management.

“Just because we know something is normal doesn’t mean we have to accept it, especially since the effects will be permanent if left unaddressed,” Spirito said. “Perinatal mood disorders impact the overall health of a family. When a mother feels better, the relationships she has with the people around her are better.”

Breaking the stereotype of the ‘supermom’

Looking back, Chandler acknowledges that her struggles with sleep and anxiety after the birth of her first child may have been signs of postpartum depression. The symptoms subsided only to return when her daughter was born two years later.

While Chandler was thrilled with her growing family, she deeply missed her mother, who lived in her native Ecuador. Adding to those challenges were extended hospital stays for Chandler, who had a C-section, and for her daughter, who had some minor health issues.

In the weeks following the birth, Chandler suffered from dizziness due to anemia. Although she was exhausted from caring for a newborn, she could not sleep. She felt constantly tense and her skin itched without relief.

Behavioral health services, including virtual and in-person care, are available at every ChristianaCare women’s health practice.

Concerned when her symptoms didn’t improve after three months, Chandler’s husband suggested postpartum depression. For Chandler, it was a relief that someone else could see that something was wrong, but she was afraid to think about what it might take to get better.

“I think we’re programmed by our culture and our beliefs to think that we have to be ‘super moms’ and give everything we have,” said Chandler, who grew up in Ecuador and moved to the United States after marrying her husband.

“I was so in the fog that I didn’t know that I could still shine and be happy and content. The default for so many mothers is to keep pouring until there’s nothing left.”

‘Rediscovering who I was’

Chandler sought help at the Center for Women’s Emotional Wellness and soon began taking an antidepressant as part of her treatment. She also saw a therapist to talk about the feelings she was experiencing.

“I was so in a fog that I didn’t know that I could still shine and be happy and content.” – Veronica Chandler

“Therapy was such a big part of this whole journey of rediscovering who I was. When you talk and someone listens, you figure it out,” Chandler said.

During a trip to Arizona with a cousin, Chandler discovered kachina dolls, a Native American art form often used to guide youth and create a connection between nature and spirit. The intricately designed images further fueled Chandler’s newfound passion for art.

That passion has helped Chandler navigate the additional challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, as her anxiety and depression flared up again. Through painting, sculpture and other mediums, she has explored her own feelings about motherhood, family and society. Her work has been featured internationally in Vogue and closer to home in local art galleries.

“Some people like to cook, and some people like to write. Art is my creative outlet that allowed me to get back to who I am,” she said. “We all have to let go of that creativity in some way.”

Getting into care earlier

While the Center for Women’s Emotional Wellness has always focused on pregnant and postpartum patients, it has evolved into a center that focuses on mental health needs related to preconception health, including assisted reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization, Spirito said. The center also sees patients who are grieving a pregnancy or neonatal miscarriage.

“One of the most striking observations I’ve seen over the years is that people who give birth are more likely to enter care. It’s not uncommon for women to ask for advice before they get pregnant about how to manage their mood disorder if they become pregnant,” says Megan O’Hara, LCSW, a behavioral therapist at the Center for Women’s Emotional Wellness.

“Patients are now educating themselves and expect their healthcare providers to consider both their mental and physical health when receiving care.”

“I think the best mother is a healthy mother who is in balance and harmony.” – Veronica Chandler

Mental health services for women have also become more accessible, says Cynthia Guy, LMSW, MSCC, a behavioral health consultant for women’s health at the Center for Women’s Emotional Wellness. Behavioral health services are available at every ChristianaCare women’s health practice, including virtual and in-person care.

“I can be the bridge that connects the patient to the resources they need to manage the symptoms and the issues they are going through,” Guy said.

Filling the cup

As a result of her own experiences, Chandler teaches classes to help other mothers create their own art as a way of expression. It’s a small way to help them fill their own cup.

The woman who once hid in her own closet to hide her feelings is now speaking openly about mental health in the hopes that people will let go of their preconceptions about depression and anxiety.

“I am so grateful for the journey and the many people I have met who have postpartum depression,” she said. “When we talk about what makes the best mothers, I think the best mother is a healthy mother who is in balance and harmony.”