Why are members of the CHD community more at risk for certain kinds of psychological problems than those outside of the heart world? What makes people more at risk and what can be done about it? Thanks to Covid, people seem more reluctant to leave home for elective medical help so how can people receive treatment within the privacy and safety of their own homes?

Amy Bjorkman is the mother to a 17-year-old daughter with a single ventricle heart who has had 6 heart surgeries and spent her first 7 months in the hospital. She is also a licensed psychologist who has specialized in trauma for the last 20 years. She is an expert on how the body holds trauma and the concomitant dysregulation of the nervous system that directly impacts our sense of safety and ability to self-soothe. She works with clients from a somatic perspective to enhance their window of tolerance in managing stress such that they are able to feel more grounded and connected to themselves and others. She has a deep understanding of complex medical trauma from her work, and even more so from her lived experiences as a heart mom.

In this episode, Amy talks with Anna about the trauma experienced when a child is born with a congenital heart defect, how it affects the child and family members, and what can be done about it.

To learn more about Amy, check out her website!

Please visit our Heart to Heart with Anna Social Media and Podcast pages:

Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/heart-to-heart-with-anna/id1132261435?mt=2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HearttoHeartwithAnna/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hearttoheartwithanna/
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/annajaworski
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnaJaworski
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGPKwIU5M_YOxvtWepFR5Zw

Music thanks to the Baby Blue Sound Collective - https://music.apple.com/us/album/home-tonight-forever/1201349904

If you enjoy this program and would like to be a Patron, please check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/HeartToHeart