I think most people want to help where it’s needed, want to put good into the world, they just need to know how and where to put their efforts. This blog post is the beginning of something I’ve wanted to do for a few years now and something I hope will help connect people with a way to lift others. I love when I come across charitable organizations that are filling a need that maybe isn’t widely known, or at least isn’t widely talked about. I love when I find places you can help by either volunteering or donating because sometimes you want to dig your hands in and sometimes you want to quietly support other people to do the work (or maybe both). Starting today I’ll occasionally be spotlighting charities and nonprofits that have opportunities for you to take action and do something or donate to help their mission. Together I think we’ll be able to do a lot of good for a lot of people. With that said, let’s talk about Emily.
I first learned about Emily from a news story about her death.
Something about it struck me. Something about it, even with the minimal initial information, felt uncomfortably familiar. Something about what happened…there was just something about Emily and the end of her life that brought her story into mine in a way that stuck hard. A few months later I learned more about Emily and the illness that cut her life short.
Emily Dyches was a beautiful, loving mother with friends, a husband and children who loved her fiercely. Emily was also diagnosed and treated for postpartum depression and anxiety.
Emily and her husband Eric did everything they could, everything they were supposed to do to help her get better, but as I found with my own mental health crisis those resources can be difficult to find and the right help can be difficult to obtain. Reading about Emily I remembered the depths of my own depression and anxiety. I thought back on the frantic and disorienting panic attacks where I wasn’t entirely aware of reality, screaming, feeling like I had to run to stay alive. Emily and I came to depression and anxiety in different ways but my heart hurt with the familiarity of her pain, and especially the familiarity of the struggle to find the right care to heal and be well again.
A few months after Emily’s passing, her husband and friends created The Emily Effect Foundation, an organization that helps women connect with perinatal health resources and information.
From The Emily Effect
“Emily was diagnosed and treated for postpartum depression and anxiety. She was treated for the illness for several months. During the process we found pockets of very good help, but as a whole the journey was frustrating and the resources seemed disjointed. In short, there were many times I felt like we had exhausted every one of our options and I simply didn’t have anywhere else to turn. Thus, we have created this foundation and website to raise awareness and coordinate local resources for maternal mental health. -Eric Dyches”
While in the hospital with one of our bonus kiddos one of the social workers walked into our room wearing an Emily Effect t-shirt and we sat for a while talking about The Emily Effect and the positive impact they’re having. The Emily Effect is adding a strong voice to the dialogue surrounding maternal mental health and by extension, mental health in general. The Emily Effect is helping families connect to the services they need, educating the public about a widespread issue, and contributing to the push for improved mental health treatment, especially for women. They are affecting change in expectations, practices, and perspectives and I’m happy to have them as the first charity spotlight on the blog.
Here is how you can help support The Emily Effect in their mission.
Take action:
Per The Emily Effect’s Volunteer page…
- Social Media: Share The Emily Effect’s social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You don’t need to share every post but share the posts, either directly or publicly, that resonate with you and share your personal experience or passion.
- Talk to Your Clinicians: When moms demand better maternal mental health care, change will happen. When you have the opportunity, discuss The Emily Effect with your OB/GYN and pediatrician and share what you’ve learned from Emily’s story. You could specifically mention that 1 out of 7 women will experience a Perinatal Mood Disorder and that they are the #1 complication of childbirth. Ask your doctor what he/she is doing to screen for and treat Perinatal Mood Disorders. If applicable, discuss personal concerns you have about your mental health and pregnancy and come up with a treatment plan as to what you will do in the event that you experience this complication. We hope that changes in legislation and standards in medical practice are on the road to change, but until that happens, social pressure and setting our own standards for care in a one-on-one environment with our clinicians are the most effective tools we have to create change.
Donate:
The Emily Effect also has the option to donate through their website. Donations are used to support the cause by increasing awareness and improving resources locally (in Utah). The Emily Effect prints brochures and t-shirts, sponsors community outreach events and maintains and accessible presence online. Your donation helps them keep reaching out. Donate here
If you’ve been affected by The Emily Effect please reach out and let them know about the positive impact you’ve seen from their work (contact here). If there is a charitable organization you’d like to see featured on Jess Building Joy let me know!
Thank you!
Jess Building Joy 