The Sisterhood BloGWhere Mental Health Support Meets the Perinatal Village — Across Seattle, Kitsap & Washington State.
Therapist-created resources for moms navigating the complex and often invisible parts of modern motherhood — plus everything you need to know about the local village that helps. →
Overwhelmed by the Mental Load? Here’s What to do.
The stress of caring for the household should be a shared task between all of the adults (and kids!) in the household, but it often falls to mothers. The invisible and unpaid labor of caring for the family leads many moms to unnecessary burnout and overwhelm. Learn Dr. Julie’s tips for talking to your partner about this part of the mental load & how to use the strategy of delegation to get your partner’s practical support with the tasks you want help with.
Is Being Called a Control Freak a Red Flag for Maternal Anxiety?
Feeling like you have to be in charge all the time? It might not be a personality flaw — it could be anxiety. This blog explores how control can be a coping strategy for moms navigating postpartum and maternal anxiety, and offers tools to help you interrupt the cycle with clarity and compassion.
Feeling Touched Out? Here’s Why So Many Moms Don’t Want Sex Postpartum
Many moms feel touched out and not ready for intimacy after having a baby. This post explores how to talk about it with your partner—and what to do when you're not on the same page.
Don't Tell a Mom to "Just" Take a Break: Understanding the Challenges of Alone Time
Don't tell a mom to "just" take a break: why this advice feels hurtful; the challenges of finding time away as a parent; simple ways to care for yourself without an extended break from your kids. Get tips and solutions here.
7 Completely BS Judgments that Hurt New Moms
As a new mom, you get bombarded with judgmental feedback about the way you care for your child. It seems like someone ALWAYS has something unhelpful & hurtful to say. Here’s my list of the 7 BS judgments that hurt moms most and what you can do about it. .
New Baby, Same Expectations? How to Set Holiday Boundaries That Reflect Your Family’s Reality
Your family has changed — but holiday expectations haven’t. Here’s how to set boundaries that reflect your new reality, protect your peace, and still make space for connection.
Parenting is Hard: Tips for Managing the Unsolicited Advice as a New Mom
As moms, we can’t leave the house without being bombarded with unsolicited advice about the ways we care for ourselves and our children. And this advice hurts moms in ways that might surprise you. Here’s your guide to dealing with the advice no matter where it comes from (scripts included!).
It's Ok to Ask For Help, Mama: Here’s How to Do It
If no one told you, it's ok to ask for help! The demands of motherhood can get overwhelming, and sometimes you just need to ask for help, here’s how to do it.
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Hi! I’m Dr. Julie Franks
Licensed Clinical Social Work Therapist in Seattle and Bainbridge Island, WAAnd I’m here to help you deal with the overwhelming status of having a baby and becoming a mother, whether it’s your first time or you’ve been here before.
I specialize in supporting women who are in the trying-to-concieve, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and early motherhood phase of life. Motherhood changes the way you respond to stress, anxiety, and overwhelm + navigate old wounds that resurface in ways you weren’t expecting.
Most importantly, I’m a mom who is right there with you in experiencing the social pressures and demands related to motherhood… and all the stress it creates.As a postpartum anxiety survivor who had a difficult start to motherhood, I get the way social pressures and expectations make it hard to understand + focus on your values and identity.
I created Nurturing the Sisterhood to give women and mothers in our local community a dedicated space to grow and bloom in motherhood. I believe that you can experience the kind of motherhood you always imagined with support - and I’m here for you when you’re ready.
The Sisterhood Blog includes:
Therapist-written articles by Dr. Julie Franks, DSW, LICSW, on mom’s mental health — including postpartum anxiety, burnout, boundaries, and the emotional labor of early motherhood
First-hand interviews with the incredible doulas, lactation consultants, sleep coaches, and other perinatal professionals serving families across Seattle, Kitsap, and Washington State
Real Providers. Real Stories. Real Support for Washington Moms.
Because no mom should have to navigate this alone.