Held at Every Stage: Postpartum Mental Health and the Wisdom of Conscious Care with Giana Flocco-Quinn

What does it mean to be truly cared for, not just during postpartum, but through every stage of life? In this episode of the Sacred Window Podcast, Christine Eck welcomes Giana Flocco-Quinn, postpartum doula, school counselor, and mother of three, for a meaningful conversation about mental health, foundational self-care, and the wisdom of conscious care. Giana shares how her own postpartum experiences, particularly following the premature birth of her first child, shaped her passion for supporting families through the fourth trimester. With a background in education, human development, and school counseling, she brings a unique perspective to understanding the emotional needs of both new parents and young people. Together, Christine and Giana explore the connection between nervous system health, daily routines, mindfulness, and the importance of having our basic needs met. They discuss how sleep, nourishment, hydration, and moments of stillness can influence our mental well-being, and how social media and unrealistic expectations can pull us away from what we truly need. This conversation also highlights the importance of community, being witnessed, and creating spaces where people feel heard and supported without judgment. At the heart of it all is a reminder that conscious care is not limited to the postpartum window. The foundations of feeling supported, connected, and nourished are relevant throughout our lives. **In this episode, we explore:** - The relationship between postpartum experiences and mental health - Why basic self-care is foundational to well-being - The influence of social media and comparison - Mindfulness, grounding, and moments of stillness - Supporting emotional well-being across different stages of life - The importance of community and individualized care - Bringing conscious care into families, schools, and everyday relationships **Meet Giana Flocco-Quinn** Giana Flocco-Quinn is a mother of 3, a wife, and a devoted animal lover who has an intense passion for mental health and caring for families. Giana lives in Poughkeepsie New York in the Hudson Valley, where she is a full time school counselor for middle- high school students. In her unique roll, she gets to serve students from all over the world in a day and boarding college prep Quaker school. Before becoming a school counselor, Giana initially was pursuing a degree in teaching where she landed the roll of lead infant teacher in a childcare facility for over 11 years. As fond as she was of infants, she was on the hunt for more, earning a degree in human development and continuing on to her Masters degree in school counseling. Again, Giana was on the hunt to learn even more, where she finally committed to becoming a postpartum doula. The passion for supporting postpartum families began after the birth of her first born, a preemie, in 2016. That intense experience highlighted how vulnerable and overwhelming the fourth trimester can be. Giana believes that the birth of a baby should be met with joy, love, rest, community support and warm nourishing meals; all the things that Giana longed for in each of her three postpartum experiences.  **Links:** Sunshine Roots Doula Care LLC \- https://sacredwindowstudies.com/free-cookbook/ \- Are you feeling the call to know more about Conscious Postpartum Care? Reach out! ⁠Schedule a time with Christine⁠ to find out how this work can transform your care business or provide a meaningful career path. Here is the ⁠link⁠ to our free class **@‌sacredwindowstudies** Join our ⁠Facebook Group⁠ Podcast Music is Composed by Sara Emmitt, graduate of the Center for Sacred Window Studies. You can hear more of Sara’s incredible music at www.saraemmitt.com.