Healing After the NICU: Processing Trauma, Loss, and Your Family's Story

Healing After the NICU: Processing Trauma, Loss, and Your Family's Story

Author: Katie Taylor, Certified Child Life Specialist March 11, 2026 Duration: 39:02

This week's guests, perinatal mental health therapists Emily Souder and Mahaley Patel, share the story behind their book Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience—a guided journal created to help families process the emotional impact of a NICU stay. Mahaley also opens up about her daughter, Sachi, who died after a NICU stay, and how storytelling and narrative healing became a lifeline in her grief.

She and Emily talk with Katie about why so many NICU parents carry trauma long after discharge and how writing your story can help families reconnect with what they experienced. They also discuss the emotional weight of making medical decisions during a NICU stay, the importance of compassionate healthcare providers, and why healing sometimes begins months or even years later.

If you've ever struggled to process a NICU experience—or wondered how to revisit it in a way that feels safe and meaningful—this conversation offers powerful insight and hope. Emily and Mahaley's biggest message? Your story deserves space, compassion, and time—and reflecting on it can be an important step toward healing.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsor for this episode, Gebauer PainEase®. We are pleased to provide more information about this product, and we invite you to learn more by visiting their website.

Resources & Ways to Connect:

Book: Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience
Available wherever books are sold, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and local bookstores.

Emily Souder, LMFT, PMH-C

Website 

Instagram

Mahaley Patel, LMFT, PMH-C

Instagram

Connect & Support from Child Life On Call:

Medical information provided is not a substitute for professional advice—please consult your care team.

 

Keywords: NICU trauma, healing after NICU, NICU parent mental health, NICU journaling prompts, birth trauma support, NICU loss support, perinatal mental health therapist, processing NICU experience, life after NICU discharge, NICU storytelling, guided journal for NICU parents, neonatal intensive care support, grief after NICU, NICU parent resources

 


Hosted by Katie Taylor, a Certified Child Life Specialist, Inside the Children's Hospital is a quiet space for the often unspoken journey of pediatric illness. This podcast moves beyond the clinical to explore the human heart of the hospital, offering conversations that feel more like a shared cup of coffee in a waiting room than a formal interview. You'll hear directly from parents and caregivers who articulate the complex mix of fear, resilience, and love they experience, while pediatric nurses, doctors, and therapists provide their unique professional perspectives on fostering healing and normalcy. The discussions naturally delve into the practicalities of family life disrupted, the emotional weight carried by all involved, and the small, profound moments of hope that sustain people. It’s a resource for anyone connected to a child’s health challenge, whether you're a family member seeking solidarity, a friend looking to understand, or simply someone interested in the intersection of medicine and humanity. Each episode aims to validate the listener's own feelings, whether they are in the midst of a crisis or reflecting on one, by presenting these authentic narratives without sugarcoating yet always with profound compassion. Tune in to find a sense of community and a deeper appreciation for the delicate, powerful work happening within those walls.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Inside the Children's Hospital
Podcast Episodes
From Pharmacist to Mom: Navigating Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:48
What happens when the healthcare professional becomes the parent sitting on the other side of the diagnosis? In this episode, Katie Taylor sits down with Melissa Apa—a clinical pharmacist, diabetes educator, and mom—to s…
A NICU Dad Story: Life After a 25 Week Premature Birth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:52
"I kept telling her, 'We've got this.' And inside, I had no clue what was coming next." What does it look like to be "the strong one" when your world is falling apart? In this episode, Katie Taylor sits down with Jared M…
Trisomy 13: Challenging the Narrative and Choosing Hope [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:45
What happens when a diagnosis labeled "lethal" doesn't tell the full story? In this episode of Inside the Children's Hospital, Katie Taylor sits down with Nicole, a mom of five, who shares her daughter Charlotte's journe…
NICU, Trach and Home Care: One Family's Journey to Stability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:41
What does it look like when life changes in an instant—and a family learns to navigate the unimaginable? In this episode of Inside the Children's Hospital, Katie Taylor sits down with Marah, a mom of four, who shares her…
When a Parent Has Cancer: What Kids Understand Before We Say It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:03
What happens when your child already senses something life-changing—before anyone has found the words to say it out loud? When serious illness enters a family, children often understand more than we realize. And for care…