Connected Beginnings helps people ‘build confidence, and connect with other families while learning from trusted local professionals’
NEWS RELEASE
AMBER SPERLING SOCIAL WORK & PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES
*************************
A new community-based program launching in Orillia is helping parents feel less alone during the often overwhelming early months of life with a baby.
Connected Beginnings, a 12-week postpartum support program, is designed to provide practical guidance, emotional support, and trusted information for parents navigating pregnancy, newborn care, and early parenthood.
The program was developed through a collaboration of local maternal health professionals who saw a growing need for accessible postpartum support within the community.
“Many parents leave the hospital with a baby in their arms but very little support around the emotional and practical realities that follow,” said Amber Sperling, MSW, RSW, founder of Amber Sperling Social Work & Psychotherapy Services and co-chair of the regional Perinatal Mental Health Task Force. “Connected Beginnings is about creating a welcoming space where parents can ask questions, build confidence, and connect with other families while learning from trusted local professionals.”
The program brings together a team of community collaborators dedicated to supporting families during pregnancy and postpartum, including:
- Orillia Perinatal Massage, RMT and doula support
- She’s Simply the Breast, lactation services
- Kelly Armstrong, registered midwife and executive coach
Together, these practitioners offer expertise across maternal mental health, infant feeding, postpartum recovery, and early parenting support.
Connected Beginnings is supported by funding from the Orillia Area Community Development Corporation, which helps make the program accessible to families and strengthens local collaboration around maternal and infant well-being.
Weekly sessions combine expert guidance with peer connection and cover topics that many new parents experience but often feel hesitant to discuss, including:
- Postpartum emotional health and anxiety
- Feeding and infant care
- Physical recovery after birth
- Navigating relationship and identity changes
- Building confidence as a new parent
Babies are welcome to attend with their caregivers, creating a relaxed and supportive environment where learning happens alongside real-life parenting.
Research shows that approximately one in five parents experiences mental health challenges during pregnancy or postpartum, and local public health data suggests that rates in the Orillia area are significantly higher than provincial averages, underscoring the need for community-based support programs.
“Parents are often told that raising a child takes a village,” Sperling added. “Connected Beginnings is about helping rebuild that village by bringing together families and local professionals who care deeply about supporting parents during this important transition.”
The program is designed as a psychoeducational and peer-support experience that complements — rather than replaces — medical care provided by physicians, midwives, and other health-care providers.
Program details:
Connected Beginnings — postpartum support program
Location: Orillia, Ont.
Duration: 12 weeks
Babies welcome
Registration and inquiries: [email protected]
www.ambersperling.ca/connectedbeginnings
Space is limited to maintain an intimate and supportive group environment.
*************************