Thanks to a Denver-based group, hundreds of Colorado moms are coming together in the name of fun and self-care. The group has become a rapidly growing movement centered around building joy, community, and mental health.
Elizabeth Wellington and Sarah Batani Sams, Co-Founders Mama’s Feeling Themselvessay their event provides something mothers crave but rarely get. “This is not your average night out just for moms,” Wellington says. “This was inspired by my personal experience transitioning into motherhood when I was having a postpartum identity crisis, and also by my work as a psychotherapist for mothers.”
Wellington said dance is central to the group’s mission because of its therapeutic properties. “Dance is an antidepressant and relieves anxiety. It increases serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin,” she said. “What dance does is regulate a stressed nervous system.”
For many participants, the relief is immediate. “Every time I’ve danced, I think some moms have said to me, ‘I didn’t realize how much I needed this until I came here,'” Battani Sams said.
The party intentionally starts early and ends by 10 p.m., which Wellington said reflects the real life of many mothers. “It’s not about going back in time and trying to be who we were as young women,” she said. “It’s about elevating this space both with nostalgia and at the same time embodying who I am as a woman as well as a mother.”
The founders say their mission is rooted in serious research into maternal mental health. “Research shows that one in five mothers suffers from a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder,” Wellington said. “Up to 75% receive no treatment at all.”
With that in mind, the next big event will be held on November 28th. bluebird theater Denver includes mental health resource stations. “This is not a one-time thing where you just leave feeling empowered,” Wellington said. “There will be lots of fun activities and attractions for moms to look forward to.”
Provided by: Mom’s Mood
The organization has already expanded to Boston and Salt Lake City, and plans to hold events in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Washington.
For mothers who were hesitant to participate, Wellington had a simple message: “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” “Put on your sweatpants and come dance with me.”
Their Black Friday Mom Dance Party will be held on November 28th at the Bluebird Theater in Denver. For more information, please visit: https://www.momsfeelinthemselves.com/.
Provided by: Mom’s Mood
