Pregnancy was hard.

Post Partum life is harder.

---

In this blog post, I’ll be diving into how postpartum life has been for me, my struggles I’ve encountered, and an app that was gifted to me to utilize. Affiliate links are used throughout – but know I wouldn’t be recommending them if I did not think they were valuable for you.

---

As I sit here and type this, it’s surreal to me that we are almost at ONE YEAR with our sweet baby girl. She is the light of our lives and the reason for my existence now, and I wouldn’t change that for anything. But it wasn’t easy getting here – mentally, physically… everything.

Bloom app reached out to me to do a review of their CBT programming and it couldn’t have been at a better time.

As a new mom, adjusting to life post partum has been anything short of easy.

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Failure
• A new body that I’m failing at accepting
• A new role that is VERY hard to juggle being good at all while also being a good spouse, friend, and support system. 

If you know me, you know I don’t like to ask for help, and I’m sure many of you mommas out there can relate to that. I’m a ‘put my head down and get it done’ no matter what levels of anxiety and stress pile up or how much I have to put off ‘me’ things, but something needed to give. I was so stressed to the point of where EVERYTHING was setting me off into a spiral of tears (SO not me), anger, and short fused freak outs.

Personally, I knew I needed to do something… anything… before the stress and depression harmed my relationships and my health.

enter, Bloom…

Somehow, Bloom came across my instagram account. they loved the community I’ve got on there and felt that I would be interested in their product. I was so flattered that they love my IG… ya’ll know that’s my baby lol… & They were right. I was DESPERATELY interested.

When Bloom reached out to me, I knew I couldn’t say anything but yes.  They graciously gifted me their premium services in return for my utilization and honest review. And for that I am thankful that they found me.  Little did they know how much I truly needed this.

So digging into the app, I already knew I had some anxiety issues stemming from an old relationship (which has since healed, but the wounds are still there deep down), and pile that on top of postpartum life and WOAH what a cocktail for crazy…

What is CBT Therapy & How does it work?

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) works by changing people’s attitudes and their behavior by focusing on the thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that are held (a person’s cognitive processes) and how these processes relate to the way a person behaves, as a way of dealing with emotional problems.

I’m. SO. Here. For. This.

Maybe you’ve been following my journey and stumbled onto my blog by way of my fitness background (you can read about my ‘fit’ pregnancy here)- I have major appreciation for mindset shifts, the power mindset can give to or take away from anything in life, and essentially vibrating at a higher frequency for others around you.

Bloom Therapy & CBT Journal App: An inside look

When I decided I needed some help, the first thing I thought was the scary aspect of having to find someone to talk to. Bloom makes therapy approachable and easily accessible without having to find a local provider. For me, that lowered the entry barrier into me getting the help I needed.

I had a lot of negative self talk – I knew this needed to change, but I was unsure of where to start. I had also tried other meditation apps and affirmation apps before, but the sessions were either were too long to keep me in a habit, OR I was disinterested. Bloom has adjusted to and perfected short, sweet, impactful sessions that are easily added into my daily life.

The beautiful thing about Bloom is that it’s 100% customizable for YOU. It asks you frequently what you need, how you’re feeling, and it ANALYZES your input. Yes ~ it does!

Upon opening the app, you’ll see your session for tomorrow, and some ‘quick & easy’ sessions ready to go for you including:

• Better Sleep Journal
• Review the day
• Calm your mind
• Morning gratitude
• Intention setting
• Morning affirmations

The Morning affirmations journal has been my favorite since this year I decided to NOT select a ‘word’ of the year, but rather set affirmations daily.  This Journal prompts you to write down 3 affirmations.

Daily CBT Session Reminders

One thing I REALLY appreciated was the reminders daily to hop on the app and complete my session. Typically I would complete mine before even getting out of bed in the morning. That way I could start my day on a positive brain wave.

My morning routine:

• Wake up
• Morning Bloom Session (in Bloom)
• Morning Affirmation Writing (in Bloom) & probably share it to my instagram story – which you can do straight from bloom! LOOVE this millenial integration 😉
• Coffee + my morning workout before baby wakes up

Adding my bloom sessions to my morning routine has increased my positivity, productivity, and making it a non-negotiable has forced me into adding me time back into my day (you can read more about this here). My overall headspace since starting using this app daily has improved and my productivity has as well!

As a mom, this is crucial. As ANYONE who has to put others in front of themselves during the day, this is ESSENTIAL. We get so hung up in the hum drum and never ending to do list life that we forget how important self care is. Take the time, ya’ll. It’s worth it.

What’s a Bloom session like?

• short
• thorough
• thought provoking
• interactive
• customizable
• soothing

Bloom sessions are short enough to easily add into your day with no excuses, but thorough enough to leave you with so much clarity and mindfulness. In the time I have been using this app and CBT Journal, I’ve noticed my mood has improved, I’ve been more able to handle and navigate stress that I’ve encountered, and my anxiety has lowered. I’m prone to worrying, but after starting these sessions I’m feel equipped to bring myself OUT of the worry and into awareness of why I’m feeling that way, which is the perfect first step to acting on a plan.

My two cents? If you’re needing some help and can hold yourself accountable to using this app, give it a try. You are not alone, and the help you need is easier to access than you may think. If you have any questions about the app, comment below!