About
Emily O'Sullivan is a pediatric occupational therapist, certified lactation counselor, infant mental health specialist, and trauma-informed grief coach; and, in her most cherished role, a mother of two.
Emily's path has been shaped by medical parenting, the realities of NICU life with both of her children, and the experience of holding profound joy and grief at once as she walked alongside her daughter through palliative and hospice care and, ultimately, her final breath.
That experience revealed how little space our society makes for grief. Parents who welcome their babies in complicated or unexpected ways are too often met not with understanding, but with fear and empty platitudes. Parents navigating medical needs with their babies are expected to do so with little emotional support.
Emily is committed to changing that by offering trauma-informed education and compassionate support for families facing unexpected starts to their parenting journey. She is honored to hear and walk alongside so many stories of beauty, resilience, sorrow, and joy as families build their next chapters.
How can Emily help me?
Customized support for bonding and attachment with your baby through a trauma-informed lens
Understanding and education around developmental milestones and what to expect for your baby's physical and mental needs
Tools and strategies for maternal and infant regulation and nervous system work
Witnessing, identifying, and understanding your grief through the compounding losses;
loss of identity,
loss of control in parenting,
loss of the experience you expected or wanted to have,
loss of relationships or friendships through this experience,
or even the loss of your baby and bereavement;
and so many other experiences of loss that invoke deep sorrow and grief within us during this delicate time.
Support to meet your parenting goals through achievable and customized steps, recognizing that your goals may have shifted, or continue to shift through this complicated path.
Just for you
A Free Gift From Me to You
10-Minute Guided Mindfulness for NICU Parents
This is a gentle 10-minute guided moment, specifically designed for parents in the middle of a NICU stay.
An offering for your nervous system
The benefits of mindfulness in the NICU
Regulates your nervous system: even a few minutes of mindfulness can shift your body out of fight-or-flight, giving your system a break from the constant high alert of the NICU
Helps you show up regulated for your baby: babies are deeply attuned to their caregiver's nervous system; a calmer you supports a calmer bedside presence
Protects your energy for the long haul: NICU days are long and unpredictable; small moments of release help sustain your alertness and stamina rather than running on empty
Creates space to process worry and overwhelm: mindfulness offers a moment to acknowledge what you're carrying instead of pushing it down, which matters for your long-term wellbeing
Builds a portable tool you can return to: once practiced, it becomes something you can access anywhere, whenever you need a reset
Total value: $57
Free for you to thank you for your interest!