Families engage in ‘Real Talk’ on the airport trail: an Alaska Airlines plane flies overhead. (Photo courtesy Jasz Garrett/KINY)
Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – This Saturday morning was Bartlett Regional Hospital and Anchor Counseling & Consulting’s first ‘Real Talk’ walk and run on Airport Trail.
‘Real Talk’ began at 9:00 am and ended around 10:30 am, with some families staying to ask questions.
The event aimed to raise awareness of maternal mental health, birth trauma, and infant and pregnancy loss, and provide information on perinatal support and resources available in Juneau.
A bonus for ‘Real Talk’ participants was that sunlight also appeared, giving the community a chance to mingle and chat.
Teri Forst, licensed professional counselor and owner of Anchor Counseling and Consulting, spoke about scheduling events.
“I started with a little kid jog, which was 80 yards. So it was kids around zero to four or five years old. And then we had the kids half a mile, so kids a little bit older. Then we had a 5k and a mile run and walk. Good turnout. 20 little kids at least, I’d say for kids 30 or so.”
Forst shared the maternity groups they were raising awareness for.
“The reflection on birth and healing that focuses on the trauma of birth, and that’s a series of three groups that we do quarterly. We have one now and then the next one will be in January. And then we have ‘Real Talk’, a group support group for mothers; and a pregnancy and infant loss group. That happens on the last Wednesday of every month and these are free groups open to anyone looking for support.”
Forst commented on the volunteers who helped make ‘Real Talk’ happen today.
“Bartlett Regional Hospital and Anchor Counseling and Consulting were co-hosts. We had a lot of sponsors who helped with things like donating the tents from the Red Dog Saloon. We had coffee and hot chocolate from COPPA. Also, families who were here to volunteer. So that we’ve had a lot of help from the community to help get this up and running.”
“bartletthospital.org, our website, we have a complete list of all the groups and classes that are held, as Teri said, every month and every quarter. Anything new that gets added as we go down the road,” Sara Gress, Perinatal Education Manager for Bartlett, discussed how to connect if you missed the event.
Both Gress and Forst said the event was a success and they hope it will return next year.
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