Mommy mafia, stroller brigade, mommy posse. I’m sure you’ve heard a dozen names describing them, and seen TV shows poking fun at them. Perhaps you’ve even joined in and rolled your eyes when you’ve seen a group of moms with strollers taking up the entire width of the sidewalk or gathering with matching baby carriers outside a coffee shop. But, I’m here to explain the value of these groups.

“But I don’t feel depressed.” I hear this time and time again from pregnant and postpartum women who call my clinical practice. These women are plagued by anxiety, racing thoughts, restlessness, sleep difficulties, compulsive behaviors, and other troubling symptoms, and yet they do not reach out for help. Why?