Listening Lounge - September 2025

The Listening Lounge is an interactive podcast-style space for you to listen in and learn how to genuinely nurture the equity, diversity and inclusion within your perinatal mental health VCSE service.

We warmly invite you to come along and enjoy the relaxing lounge vibe whilst listening not just with your ears, but with your senses and whole intuition.

Each lounge includes:

• A talk
• Some creative inspiration such as art, poetry, music
• A panel discussion
• Practical ideas for application
• A wellbeing exercise that cares for YOU, so you can better care for the families you serve (Please bring a chunk of playdough, blue tack or plasticine along for this activity!)

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This month's workshop:

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'The Myth of Perfect Parenthood' - The subtlety and power of parenting ideologies

There are many entangled myths within ideologies of perfect parenting. Concepts like, 'Good parenting equates to good children' and 'You must do it all - all of the time' can be harmful. In this Lounge, we will explore the myth of perfection countered by the individual nuances that may be experienced by all kinds of different families.

FEATURING:

Illiyin Morrison - Birth Trauma & Specialist Midwife

Jacob Stokoe - Birthing parent, educator and writer at Transparent Change

Lauren Parr - H&M Root Maker and Make Birth Better

Trudi Webber - Antenatal Educator, CSR Consultant and Training Lead at Make Birth Better

Aileen White - H&M Root Maker and My Birth Support CIC

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Listening Lounge is brought to you by ROOT MAKERS - a dynamic and diverse team of brilliant people who are helping Hearts & Minds to connect, grow and empower a more inclusive and equitable grassroots perinatal mental health community nationally.

Listening Lounge is FREE to those working in the perinatal mental health sector and tickets are bookable now. Places are limited to ensure an engaging and free-flowing space for all.

A Zoom meeting link should be available on Eventbrite once you have registered and will also be sent to you by email the day before the event. Please check your junk folder if you have not received it and email hello@heartsandmindspartnership.org with any issues.

** To ensure that we are able to offer this opportunity to as many organisations as possible, we request that only one place per group / organisation is reserved - thank you.**

Places are limited to ensure the session can be as inclusive and interactive as possible. If you are unable to gain a place on 18th September, please still register and you will join our waiting list - we can get in touch if a place becomes available.

Please note that this Listening Lounge online session will be recorded for documentation and dissemination purposes. You are free to switch off your camera at any time.

Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday 18th September 2025 - don't forget your chunk of playdough, blue tack or plasticine!

Root Makers and the Hearts & Minds Team

We will be running lots more events and activities over the coming months. To hear about our plans and events please sign up to our newsletter here.