The Heartbeat and Purpose Behind Journey Tree

 

A little about me (owner & maker) 

Hey! I’m Alicia - the owner and creator behind Journey Tree!

I started Journey Tree to support others by creating physical pieces to support their emotional journeys. My husband and I struggled with our own journey through infertility which brought forth the realization that there was a need for people to be reminded that they are not alone - no matter their journey. 

A little bit about our Journey:

After struggling to conceive for 2 years, we were referred to a fertility clinic and started the process of IVF in the spring of 2016. On July 15th 2016 we transferred one frozen embryo. This one embryo miraculously split on its own giving us identical twins (less than a 1% chance this would happen for us). 

On February 12, 2017 my water broke unexpectedly, and later that day I delivered our boys Kellan Derek and Elijah Jameson at 33 weeks gestation. We were flown out that night to the Prince George University Hospital NICU. While we were in PG I was diagnosed with HELLP Syndrome (most severe form of preeclampsia), and was monitored closely as my liver and kidneys began to shut down. Fortunately my body started healing itself after about 1 week of constant testing, blood draws every 3-6 hours, scans etc. After 15 days in the hospital/ NICU, the boys and I were healthy enough to head home. 

Flash forward 8 super busy and chaotic months adjusting to life as a mom to two babies, the mental fatigue, hormonal imbalance and general adjustment to motherhood was no longer my only struggle… After a mental breakdown and over a month of often contemplating how I could run away from my family (I had convinced myself that they would be better off without me) I realized that it was time to talk to my doctor about postpartum depression. After a lengthy and very helpful discussion I, along with the support of my doctor made the decision to go on an antidepressant. Within days I felt like a completely different human. I can’t say the mental health journey has been simple, but it’s been a learning curve I am glad I have been on so that I can share my experience with others.

Through my experiences and by hearing so many other stories I came up with the Journey Tree Mantra:

you are LOVED

you are SUPPORTED

you are ENOUGH 

I hope that this mantra resonates with you, and that it brings you hope and reminds you that you are never alone on your Journey.

Sending you so much love, support and encouragement,

Alicia Michetti