Postpartum Psychosis: A Mother’s Story of Hope & Healing :: Amanda Taylor [Ep 593]

Heather MacFadyen (0:07)

Hey y'all, welcome back to the Don't Mom Alone Podcast. I'm your host, Heather MacFadyen, and this is the place where I get to walk alongside you and connect you with people and resources so you know that you don't mom alone. And in this episode number 593, I'm welcoming to the show Amanda Taylor.

Amanda Taylor (0:26)

The Lord is so faithful. He's so good. He will provide. He is faithful. And I think of the story in Exodus when Moses went to battle, when his arms were up and they were winning, and when his arms were down, they were losing. And Aaron and her, his people, came to raise up his arms.

You need those people in your life. Who is coming alongside you and just encouraging you? Those were the people in my life that I'm like, I cannot do anything. There is no hope. And if you don't have those people, the enemy loves isolation and silence and secrecy.

And tell someone, find someone to say, you are not burdening them. You are not bothering them. You have people in your life. I know you do. Think of one person where you can go and say, like, I am struggling. You have people that will come and hold up your arms. You have people that will pray and encourage us in scripture. And so find that one person because you can't do this alone. None of us can do this alone. I couldn't do it alone.

Heather MacFadyen (1:36)

Today is a tender conversation. It's important. And I believe more than ever, mothers and families and all of us need to hear.

After the birth of her fourth child, Amanda went from the ordinary rhythms of motherhood, playgrounds and carpools to experiencing postpartum psychosis and being hospitalized in a psychiatric facility.

In her book, From Playgrounds to Psych Wards, Amanda and her husband Colby share what it was like to walk through a mental health crisis neither of them understood. And today, Amanda is going to help us understand what postpartum psychosis felt like inside her mind, what her family noticed, why the people surrounding a new mom may need to recognize the warning signs she can't see herself. We also talk about the shame that can accompany mental illness, the impact on a marriage and family, and the ways God met Amanda through her husband or community doctors, medication and professional care. But before we begin, please know that this episode includes discussions of postpartum psychosis, psychiatric hospitalization, and thoughts and behaviors that may be difficult for some listeners. Amanda is sharing her personal experience and is not providing medical advice. Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency. If you or someone you know is experiencing hallucinations, paranoia, severe confusion, extreme agitation, or thoughts of harming herself or her baby, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also call or text 988 for immediate crisis support. Amanda's story is difficult, but it's also full of courage, redemption, and hope. So let's get right to it. Here we go.

Amanda, welcome to the Don't Mom Alone Podcast.

Amanda Taylor (3:21)

I'm so excited to be here. Thank you.

Heather MacFadyen (3:23)

It has been a long time coming. I think I got your book in the mail over a year ago, maybe a year and a half ago. Is that right?

Amanda Taylor (3:30)

Yep. It came out last May of 2025 So yep.

Heather MacFadyen (3:33)

Okay. All right. And I think I was going through, this happened with another guest too. I was going through a lot of my books in an office and I saw it and I was like, I never got to have that conversation. And as we both know, the news lately with the Lindsey Clancy case and postpartum psychosis came up and I was like, and another piece of the why on this episode is I was with a new mom who was going through some postpartum. And I think that there's a lot of like, what's normal, what's not, how do I get support, when is it extreme? And so thank you for being willing to have a conversation. Yes.

Amanda Taylor (4:19)

No, I'm so excited. I feel like with postpartum, there's so many different parts of it with depression, anxiety, psychosis, and you don't hear a lot of psychosis normally. So you mentioned, yes, it's all over the news right now. And so just bringing to light what that really looks like and what it looked like for us and how to encourage others because there is hope.

So I'm excited to dive in.

Heather MacFadyen (4:41)

So we know you're not a psychologist, you're not going to diagnose for people, but you do have a story and so we're going to have you share that story.