Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Andrzejewski.
Hi Melissa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Melissa. Somewhere between back-to-back pregnancies, my father’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis, and while pregnant with my second daughter, the death of him, I lost myself. After years of putting my physical and mental health on the back burner, I was exhausted by being a passenger in my own life. I went on an inner journey of redefining who I was. After discovering an emerging field called matrescence, I knew it was my answer to creating genuine connection, healing, and a village for mothers in St. Louis and surrounding areas. Creating a culture where no mother ever felt as alone and lost as I did, became my mission. With my background as a nurse, contribution, uplifting, and empowering those in need were in my DNA.
Matrescence – in the same we know a child goes through a radical transformative and development phase called adolescence: we now know a mother also goes through a radical developmental transition called matrescence! Defined, it is the birth or the becoming of a mother.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh gosh, is it ever?! So much self-doubt. So many self-limiting beliefs surrounding unworthiness and insecurities have come up and continue to come up. I am not a perfect mother in a perfect marriage or running a perfect house. Can I coach and gather mothers together to help them get through this crazy chaos?! The short answer is YES, I can! I have learned that women don’t want to be perfect. Mothers need real. We get enough fake on social media! Real is relatable; It’s powerful; It is authentic. In coaching and women’s circles, we don’t work on being the “perfect mom.” We work on healing and putting her back in the driver’s seat, back in the center of her own life. It is not selfish: it is self-tending. Healing ourselves is the best gift we can give to our children.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Meet Motherhood?
At Meet Motherhood, I do not support only the initial transition into motherhood (birth and postpartum). Still, I look at a woman’s life and see all the many transitions and challenges that come from birth to an empty nest. I base all my coaching on a new field of science I have studied in Australia, and Canada called matrescence. Matrescence is an ongoing, cyclical, and developmental passage in a mother’s life. One that does not suddenly end at six weeks, one year, or even five years after a child is born. I am excited to bring this knowledge more widely to the United States, specifically to St. Louis. I believe these teachings are imperative to our mothers’ mental wellness and care. Not until we take better care of our mothers will anything else shift in our country. We will not have a healthy country, state, or city until we have a healthy mother. I offer two unique ways to support moms: matrescence coaching and women’s circles.
Matrescence coaching is for the mom of young and adolescent children who bases every decision on mom guilt, the mom that wakes up exhausted and goes to bed unprepared for yet another day. Often as moms, we wear so many hats that we lose track of ourselves. Asking questions like: Who am I? Why don’t I enjoy the things I used to enjoy? Why are my relationships (marriage, friends, family) falling apart? Before discovering matrescence I found myself saying, “I used to be so adventurous, and I miss my old self.” Or “maybe motherhood is not for me. This is not what I was expecting.” Matrescence coaching can help put energy, passion, and fulfillment back into your life without needing a diagnosis or going through insurance.
Women’s circles are for any mother (with children of any age) longing for genuine support and connection to themselves, other mothers, and the land. This is not your typical mom meeting! Our ancestors create this circle. We will gather with intention based on the moon cycle, do a guided meditation, share, spread wisdom ( not advice), and do a symbolic releasing act (a ritual). This is an in-person gathering (in St. Louis or St. Charles area) to make moms feel less alone & less isolated as modern-day mothers. A women’s circle is a space free of judgment or competition and space to give you a true sense of community, belonging, and village. The next women’s circle is on October 25th in Lake St. Louis, on the new moon!
What do you think about luck?
I don’t necessarily believe in luck. “Once the student is ready, the teacher will present itself” is typically my motto. It was through a lot of pain and suffering and at a time when I was open and receptive to change that I learned about matrescence. It was such an enlightening moment for me, and it truly changed my whole trajectory in life. I was working as an operating room nurse and was so disconnected from my mind and body. I was living a fast-paced life paying no attention to my emotions, intuition, or even the fact that I was barely keeping my head above water. Since I learned about matrescence, about 1.5 years ago, I have not stopped learning and have no plans on ever stopping learning and developing more ideas. It is such a gift given to us as women and mothers. The term was created back in 1973 and never caught on until recently. I think our world is ready to receive!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.meet-motherhood.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meet_motherhood/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meetmotherhoodSTL
- Other: https://linktr.ee/meetmotherhood
Image Credits
Full Heart Photography LLC
