Karen Barre was never officially diagnosed with post-partum depression, but looking back on the dark time after she gave birth to her second child, just 21 months after welcoming her firstborn into the world, there’s no denying how scared and alone she felt.

As a busy working mom, Vanessa Gladden knew exactly when and where she had to be to keep her business and family on track but somewhere in the heart of that she knew she was lost. Fast forward several years and Gladden is a life coach helping other women find a path that allows them to thrive.

After burning the candle at both ends before the COVID-19 pandemic and for months during the lockdown and restrictions, Karen Gladden Barre decided that enough was enough. The North Vancouver mother of three stepped back from her job running operations and marketing at her husband’s technology company to spend more time with family and reassess her options.

Karen writes a forgiveness letter to herself looking back on her darkest moments of postpartum depression.

Karen Barre was never officially diagnosed with post-partum depression, but looking back on the dark time after she gave birth to her second child, just 21 months after welcoming her firstborn into the world, there’s no denying how scared and alone she felt.