Three years ago Postpartum Progress started an event called Climb Out of the Darkness®. We had no idea what it would become. We only knew we needed an event that would bring together moms from around the country and around the world who wanted to stand together, publicly, to raise their voices and stand up for maternal mental health.
The 3rd annual Climb Out of the Darkness is happening this June, on Saturday June 20th in most locations. At this event, moms like you (and hopefully, INCLUDING YOU) will walk paths and hike trails in solidarity with every mom who has ever had and will ever have postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum psychosis, postpartum PTSD, or depression or anxiety during pregnancy. We want the world to know how common perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are, and that we need more and better help.
There are already more than 1,200 registered participants in the 2015 Climb Out of the Darkness. The events are being held in places like Anchorage, Alaska and Gainesville, Florida. London, England, and Topeka, Kansas. Concord, Massachusetts and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Detroit, Michigan and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Raleigh, North Carolina and Camano Island, Washington. We currently have 10 Climbs in California, 8 in Texas, 6 in Pennsylvania, and 6 in Washington, and in Colorado and in Florida. There are 5 each in Michigan and New Jersey. We have group Climbs and we have private family and solo Climbs. We have teams led by survivors, teams led by doulas, teams led by therapists and teams led by hospitals.
The more of you who join in, and bring along the family members and friends and colleagues who care about you and who care about the mental health of mothers, the better. When we join together in massive numbers, we cannot be sidelined. We cannot be ignored. It’s easy to participate. Registration is free. You are not required to raise money, but if you do decide to fundraise for our nonprofit and you raise $100 or more prior to June 30th, you will receive our official 2015 Climb Out of the Darkness t-shirt (the design is pictured above).
No matter your level of participation, we want you to be part of the Climb. If you’d like to see what it looks like to be standing side by side with other women who have been through exactly what you have, check out some of our photos from past Climbs. If you have questions, check out our FAQ. If you want to find and join the Climb closest to you, check out our map and Climb listing. If you don’t see a team in your area and want to start one, go for it!! Just email our event manager Amanda Hope at climboutofthedarkness@gmail.com.
If you were thinking you were alone in the world when it comes to struggling with PPD or a related illness, just look where women are climbing!!
- Alabama: Anniston, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa
- Alaska: Anchorage
- Arizona: Phoenix, Tucson
- Arkansas: River Valley
- California: Berkeley, LA/Valley, Long Beach, Mission Peak, Palmdale, Sacramento, San Jose, Santa Barbara, Upland, Walnut Creek
- Colorado: Boulder, Colorado Springs, Durango, Ft. Collins, Red Rocks
- Connecticut: Meridien, Fairfield, New Haven
- Delaware: Wilmington
- Florida: Gainesville, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Satellite Beach, West Palm Beach
- Georgia: Atlanta, Savannah, St. Mary’s
- Illinois: Chicago Downtown, Chicago Western Suburbs, Mt. Vernon, Rockford
- Indiana: Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, New Albany
- Iowa: Mason City
- Kansas: Topeka, Wichita
- Kentucky: Louisville
- Louisiana: New Orleans
- Maine: Portland
- Maryland: Baltimore, Gaithersburg, Hagerstown
- Massachusetts: Concord, Groton, Lincoln, Worcester Co.
- Michigan: Detroit, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing
- Missouri: Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis
- Montana: Missoula
- Nevada: Las Vegas, Mesquite
- New Hampshire: Portsmouth
- New Jersey: Chatham, Hoboken, Jersey Shore, Lincroft, Long Valley
- New York: Buffalo, NYC, Rochester, Hudson Valley/Housatonic (CT)
- North Carolina: Charlotte, Raleigh
- North Dakota: Bismarck
- Ohio: Cincinnati, Newark
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa
- Oregon: Corvallis, Eugene, Portland
- Pennsylvania: Central PA, Emmaus, Lancaster County, New Castle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
- Rhode Island: North Kingstown
- South Carolina: Charleston, Little River
- Tennessee: Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville
- Texas: Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Ft. Worth, El Paso, Houston, Pearland, Tyler
- Utah: Ogden, Salt Lake City, Springville
- Virginia: Centerville, Fairfax/Loudoun Counties, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Virginia Beach
- Washington: Bellingham, Camano Island, Kitsap, Olympia, Redmond/Bellevue, Seattle
- Alberta: East Red Deer County, Edmonton
- British Columbia: Kelowna, Victoria
- Nova Scotia: Cape Breton, Halifax
- Ontario: Ottawa, York
- Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw, Regina
- Prince Edward Island: Charlottetown
- United Kingdom: London
- United Arab Emirates: Dubai
