Becoming a parent presents a wave of new challenges. Parents must learn what their child needs and how to show up for them, all the while learning how their pre-parent identity fits in.

That’s what led Kelly Murphy Andruk, IBCLC, LCCE, PMH-C, RYT, to apply for the 2023 NBCCF Fellowship Program (MFP) while she was pregnant.

“I joined the fellowship because I knew it would help me support my new identity. After years of watching new mothers go home with their babies and return to counseling for support, I knew how isolating this experience is due to our societal structure,” she says.

Murphy Andruk navigated a challenging birth experience. She had multiple surgeries, and her son, Osker Murphy Andruk, spent 10 days in the NICU. She felt isolated as a new mother, and the fellowship gave her a community of colleagues who supported her professional interests and inspired the next steps in her career.

“Going to the [NBCC Foundation’s Symposium], I was like, nobody's talking about feeding here. Nobody's talking about how when we have breastfeeding trauma and feeding issues, whether it's bottle, or this or that. Nobody's talking enough about actually how this is impacting mental health,” she says. “All of a sudden, I was like, ‘Oh, this is what I meant to do with the rest of my life.’ ”

Early in her career before becoming a Counselor, Murphy Andruk realized that many women aren’t educated about their bodies. She pursued work in prenatal care and served as a doula, lactation consultant, and feeding and bonding coordinator.

Working in prenatal care, Murphy Andruk noticed a common theme among her clients. Many struggled with their mental health, specifically after becoming new parents. Some clients shared stories of their birth trauma, and she recognized a need for support. She made the decision to return to school to earn a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.

“Seeing that and understanding what my role was, and not wanting to overstep, encouraged me to look into mental health as a whole," she says.

She heard about the NBCCF Fellowship Program as a student at Walden University and knew it could help her address mental health needs among new parents. The fellowship would also provide a professional development opportunity while she was on maternity leave.

As a new Fellow, Murphy Andruk attended the NBCC Symposium with her son, who was only 3 months old at the time. She described how the fellowship community welcomed them.

“I showed up with that baby, and every single person was so tickled he was there,” she said, smiling. “I just got welcomed into this fold. As an isolated mom who's struggling so much, I was taken aback with how I was welcomed.”

The MFP connected Murphy Andruk with like-minded individuals who encouraged her ambition to make a difference in her community while navigating motherhood.

 “For all of the moms or people that read this, we're all just doing our best, and our best is pretty fantastic,” Murphy Andruk says.

Kelly Murphy Andruk, IBCLC, LCCE, PMH-C, RYT, is the owner of Rooting Wisdom, which provides breastfeeding support to mothers. She is also a lactation consultant, feeding and bonding coordinator, trauma specialist, and yoga teacher. Murphy Andruk is a master’s student at Walden University and a 2023 Supplemental MFP-AC Fellow. 

The NBCC Foundation recognizes that everyone’s journey to become a Counselor looks different. It is committed to supporting professionals in different stages of life and providing opportunities to advance mental health. The MFP is for Counselors-in-training who are dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities. Fellows don’t need to have everything together — only a passion for the work.