Growing Forward Together

Growing Forward Together (GFT) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 2020 by Julia Seng and Mickey Sperlich. Both are professors at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They are pioneers of care for childbearing people with a history of childhood maltreatment trauma. When their research showed that childhood maltreatment trauma was the biggest reason for posttraumatic stress, depression, and substance use in pregnancy, they decided to do something about it. They created the Survivor Mom’s Companion (SMC). SMC is a psychoeducational program that reduces intergenerational cycles of abuse and vulnerability by addressing trauma-related mental health and development needs during pregnancy and the early postpartum period. SMC is an easy-to-follow, fully manualized psychoeducational program that maintains consistency among and across agency users. Using a 10-module, illustrated workbook, the moms meet by video call or in person with their own “tutors” to get emotional support while discussing the information, practicing new skills, and problem solving. GFT makes SMC available to perinatal and pediatric providers by training tutors to deliver the program to pregnant people and new parents and support them with technical assistance and opportunities to connect to a community of practice that links tutors. More recently GFT has started developing advanced trauma education courses for people who work with trauma survivors. It’s easy to find “Trauma 101” offerings. It’s more challenging to find professional development that will truly take a team up several levels to be more sophisticated, confident in new skills, and ready to change practice. Professional Development at Growing Forward Together content is produced by academic and clinical experts on complex PTSD.