Carla O'Reilly

Photography of Rachelle Beler Photography 
 Carla O'Reilly is a 33 year old mother of one son named Cameron.  She now resides in Moose Jaw, her home town.  Before moving back to Moose Jaw, though, her and her husband  lived in several cities in Alberta and Saskatchewan after graduating from business college.  Thankfully, one of the cities they lived in was Regina, Saskatchewan where she stumbled upon the YMCA Postpartum support group.  Carla battled Postpartum Obsessive Compulsive Disorder after the birth of her son for four years and was looking for women with a common knowledge and understanding of the illness.  It was there she created strong bonds with co-author Tania Bird and Elita Paterson.  She also started seeing a therapist who suggested she journal.  So, three years ago she began to write her story, with the hope of one day helping other women with symptoms of obsessive thoughts.  She believes more women than are reported are suffering from some form of PPD and that because they are afraid to ask for help and admit they are suffering, we see often more tragedies.  It is her hope to have more support groups formed in cities across the country for women to feel validated and that they are not alone.  In fact, Carla has achieved her dream to create a Postpartum Support Group in Moose Jaw, SK! Refer to our link Support Groups in  Your Area for more information!

She has overcome the illness, by first believing in the power of her story, and the power of positive thinking.  The healing began with visiting the PPD group, telling her story to The Leader Post in 2005, and creating the dream of "The Smiling Mask" along with her talented counter-parts.  Together they are envisioning a world where women will help one another through the most natural life-changing event of becoming a mother and raising the children of the future.  Her goals in the future are to continue writing, and consulting women to become strong, believe in their strengths, and heal themselves from difficult pasts and feel their true potential.


And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. - Anais Nin


Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.