Open Book Services

Open Book Services Supporting parents and people in the perinatal period

In fact, if the life-changing thing is parenthood, I highly recommend letting it change your life. It's supposed to. We'...
09/02/2026

In fact, if the life-changing thing is parenthood, I highly recommend letting it change your life. It's supposed to. We're designed to grow into our parent-selves. Growth requires change.

Samantha is now accepting new families into the Perinatal Support Program! This program is designed for expecting parent...
09/01/2026

Samantha is now accepting new families into the Perinatal Support Program! This program is designed for expecting parents and provides up to 8 months of comprehensive supports - educational, emotional, informational, and practical supports prenatally and postnatally.

The program prepares and protects families as they navigate the perinatal period by increasing wellbeing and reducing the risk for mental health and relationship issues.

Space is limited, so reach out today if you're interested!

[email protected]
www.openbookservices.ca
Samantha Freake, RSW Counselling

Full Testimonial:If there is one thing you should do during your pregnancy, it is to hire Karen. We were so lucky to hav...
08/23/2026

Full Testimonial:
If there is one thing you should do during your pregnancy, it is to hire Karen. We were so lucky to have her support before and after the birth of our daughter. Karen's expertise was invaluable in filling the gaps in perinatal care in the public medical system. She is knowledgeable about everything from labour and delivery to navigating family transitions to breastfeeding. Beyond the education she provides, Karen's passion for her work truly shines through in her interactions with her clients. She went above and beyond to ensure we felt confident in navigating this exciting but also challenging time in our lives as first-time parents. She was available any time to answer our questions and provide reassurance. We would highly recommend Karen to anyone!

Always happy to support parents as they welcome babies into their lives.

[email protected]

If we care about children and want to reduce healthcare issues across the life course, we need to do a better job prepar...
08/18/2026

If we care about children and want to reduce healthcare issues across the life course, we need to do a better job preparing, supporting, and caring for parents and people in the perinatal period. I’m on a mission to protect perinatal mental health and parental wellbeing. Because parents deserve to be loved and cared for and their wellbeing is the main determining factor in child health and wellbeing. If we protect child wellbeing, we break intergenerational curses and reduce healthcare issues across the board.

Those who work with me know I divide my practice between directly supporting families through counseling and doula services, and advocating and working on systems level healthcare change. This week I’m in the advocacy and health system work and looking forward to talking to as many people as I can!

Responsiveness matters in the perinatal period. When new parents need support, they need it quickly. This is why our Per...
07/26/2026

Responsiveness matters in the perinatal period. When new parents need support, they need it quickly. This is why our Perinatal Support Program includes text support. You don’t need Google when you have a doula/counsellor in your phone.

This week via text, I:

Reassured parents that baby’s feeding and sleeping patterns were normal.

Monitored baby’s symptoms on the breast, explained how to check for possible thrush, and encouraged an assessment from public health for thrush.

Walked a new mom through how to handle a plugged milk duct.

Cheered on new parents while they adjusted to this new phase of life and reassured them that they’re doing a good job.

Doulas protect and promote family wellbeing. We provide informational and practical supports that put parents at ease an...
06/24/2026

Doulas protect and promote family wellbeing. We provide informational and practical supports that put parents at ease and allow time for them to take care of themselves.

At Open Book Services, we’re also masters of social work who provide counselling, social work services and education throughout the entire perinatal period so that parents are prepared, supported, and at a reduced risk for mental health struggles.

Samantha Freake, RSW Counselling

Sometimes things don't go as planned and there are extra struggles on top of the typical struggles postpartum. I'm so gl...
06/06/2026

Sometimes things don't go as planned and there are extra struggles on top of the typical struggles postpartum. I'm so glad I was there to help this family navigate those choppy waters postpartum and delighted to hear them say they feel stronger than ever!

Thank you, for making my dream come true by letting me into your lives during such a vulnerable time.

I knows I didn't bawl when this testimonial came in ...🥹

I got you. Bringing the safe sleepy vibes so mom and baby can sleep. When you’ve known your doula before the baby even c...
05/12/2026

I got you. Bringing the safe sleepy vibes so mom and baby can sleep.

When you’ve known your doula before the baby even comes and she’s helped you with other things before this point, it’s that much easier to feel comfortable handing over baby and that much easier to relax and actually sleep while she’s there.

www.openbookservices.ca

Yes, even on Mother’s Day we cannot expect mothers to only feel positive emotions - perhaps ESPECIALLY on Mother’s Day w...
05/10/2026

Yes, even on Mother’s Day we cannot expect mothers to only feel positive emotions - perhaps ESPECIALLY on Mother’s Day we shouldn’t.

If your Mother’s Day includes feelings of fear, doubt, grief, loss, anger, sadness - you’re not broken. It’s ok. The goal is mixed emotions. Whatever you’re feeling I hope you let in the positive as well - self-compassion, pride, hope, and love are a few good ones to intentionally bring in with the rest, if this day is a challenge for you.

♥️

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Mount Pearl, NL

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