Welcome Ammas, Mamas, Maajis, Madres, Moms and more!
OTAmma is a blog and youtube channel for Moms to feel safe and heard. I use this platform to share my views on motherhood, which are influenced by my occupational therapy background and my ethnic background as an Indo-Fijian. My trials and tribulations as a mother are likely yours as well. Are the challenges of motherhood compounded by cultural norms and ancestral wounds? Are you interested in lowering the toxic load in your household but don’t know where to start? Do you want to implement mindfulness in your home but are concerned the kids won’t be on board? If any of these questions have popped up in your mind then I’m here for you. Follow my journey and let’s learn and grow together.
A Little More About Me…
My name is Zaheedah, I am an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA), Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200), Amma (mother) of two biracial boys, Military wife, former hazardous waste consultant, low tox beauty freak, and Desi Girl on a Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) journey.
Its easy to slap a few labels on myself and I’m tempted to call it good but I know it will take more than that to build trust with you. So what do you want to know? Perhaps you want to know why I feel qualified enough to speak on anything here on my platform.
Well I have cared for neurotypical children, tutored children with special needs and worked with children with Autism since 2009. In my practice and my experiences through motherhood, I have come to realize how impactful trauma truly is to our lives. Trauma experienced during childhood (known as Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs) can have lasting effects on a person’s life and even increase the likelihood of disease. I have seen trauma be misdiagnosed as a behavioral disorders leading to pharmaceutical interventions but no real acknowledgment or treatment of the underlying issue. My goal is to bring awareness to trauma so that we can heal what is already here and prevent it from morning n our children. That starts with us as parents addressing our own traumas and being mindful enough to not recreate them.
If you want to learn more about my journey check out my first blog post here.