Sarah Hardy Walsh, ND IBCLC
(506) 804-2246
Text for Appointment
ABOUT
Get to Know Me, My Roots
and the Well Rooted Approach
Me + My Roots
Sarah Hardy Walsh, ND IBCLC
Naturopathic Doctor, Lactation Consultant + Matrescence Guide
Most of the families I've supported over the years have reached out with specific health concerns they need addressed. Identifying the root cause of those concerns has been a constant, golden thread that has been woven throughout my approach to support. It was one of the guiding principles that first drew me to naturopathic medicine.
Very early in my clinical practice, it became clear that supporting the health + wellbeing of children was part of my calling. Supporting them to feel healthy + well + teaching them principles of vibrant health had the potential to impact them throughout their lives. Many of the children I was seeing in my office were struggling with skin conditions, digestive issues, recurrent ear or respiratory infections + sleep or behavioural challenges. And a large portion of these children, had a similar root cause that had contributed to development of their health concerns: their mothers' breastfeeding journeys had been cut short, often before mother + baby were ready.
This prompted me to learn more about the impact of breastfeeding + breast milk on health from infancy through childhood and beyond. It became clear that the messaging from health organizations about the importance of breastfeeding was not matched with the amount of support available to mothers for reaching their breastfeeding intentions.
Women weren't breastfeeding for as long as they intended because they were missing a nurturing community of support + a connection with their embodied Inner Knowing. Both of these were impacting how their own needs were met, along with how rested, resilient + resourced they felt.
Yet another layer of root cause surfaced over the last few years as I learned more about stress, life transitions + nervous system health. An additional barrier to feeling rested, resilient + resourced: Women are experiencing the transition to motherhood (matrescence) in a culture that conditions us to believe what defines 'a good mother' + that someone else always knows best.
There may be even deeper roots for me to uncover, but here's what I know now:
For children, families + communities to be healthy + well, mothers need to be healthy + well.
And, for mothers to be healthy + well, they need to be held by a nurturing, supportive community + be connected with their Inner Knowing, so that they feel more rested + resourced.
And, when they feel more rested + resourced, they expand their resilience and capacity to break free from the stories + beliefs of what mothering 'should' be, in a world filled with unpredictability + uncertainty.
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In other words, women were being told at every turn that breastfeeding was important but weren't given the support they needed to breastfeed. And when women couldn't breastfeed their children for as long as they'd intended, they often experienced overwhelm + grief and their kids were more likely to struggle with skin, digestive, immune + nervous system challenges later in childhood.
Focused on addressing the root causes of common childhood illnesses + understanding that the support available to new mothers for breastfeeding was not adequate, I set my sights on becoming a lactation consultant. As a lactation consultant, supporting mothers + babies to breastfeed for as long as possible, it became clear that there was an even deeper root cause that needed to be addressed:
The Well Rooted programs were created with this in mind. They offer reliable information on maternal + infant health, from pregnancy through postpartum + beyond, along with nervous system healing tools for nourishing rest + resilience and community components for helping you feel held by an aligned village of support.
Lineage of Wisdom
(AKA Learning + Education Background)
2022-2023
The Village (Program + Mastermind)
Mentor + Teacher: Jessie Harrold
Apprenticeship program for postpartum professionals, focused on supporting women through matrescence, through the art and science of mothering the mother. The program included evidence-based learning, mentorship, discussion and embodied experience.
2020-2021
Thriving Facilitator (Training + Mentorship)
Mentors + Teachers: Dr. Valerie Rein + Jeffrey Tambor
Training, mentorship and supervised practice with The Thriving Method - a mind-body-energy approach to nervous system healing of personal, intergenerational and collective embodied trauma patterns.
2018-current
IBCLC
International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE)
Certification as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant through IBLCE Pathway 1, including completion of health sciences education, 95 hours of lactation specific training and 1000 hours lactation specific clinical practice and completion of the IBCLC Examination (Fall 2018). Maintenance of the credential through approved continuing education on a variety of lactation specific topics and clinical practice.
2005-current
ND
New Brunswick Association of Naturopathic Doctors
(2016-current)
Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors
(2005-current)
Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (2001-2005)
Graduation from The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine 4-year full time program and completion of the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination (NPLEx) in 2005. Focus on a whole person approach to health and addressing the root cause of dis-ease with gentle, natural therapeutics (nutrition + lifestyle practices, herbal medicines, hydrotherapy, homeopathics, Traditional Chinese Medicine + acupuncture). Maintenance of the credential through approved continuing education in naturopathic medicine and clinical practice. Continuous membership in the provincial and national professional associations.