by Mahaley Patel, LMFT, PMH-C and
Emily Souder, LCSW-C, PMH-C
Your NICU Story
A Guide for Reflecting on
Your Family’s Experience
Introducing
Copyright 2025 Mahaley Patel and Emily Souder
“Our culture isn’t always great at honoring stories that are hard,
complex, and don’t have a silver lining or a happy ending. My hope
with this book is that it gives you a safe space to process your NICU
experience and contributes to your healing in some way.”
- Mahaley Patel, Your NICU Story
“I believe all stories we create about our life experiences are
sacred, and that we very rarely get the time or opportunity to
actually become aware of the stories we’re telling ourselves or each
other. Mahaley and I are here specifically to make space for that
together.”
-Emily Souder, Your NICU Story
Meet the Authors
LMFT, PMH-C
Mahaley Patel
Mahaley is a licensed therapist specializing in perinatal mental
health, grief, trauma, and infant/child loss. She holds a B.A. from
UCLA and a Master’s degree from Pepperdine University. With a
compassionate and client-centered approach, Mahaley is dedicated
to supporting individuals navigating their journey to and through
parenthood. She also serves on the bereaved parent advisory board
at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and runs a child
loss support group for grieving parents. Beyond her professional
work, she is a wife, a mother of four, and a bereaved parent, bringing
both personal and clinical experience to her practice.
Copyright 2025 Mahaley Patel and Emily Souder
Emily lives with her family in Maryland. She is a licensed therapist
specializing in perinatal mental health who enjoys supporting
neurodivergent families. With BA and MA degrees in sociology from
University of Maryland, Baltimore County and an MSW from
University of Maryland School of Social Work, Emily has written
multiple books, including Birth Story Brave, Reimagined and Birth
Story Held for Loss and believes in the healing properties of doing
story work in therapy and in life. Emily has presented twice at the
annual conference of Postpartum Support International, and has
offered training for Postpartum Support - Washington.
LCSW-C, PMH-C
Emily Souder
Copyright 2025 Mahaley Patel and Emily Souder
Welcome to
Your NICU Story
Lovingly curated to help NICU families feel understood and held as they
read, Your NICU Story is a pathway through:
A warm welcome from the authors, who explain what to expect from
the book.Honest and relatable personal stories from the birthing parent and
partner perspectives.5 sections of reflection questions (you control the pacing).
Reflection questions that are meant for the reader regardless of
whether they’re a birthing parent, non-birthing parent, partner, or
adoptive parent.A reading experience inclusive of all NICU families, regardless of
outcome. There is a section for those who go home with their baby
and those who do not.
A supportive book for exploring your family’s
NICU experience
Copyright 2025 Mahaley Patel and Emily Souder
“I was a NICU mom for “only” six days, but I thought [Mahaley
and Emily] covered the spectrum of feelings completely - the
anger, the confusion, the overwhelm, the loneliness, the small
winks of compassion from unexpected places, the routines, the
triggers. I was especially impressed with [their] ability to include a
wide array of experiences without getting bogged down in the
differences.”
-Kara, NICU mom
Contact
We would love to hear from you!
For Questions or
Business Inquiries
Mahaley Patel & Emily Souder
For Media Inquiries
Jessica Michael
Copyright 2025 Mahaley Patel and Emily Souder
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