Julia Sarewitz and Victoria Trinko were both graduate students at Teachers College, Columbia University when they noticed the absence of matrescence—the process of becoming a mother—in contemporary discussions and maternal education offerings. Motivated to bridge this gap, they founded Seed Mother. Drawing from their graduate-level training and experience at Khora, The Maternal & Reproductive Psychology Lab at Teachers College, they crafted an innovative maternal education curriculum with a focus on matrescence. 

Julia and Victoria's unique blend of academic expertise and professional knowledge has given them a profound understanding of the complex dynamics involved in the transition to motherhood - an understanding that has also been shaped and informed by the close mentorship they received from Dr. Aurélie Athan, a reproductive psychologist and leading matrescence researcher. Under her supervision, the Seed Mother program is now under study through the lab to evaluate its impact on improving maternal well-being (results coming soon).

Julia and Victoria are honored to continue this important matrescence thread-line and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to stand on the shoulders of all who have come before us. 

Our story

  • Victoria is the co-founder of Seed Mother, a matrescence educator and researcher, a yoga practitioner, and an adoring aunt to her nephew Monty.

    Victoria recently completed her Master in Psychology in Education and an Advanced Certificate in Sexuality, Women & Gender: Reproductive & Maternal Well-Being from Teachers College, Columbia University. In 2020, Victoria left a nine-year career in communications to pursue her graduate education in psychology and spirituality at TC. She quickly discovered her passion for exploring the intersection of spirituality and maternal and reproductive psychology and immersed herself in the study of matrescence, the development process of becoming a mother. To expand and put her acdemic knowledge into practice, she also joined The Maternal & Reproductive Psychology Lab as as Research Assistant and Program Coordinator of Community Education & Engagement - working closely with Dr. Aurelie Athan, a Reproductive Psychologist and Associate Research Professor at TC well-regarded for her work and research in reproductive identity development and matrescence.

    It was here that she met Seed Mother’s co-founder, Julia Sarewitz - who, like Victoria, was equally passionate and fascinated by matrescence and shared in her desire to address the lack of maternal offerings that guide new mothers as they undergo the transition to new motherhood. Together they created Seed Mother, an evidence-based maternal education program grounded in the matrescence framework, that they designed, developed, and are now currently researching at Columbia. Seed Mother supports and empowers mothers through the journey to becoming a mother using education, ritual, and community. As with any major life transition, Victoria believes that when mothers are properly educated, equipped with supportive tools, and given safe space to process this profound rite of passage, the challenges of new motherhood can be seen as ripe with opportunity for personal growth and transformation.

Chelsea Macor Photography

  • Julia is co-founder of Seed Mother, a matrescence educator and researcher, a wellness & spirit coach at www.JourneysMeditation.com, and mother to Nash.

    Julia completed her MA of Psychology in Education with a concentration in Spirituality, Mind and Body at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a research assistant and curriculum designer at the Maternal Psychology Lab, Khora, at Columbia University where she works closely with Dr. Aurelie Athan, a leading researcher in matrescence and maternal psychology. Julia is currently conducting a research study through Columbia on the efficacy of a Transformative Learning-based matrescence education curriculum that she co-created with Victoria Trinko. While Julia approaches teaching matrescence work and meditation with an openness to spirit, she understands the impact of these practices on one’s holistic wellness through the lens of science and research.

    Julia only realized how much her personal wellness and spiritual practices helped her through that tricky first postpartum year until well after it was over. Simply put, these practices saved her. Julia believes that personal wellness and ritual coaching should be required prenatal education for expecting mothers, and she has made it her passion and mission to educate and support mothers through their own unique matrescence journeys.Julia is a lifelong teacher and has taught hundreds of students from ages two through adulthood. She believes that going within is important and exciting work for students of all ages.

    Julia teaches at www.journeysmeditation.com

Watch this interview with Dr. Traci Stein to get to know us better!