Our Mission

Afloat e.V. provides support to international pregnant and new mothers* across Germany through the ups and downs of mother*hood.

Our mission is to remove the linguistic, cultural, and societal barriers to finding quality mental health care and provide international mothers* with the support system that they deserve.

We are open to anyone who considers themselves a mother* or father* or primary caretaker regardless of gender identity or family structure. The gender asterisk * is here to make it clear that there is a wide range of gender identities not just "female" and "male".

Our Services

Afloat is a non-profit organization based in Heidelberg that provides both in-person and virtual volunteer-led support groups to international mothers* across Germany. We at Afloat recognize that not only will 1 in 7 mothers* experience a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD), but also that migrant mothers* suffer more frequently from PMADs. In response, we serve as an international coordinator for Postpartum Support International, providing information about PMADs so that international moms* across Germany experiencing any adverse symptoms can connect to the resources they need.  

Our Story

Our story began with Andrea Waisgluss, one mom* who decided other international moms’ perinatal experience in Germany had to be better than hers. This desire materialized in 2020 as a social initiative offering English and Spanish-speaking support groups to mothers* across Germany. Afloat was officially founded as a gemeinnütziger Verein in 2021.

Verein

Afloat e.V. is a non-profit association (gemeinnütziger Verein) founded in 2021. As an association, Afloat embraces the idea that we we are all better served when we come together to tackle issues and build community. To do this, community members are welcome to become members of the association (Verein). Afloat exists and continues to develop entirely thanks to the participation of its members.

As a member of Afloat e.V. you are invited to take part in the Annual Meeting as well as help chart the course of Afloat as an organization throughout the year. You have voting rights and are given opportunities and space to share your vision and hopes for Afloat. Additionally, member dues play an integral role in sustaining the work that Afloat does.

To become a member, please complete and submit this form via email and transfer annual membership dues (40€) to the Afloat bank account. Your membership will then be confirmed via email.

Our Team

johanna tonn-straavaldsen, MSw - Group facilitator

Johanna is the director of Afloat. She moved to Heidelberg in the summer of 2017 with her husband and two kids and has been building a life in the Rhein Neckar region ever since. Having spent fifteen years moving frequently throughout Europe and the United States, she is familiar with the challenges and opportunities of being a newcomer and is thrilled anytime she can support others in similar situations.

Johanna is a doula certified through Doulas in Deutschland and provides support to international families throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She has a Masters of Social Work from Columbia University and draws heavily on this experience as she works to provide non-judgemental support to women* and families of many backgrounds. She knows first-hand the importance of having people to lean on as one navigates parenthood in another culture, often without extended family or friends. 

Lilian Lopez Montero, spanish speaking Group Facilitator

Lilian is originally from Monterrey, Mexico but moved to Germany in 2013. She has 2 sons and has experienced the challenges that come with mother*hood but that also increase with being in a different country and culture. After dealing with PMADS herself, she wants to help bring more awareness to this topic and hopefully help other international mothers* through her experience. 

Lilian es originaria de Monterrey, México y se mudó a Alemania en el 2013. Mamá* de dos niños, Lilian ha experimentado los retos que conlleva la mater*nidad y que se incrementan al estar en otro país, otra cultura y lejos de la familia y amigos. Al lidiar con depresión postparto se dio cuenta que es un tabú y que no hay suficiente información sobre el tema. Gracias a ello, ahora busca crear conciencia sobre el tema y así poder ayudar a otras mamás* internacionales a través de su experiencia.

Ruth Bönisch, Heidelberg In-Person Group Facilitator

Ruth is a British-born mum* living near Weinheim in Southwest Germany.

She moved to the region in 2019 whilst heavily pregnant. Prior to this move Ruth had lived and worked for over a decade in Hong Kong. The transition to both mother*hood and life in Germany was challenging but ultimately left Ruth motivated to support other international mums*.

Ruth has been immersing herself in information regarding perinatal social support via Postpartum Support International and is looking forward to a Pre and Post Natal Yoga Teacher Training later this year. She is excited to support other mums* in the Heidelberg area.

Liz Anne mccormick, 6 Week Group facilitator

Liz Anne lives in Mannheim with her partner and their toddler. Originally from the United States, she lived in Amman, Jordan, before moving to Germany in 2021. Experiencing the challenges and rewards of living cross-culturally has helped Liz Anne to recenter her life around curiosity and slowness.

Liz Anne’s position as facilitator is informed by courses in aroma therapy, trauma healing, and Thai massage, as well as dirty diapers, sleepless nights, and a chronically messy kitchen. She hopes this group provides space for participants to unpack where they are and to explore where they want to be.

LC De Shay, black moms* connect Group Facilitator

LC De Shay is a genderqueer IBCLC, Doula, and public health analyst specializing in reproductive psychosociology. In addition to practicing in local Midwifery and Pediatric private clinician groups, LC assistant taught for the UC system lactation program and worked in UC, Providence, & civic hospitals & clinic systems.

In the last few years, LC expanded their career work to helping healthcare technology companies of the sexual and family health fields, manage social media & tech content, as well as conduct diversity health impact evaluation.

She has over 10 years experience in community advocacy, support group facilitation, and JEDI analysis for reproductive and sexual health research and development. They are currently completing graduate school for global sociology in health development, and working hard to maintain polyglot status speaking Spanish, German, & French as a recent immigrant to Europe.

LC has birthed and breastfed 4 children, and is a dedicated ecofeminist.

Kate Brownstein-Phillips, Heidelberg In-Person Group facilitator

Kate is an American-born mom* living in Mannheim, Germany. She moved from the Washington, DC area to Germany in 2020, during the COVID pandemic, with her husband, dog and cat with the plan of staying for one year. Three-plus years and one pregnancy and birth later, she has first-hand experience dealing with the challenges and joys of pregnancy, birth, and raising a baby in Germany.

Kate found Afloat and attended not one, not two, but three of the Afloat virtual pregnancy support groups. She later went on to attend the Heidelberg In-Person group, where she built her support network in the local area. She is excited to be a part of an organization that has been central to her experience abroad.

Kate is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and founder of A Care Above Therapy Services. She works with clients from infants to adulthood with a specialty in providing direct client and family support to neurodiverse populations, youth, and adults with disabilities, as well as working with members of the LGBTQIA+ community, namely voice-affirming therapy with transgender and gender-diverse populations.

Linder oloo, black mothers* connect Group Facilitator

Linder is a Black mom* of two kids, ages 8 and 2. She was born in Kenya and moved to the States with her family at a young age. She earned her B.S in Biology at the University of Stony Brook NY and her master’s in healthcare management. Linder moved to Germany 8 years ago and she lives in Hamburg with her husband and kids. As a mom* of two kids, she believes that self-care is very important and necessary. Some things that she likes to do for self-care include reading, drinking tea, visiting friends, spontaneous weekend trips, and meditation. Having lived in New York her whole life, she was not prepared for the challenges that she has had to navigate daily while living in Germany. Linder’s goal for this group is to celebrate, support and empower other Black moms* on their journey to mother*hood.

Amanda graybill, pregnancy Group Facilitator

Amanda is an American mom* of two young boys living and working in Frankfurt, Germany since 2014.  She is the founder of Mindful Mama* where she offers holistic childbirth education courses, coaching and birth doula services. Amanda has a B.S. in Family Studies and Human Development and an MPH in International Health and Development with an emphasis on Health Education.   

Having navigated the birth of her first son, before she could speak much German, she discovered a gap in the services available for non- German speaking parents and parents to be in the Rhein-Main area. This experience, along with her journey through Post Natal PTSD, inspired her to train as a Childbirth Educator and Doula in order to support other international families during their transition to parenthood. Amanda is a self-professed “brain nerd” and uses her experience and education around Mindfulness to inform her practice as she supports families in person and online. 

Anahí Franco Izquierdo, spanish speaking Group Facilitator

Es una mamá* Mexicana con un hijo maravilloso de 7 años, que llegó a Alemania en el año 2017, enfrentándose a una nueva realidad fuera de su país de origen y con la necesidad de construir una red de apoyo que la ayudará a encontrar su camino.

La mater*nidad real le rompió la idealización que tenía sobre ser mamá* y descubrió su complejidad dentro de la sociedad. Ahora desea acompañar a mujeres* que, como ella, se enfrentan a situaciones no previstas, brindando una escucha activa y contención emocional para vivir el proceso en tribu.

Johanna lennon, mothers* STORY circle - berlin Facilitator

Johanna is a French visual artist born in Marseille from Greek and Italian origins, based in Berlin. She has been a long-term member of Afloat almost since its beginning. She is very much looking forward to creating a mothers* support and discussion circle in Berlin.

After a first career in marketing in electronics and luxury perfumes in Shanghai, London and Paris, she started over and became a multidisciplinary visual artist using ceramics and photography as media. Her current focus is the exploration of what it means to be a woman* and all the physical, psychological and emotional changes women* go through. In her photographic practice, she is a visual storyteller creating narrative portraits and audio pieces of her encounters.

Johanna uses her photographs and interviews as conversation starters to create a safe space of reciprocity for mothers* to share and helps them navigate their often unspoken challenges. She is convinced of how her work can help mothers* experiencing PMADs to recognise that they are not alone and encourage those who, for now, remain in the shadows, to open up. Her goal is also to educate the population at large as well as facilitate a broader and more accurate dialogue around the image of mother*hood and woman*hood.

ANDREA WAISGLUSS, FOUNDER

Andrea founded Afloat in January 2020 as a social initiative, offering English and Spanish-speaking support groups and a mater*nal mental health warmline as a volunteer with Postpartum Support International. After planting the seeds of Afloat, Andrea stepped down from her role as Director and is moved to see the initiative become an official non-profit organization and fluorish under Johanna’s care.