A few years ago, a new mom from California took to the streets to overcome postpartum depression—little did she know she would be starting a global movement.

Jamie O’Neal (@jamieeastonn) had a history of anxiety and depression following a car accident in 2019 that left her with a traumatic brain injury. On top of that, she was battling postpartum depression, while going through a divorce from her son’s father after five years of marriage.

“There were so many life changes, from [my] relationship, to motherhood, to [my] career. I was in a place where I was not on stable ground,” O’Neal told Newsweek.

Knowing her medical past, O’Neal’s midwife gave her one simple prescription: go for a walk every day, whether to grab a coffee or just to get out of the house.

At first, O’Neal walked alone, but soon realized that she wasn’t the only mom in need of support.

O’Neal reached out to friends to join her, needing to hear from another mom who understood what she was going through. That is when she decided to post a video on her TikTok, inviting local moms to walk with her.

“Two moms showed up to my very first walk, and that conversation changed my life,” O’Neal said. “I asked God what to do and felt in my heart that it was time to serve moms.”

In August 2022, O’Neal officially launched The Mom Walk Collective covering 30 cities. “We are an international mom organization that creates safe spaces for moms to find their village to help raise the next generation,” O’Neal said. “Ambassadors sign up to serve their city by hosting two free walks a month.”

Today, the meetups have expanded to over 350 cities worldwide.

O’Neal shared the size of The Mom Walk Collective in a reel on Instagram. Clocking up nearly 2 million views and almost 40,000 likes, many users were amazed by its impact.

“Don’t know where I’d be without TMWC!! Found my bestie through the walks and now we run one together,” one user wrote.

“What an amazing concept,” another added.

A third commented: “I’m a therapist for moms and honestly this is GOALS.”

For new moms looking for community, O’Neal said that the group is a safe space in society to belong; “maybe get a word of affirmation or simply a hug,” she added.

The Mom Walk Collective has served as her own path to healing. “The more I serve moms, the more my heart and mental health heal,” O’Neal said. “It constantly reminds me that I am not alone, that there are women all over the world that can understand me and I can do this.”