Books by Karen Kleiman

This is a story of a man who enters a therapeutic relationship for reasons of which he is not sure. All his life, he had chosen not to grandstand his extraordinary dilemma. Rather, he proceeded in isolation, privately designing a way to endure his almost incomprehensible set of circumstances. He struggled alone, researching, networking, looking for answers, explanations, friends, looking for someone to listen, to believe him. When he finally begins therapy for the first time in forty-one years, he initiates the opportunity for his life to take final shape. Together, they learn what it means to listen and to really hear what someone is saying. They learn how it feels to be a man and a woman in a world that isn't always sure what that means. They learn what it means to be tolerated by a society that makes every day living an unimaginable chore. It is a story, ultimately, of acceptance and forgiveness.

For many women, having a baby delivers all the profound joy they anticipated and brings happiness beyond description. For women who experience depression after the birth of a baby, this joy can seem elusive. Instead, women with postpartum depression (PPD) are often gripped with feelings of deep sadness, confusion, anxiety, and despair, and they are deprived of their anticipated joy in their first precious months with their baby. At some point, the question of having another baby arises. If you ask a woman in the throes of a depression this question, she may say, no. No more children. If you ask a woman who has recovered from postpartum depression if she wants more children, she may say, yes, but I'm scared to go through that again. This book was written to accompany these women on their journey toward a subsequent pregnancy after postpartum depression. What Am I Thinking contains essential information for a woman and her family who plan on having another baby after a previous experience with postpartum depression. As these women know, planning another pregnancy can be a process filled with profound anxiety, indecision, fears, and self-doubt. What if I get depressed again? What if it's worse this next time? What if something terrible happens? What if I'm making a mistake? Filled with self-help strategies, current treatment recommendations, and practical advice, this book offers women the hope, confidence, and support they need to make this journey in spite of their anxiety. With this resource and available knowledge in hand, they are likely to feel more empowered, enabling them to proceed with confidence.

ARE YOU LISTENING TO WHAT SHE’S NOT SAYING?

Caught between worrying about how she feels and desperately working to portray the image of a good mother, a perfect mother, a mother who knows what’s she’s doing, the postpartum woman in distress is more likely to choose silence or minimization over disclosure.

She will allow her suffering—her dark mood, scary intrusive thoughts, intense anxiety, excessive monitoring of the baby, feelings of inadequacy, grief over lost independence, thoughts of harming herself or the baby, and even delusions and hallucinations—to fly under the radar in exchange for a calm and collected exterior. Even if she’s worried about how she feels. Even if she and her baby are in danger.

The Perinatal Patient seeks to change that. Co-written by world-renowned maternal mental health expert Karen Kleiman and her highly accomplished mentee at The Postpartum Stress Center, Hilary Waller, this book offers revolutionary, compassionate guidance into the nuanced assessment and treatment of mental health symptoms postpartum—a critical period that does not offer the luxury of time.

Filled with case studies, worksheets, and handouts for both patients and providers.

This hands-on guide includes straightforward, supportive information and specific recommendations to help partners deal with the impact of depression after the birth of a baby.

Countless studies have established the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for many manifestations of depression and anxiety. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Perinatal Distress, Wenzel and Kleiman discuss the benefits of CBT for pregnant and postpartum women who suffer from emotional distress. The myths of CBT as rigid and intrusive are shattered as the authors describe its flexible application for perinatal women. This text teaches practitioners how to successfully integrate CBT structure and strategy into a supportive approach in working with this population. The examples used in this book will be familiar to postpartum specialists, making this an easily comprehensive and useful resource.

Il volume si pone come manuale completo ed esauriente sul trattamento della depressione postpartum. Frutto di una pluriennale esperienza clinica, questa opera trova una propria forma attraverso un approccio trasversale, attingendo da differenti orientamenti terapeutici. Grazie a uno stile chiaro, accessibile e a una felice sintesi fra inquadramento teorico ed esempi pratici, si presta ad essere un riferimento non solo per i clinici, ma anche per le stesse donne sofferenti di depressione postpartum.

Moods in Motion is a unique coloring book which addresses the specific areas of distress facing new mothers. Each illustration depicts a symptom followed by an adjoining illustration along with descriptions of recommendations for healing. We are learning more about the benefits of art therapy techniques to distract an anxious mind. Unfortunately, negative, unwanted thoughts are a common phenomenon causing much stress to postpartum women. Moods in Motion provides a restorative tool so moms can gain control over how they are feeling and enjoy a creative outlet at the same time. In this way, Moods in Motion is more than a coloring book which will ease stress. It is an illustrated guide toward recovery which enables any postpartum woman to actively participate in her healing. As you color your way through the symptom and healing pages, you will envision and internalize suggestions that bring you closer to feeling like yourself again!

Postpartum depression is hard on a marriage. In their private practices, authors Karen Kleiman and Amy Wenzel often find themselves face-to-face with marriages that are suffocating, as if the depression has sucked the life out of a relationship that was only prepared for the anticipated joy of pending childbirth. What happens to marriage? Why do couples become angry, isolated, and disconnected? Tokens of Affection looks closely at marriages that have withstood the passing storm of depression and are now seeking, or in need of, direction back to their previous levels of functioning and connectedness. The reader is introduced to a model of collaboration that refers to 8 specific features, which guide postpartum couples back from depression. These features, framed as “Tokens,” are based on marital therapy literature and serve as a reminder that these are not just communication skill-building techniques; they are gift-giving gestures on behalf of their relationship. A reparative resource, Tokens of Affection helps couples find renewed harmony, a solid relational ground, and reconnection. Published by Routledge, January 2014

First conceptualized by D.W. Winnicott, holding in this book refers to a therapist’s capacity to respond to postpartum distress in a way that facilitates an immediate and successful therapeutic alliance. Readers will learn how to contain high levels of agitation, fear, and panic in a way that cultivates trust and the early stages of connectedness. Also addressed through vignettes are personality types that make holding difficult, styles of ineffective holding, and how to modify holding techniques to accommodate the individual woman. A must-read for postpartum professionals, the techniques learned in this book will help clients achieve meaningful and enduring recovery.

Revised Second Edition! A major addition to both maternity and psychology literature, here is a guide to self-help and professional treatment of postpartum depression—one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed mental illnesses. The authors debunk the myths surrounding PPD and provide compassionate support and solid advice for women with PPD.

This book provides a comprehensive look at effective therapy for postpartum depression. Using a blend of professional objectivity, evidence-based research, and personal, straight-forward suggestions gathered from years of experience, this book brings the reader into the private world of therapy with the postpartum woman. Based on Psychodynamic and Cognitive-Behavioral theories, and on D.W. Winnicott's "good-enough mother" and the "holding environment" in particular, the book is written by a therapist who has specialized in the treatment of postpartum depression for over 20 years. Therapy and the Postpartum Woman will serve as a companion tool for clinicians and the women they treat.

Dropping the Baby and Other Scary Thoughts: Breaking the Cycle of Unwanted Thoughts in Motherhood addresses the nature of the intrusive, negative, and anxious thoughts pregnant and postpartum women can experience. It provides answers to the women who seek information, clarification, and validation and is a useful resource for healthcare professionals who work with them. It is a resource for consumers and clinicians who must confront these negative cognitions by outlining what these thoughts are, why they are there, and what can be done about them. The compassionate tone of the book will be a voice that is familiar to many women in the postpartum community, and is written by two clinicians who have established themselves as leading experts and authors in this specialized field.

Over 90 percent of new mothers will have scary, intrusive thoughts about their baby and themselves. What if I drop him? What if I snap and hurt my baby? Mothering is so hard. I don't know if I really want to do this anymore. Gosh, I'm so terrible for thinking that!

Yet for too many mothers, those thoughts remain secret, hidden away in shame that make you feel even worse. But here's the good news: you CAN feel better! Author Karen Kleiman, coauthor of the seminal book This Isn't What I Expected and founder of the acclaimed Postpartum Stress Center, comes to the aid of new mothers everywhere with a groundbreaking new source of hope, compassion, and expert help. Good Mothers Have Scary Thoughtsis packed with world-class guidance, simple exercises, and nearly 50 stigma-busting cartoons from the viral #speakthesecret campaign that help new moms validate their feelings, share their fears, and start feeling better. Lighthearted yet serious, warm yet not sugary, and perfectly portioned for busy moms with full plates, Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts is the go-to resource for moms, partners, and families everywhere who need help with this difficult period.

Bonus content: Therapist Guide

The demands of a new baby can test a couple’s relationship like nothing else! When we factor in sleep deprivation, hormonal changes, depression and anxiety, and different personalities, life with a newborn can feel a bit crazy. Couples tend to misinterpret this rough patch as a sign that something is wrong with the relationship, but when couples take steps toward open communication and safeguard their relationship, they can face everything new parenthood throws at them together. From the team behind the bestselling Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts comes a new guidebook of short essays, comics, and quick journal prompts about the stressful newborn stage, the struggles that so many new parents face, and the skills you need to tap into your strength as a couple.