Token of Collaboration Inventory Read each statement and check the ones you feel are true for you. Put a circle around the boxes which reflect those you need to work on. It is easy for me to trust and accept my partner’s opinions and judgments. My partner and I work well on projects together. […]
Yesterday, Katie Couric talked about postpartum depression with Dr. Craig Garfield and Craig, a father who experienced paternal depression. The research study carried out by Dr. Garfield was groundbreaking and brings attention to the needs of dads during the postpartum period. We discussed this “together” in the article in The Atlantic, “Postpartum Depression Can Happen […]
TOKENS OF AFFECTION COMMUNICATION CODE When your partner indicates (or when you perceive) a genuine or urgent need to communicate, with a look, a word, a cry, a motion, an utterance, or an outright request, you should: Stop what you are doing. Pay attention. Respond with an expressed and loving intent to address or postpone. […]
Doctors do not agree on a definition of postpartum depression. Some are misinformed. Some may miss the symptoms. If doctors really understood that postpartum emotional illnesses are the most common complication of childbirth, would they continue to dismiss the symptoms? Family members may or may not understand the seriousness of postpartum depression. Some are naïve […]
We hear a lot about postpartum depression these days. What it is, what it isn’t. Not everyone agrees on the definitions, even healthcare providers demonstrate variable degrees of knowledge in this specialized field. If you are pregnant or if you recently have had a baby, and are not feeling well, try not to focus on […]
Prologue by Karen Kleiman and Valerie Davis Raskin When we wrote the first comprehensive guide for postpartum depression, This Isn’t What I Expected, almost two decades ago, we surely hoped that things would be different by now: mothers wouldn’t feel so much pressure to be perfect, the link between hormones and postpartum depression would be well […]
Every time a young mother and/or her child(ren) dies tragically, we rally to raise awareness. The media scrambles for experts who sometimes purport accurate explanations and sometimes they perpetuate misinformation. This is an occupational hazard that goes with the territory. No one would argue that raising awareness is exactly what we should be doing. Our […]
(This post is authored by a woman who survived postpartum psychosis and hoped her story could help others find the help they need to recover as quickly as possible.I sincerely thank her for her heartfelt and courageous contribution. ~kk) Let us start with the present. I am a happy, mentally healthy, physically healthy(ish), 31 year […]
CBT and PPD. I used to think it was an oxymoron. Cognitive behavioral therapy is hard work. Definitely worth it, but hard work, nonetheless. Simply put, CBT is based on the notion that our feelings and behaviors are a consequence of the thoughts we are having. Regarding depression, if we reframe our negative thoughts, […]
We have posted the abstract and link to the PDM (Postpartum Distress Measure) as requested by a number of clinicians. You are free to use this tool for clinical purposes, but keep in mind it has not yet been validated so we have no cut-off scores. You may find it particularly helpful when assessing for […]
I am a Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Art Therapist specializing in the Psychology of Parenting in my Los Angeles, CA private practice. I run a four-week art group where moms build a transitional object they can use in childbirth. This art project is designed to decrease anxieties connected to childbirth so moms […]
Please check out the California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative. They are a newly formed (september 2011) volunteer task force to increase PPD awareness. It’s a wonderful resource.
New research based in Canada studying the use of telephone IPT (Interpersonal therapy) especially for rural areas where it may be difficult for postpartum women to get to an appointment. Anyone have thoughts on this? I have mixed feelings about it but can certainly appreciate the advantages.
Here’s our the abstract for our paper on a new brief screening tool for postpartum distress (which includes anxiety measurement) YAY!!! J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2011 Mar 17. [Epub ahead of print]Development of a Brief Measure of Postpartum Distress. Allison KC, Wenzel A, Kleiman K, Sarwer DB. 1 University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine , […]
PPSC news update: Interesting post by MGH Blog on the difficult decision to make regarding antidepressant medication during pregnancy.Fathers and PPD? Relating depression to negative parenting behaviors in the journal of Pediatrics. New study shows a relationship between seasons and depression but not when it comes to suicidality.“Preventing PPD” New article with good information.
LUNAFEST 5th Annual Film Festival Supports PSVa LUNAFEST is a traveling film festival of short movies by…for…about women with proceeds supporting women’s charities. PSVa is grateful to Stroller Strides of Arlington/Alexandria and its affiliated LUNA Moms Club for hosting LUNAFEST to support PSVa. * Wednesday, March 2, 2011 * 6 pm doors open; 7:30 pm […]
