Mom and Mind | Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

The transition to motherhood can bring feelings of loneliness as life forces a new schedule and new priorities. A new mom’s responsibilities are never-ending, along with the added stress of insufficient sleep and managing a new normal in the household. Our society is set up such that a mom is most often the default parent, and this can lead to a disconnect in the relationship. As we will discuss i...

Obstetricians play an important role in perinatal mental health, and hearing their perspective is always informative. It makes my heart happy to learn that more and more OBs are getting trained in perinatal mental health so they can offer more help to their patients. My guest shares her story to help normalize the perinatal mental health issues that many women face. Join us! Dr. La Toya Luces-Samp...

My guest today shares the culture shock she felt as a Japanese woman giving birth in the US and experiencing the vastly different healthcare system. Being away from her family was challenging, but she also felt frustrated with postpartum care in the US as compared to Japan. She also shares about the deep stigma of postpartum depression among the Japanese people, how she handled that as a new mothe...

We would all love to only associate positive things with pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, but that’s just not everyone’s experience. Unfortunately, many people have negative emotions, triggers, traumas, and heartbreak around these major life events. I get mad on behalf of parents, especially mothers, during the perinatal time because of the real injustices many parents face. So many of these coul...

Today’s episode focuses on medications during pregnancy and postpartum. This topic raises many questions and opinions, and women need more information to understand the options they can discuss with their doctor. Join us to learn more from today’s expert guest! Dr. Priscilla Hidalgo, aka Dr. H, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained psychiatrist in private practice who serves patients in Nort...

Parenting a child with disabilities brings a host of unexpected dynamics and challenges. No one knows the ins and outs of this journey better than a parent who has fought long and hard for her own children and used that knowledge to help others. Join us to hear more from Kelley! Kelley Coleman is a feature film development executive-turned-author and advocate who draws on over a decade of parentin...

Our session today focuses on an ongoing theme I see frequently with women in therapy. It’s centered on how many moms feel frustrated and blame themselves for not doing enough to feel better. There is so much to unpack around this topic. Let’s take a closer look! Show Highlights: We can’t “self-care” our way out of ongoing stress! Fact: Times of transition are inherently stressful. Scenarios in whi...

OCD can be a debilitating condition. My guest today shares her personal experience, including how some medical care can actually contribute to a worsening of symptoms. Hers is an important story for us to hear because no matter how devastating a perinatal mental health condition is, the overriding message is that healing is always available. Join us to learn more! Danielle Silverstein knows the st...

Parental leave is a confusing topic to most of us because there is no uniformity from state to state and company to company. Many parents are probably not getting all the benefits available to them in parental leave because it’s such a confusing system. Today’s guest works relentlessly to help people figure this out and make the most of parental leave benefits and balancing parenthood and a career...

There is so much more to the perinatal mental health story than just postpartum depression. I’m coming in hot today on my soapbox to speak on behalf of many very frustrated mothers. The problem is that they are the default parent, being 100%, or nearly 100% responsible for taking care of EVERYTHING. What makes me sick is the fact that we haven’t come far enough as a society to support new parents,...

Infertility affects many people all around us, and discussions about this topic are not happening enough. Whether a long path or a short one, every infertility journey is different with a million factors at play. I’m grateful that my guest today is sharing her story! Shatiera Amankrah is a licensed therapist specializing in infertility counseling, and she is certified in perinatal mental health. S...

It is astounding to note that 1 in 10 dads will experience a perinatal mental health condition, and research shows that dads also face hormonal changes. This Monday, June 17, 2024, is International Father’s Mental Health Day, and we want to bring fathers’ mental health to the forefront in today’s episode. When a mom goes through a perinatal mental health disorder, her partner is 50% more likely to...

I want to explore a topic that comes up a LOT in therapy sessions: comparing yourself to others. It’s a trap that many of us are caught in, especially when it comes to engaging in social media. In general, we seem to think that everyone else has their shit together except us. I won’t keep you in suspense, but I’ll tell you upfront that nobody has it together all the time. Why do we spend so much t...

Hearing the words “high-risk pregnancy” strikes fear in the heart of every parent. Even though we may not understand all the ramifications of that designation, we know it means that an unpredictable journey is ahead. I’m excited to welcome back today’s guest and learn more about her work in the field of high-risk pregnancy. Join us! Parijat Deshpande is the founder and CEO of Ruvelle, the only tra...

So many changes happen in the transition to motherhood, and these shifts run the gamut from physical, mental, emotional, and social changes to even chemical changes in the brain. I’m joined today by the author of Rattled: How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain. Join us for an informative discussion on this important topic. Dr. Nikki Pensak is a clinical psychologist spe...

Relationship challenges are at the top of the list of things that come up in therapy sessions. I’m not just referring to partner relationship difficulties, but even relationships with other family members. Becoming a parent brings up a lot of relationship dynamics about childhood, family, and our own parents, especially if there was family disruption, abuse, neglect, or emotional unavailability. T...

Join us for a deep dive into a perinatal IOP and what that involves. Today’s expert shares helpful information so we can understand the value of this higher level of perinatal support. Roxanne Rosenberg is the co-founder and clinical director of Anchor Perinatal Wellness, the Southeast’s only perinatal-specific intensive outpatient program (IOP). She is a member of the new federal Maternal Mental...

Health anxiety during pregnancy and the postpartum is a very real struggle for many people. My guest today joins us to share her experience and what she’s seeing from clients in her practice. You’ll learn how to notice perinatal health anxiety and what to do about it. Join us to learn more! Michelle Flynn is a fully accredited perinatal psychotherapist and certified infant massage instructor based...

Many factors influence the transition to parenthood, and most of those things are unexpected and unpredictable. No one “signs up for” a perinatal mental health condition, but it can seem to come out of nowhere and leave you blindsided–in addition to the normal adjustments that come with the addition of a new baby to the family. These PNMH conditions can impact every area of life significantly, inc...

Having information and being empowered to make decisions are ways to protect mental health. Nothing is more disempowering than finding out later that you had choices of which you were unaware at the height of a mental health struggle. All of these concepts apply perfectly to birthing situations. One of the main reasons this podcast exists, along with the work of today’s guest is to spread informat...

We have a very special episode to share with you today. I’m deeply honored to host Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, thought leader, and wholeness advocate, Alanis Morissette! She is joined by the president and CEO of Postpartum Support International, Dr. Wendy Davis!  Alanis found PSI as a resource when she was dealing with perinatal mental health challenges, and she has openly shared about...

It’s no secret that a new baby brings many nuances to a couple’s relationship and family life. The couple relationship dynamics shift and change as new responsibilities have to be prioritized. Planning ahead with open communication can make things easier in every way. Let’s take a closer look in today’s behind-the-sessions episode. Show Highlights: The first few weeks with a new baby: patterns, pl...

Through the sharing of our stories, we educate ourselves and others about perinatal mental health challenges, and we normalize the fact that we should not feel shame for needing professional help and support. For so many people, shame over what they are experiencing keeps them from admitting the truth of their struggles and reaching out for help and support. We want to change that scenario! Join u...

It is more common than you might think to experience both anger and rage in the transition to parenthood, and those emotions happen for a variety of reasons and are caused by a multitude of factors. In today’s episode, we are covering all aspects of rage: why it happens, how it happens, what contributes to it, and what to do about it. Join us to learn more! Bianca Sprague, founder of Bebo Mia, has...

In today’s Behind the Sessions episode, we focus on the pain and grief that people experience in the infertility and loss journey while trying to become a parent or add another child to their family. While it’s impossible to cover every aspect of this topic in one episode, I want to take a closer look and assure anyone in this situation that they are not alone. Join me for more! Show Highlights: G...