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, plans, and problems Sleep issues complicate everything! The communication challenges around...

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 us for a candid conversation with today’s guest.  Dr. Ellen Chance is a counselor educator and the...

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 been a dedicated educator, author, activist, and doula since 2007. Passionate about accessible...

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: Grief can take many forms, including anger, resentment, and jealousy. The emotional toll (from...

Many people don’t realize that a neurodivergent diagnosis in childhood can be a risk factor for perinatal mental health issues later in life. Join us for today’s conversation with Tiffany! Tiffany Engen is a full-time mom of two young children, a survivor of multiple PMADs, a strong advocate for maternal mental health, a full-spectrum doula, a birth photographer, and a certified perinatal educator (PMH-C). Born and raised in California and currently residing in Arizona, Tiffany volunteers as...

“When moms take better care of themselves, they can take better care of others.” This is the message behind Modern Mommy Doc, the creation of Dr. Whitney Casares. She joins us to discuss her wide-ranging work to support new moms in the transition to parenthood and beyond. Join us to learn more! Dr. Whitney Casares is a private practice pediatrician, AAP spokesperson, Medical Review Board Advisor for Prevention Magazine, and the mother of two young girls in Portland, Oregon. She hosts The...

Just as a broken bone or surgery takes time for the healing process, the recovery process in healing from a perinatal mental health condition takes time. The process isn’t linear at all but is filled with ups and downs, and it comes with short-term and long-term aspects of healing. Join me for a closer look in today’s episode. Show Highlights: Complicating factors that show up in the healing process have ramifications in life, relationships, and capacity to function. The healing journey...

Today’s episode covers an important topic that needs to be addressed as it affects many moms and families. My guest shares her experience of being diagnosed with autism and ADHD later in life, after having her children. She shares how her diagnosis impacted her, what non-stereotypical autism looks like, why self-evaluation is beneficial, and why getting a diagnosis can be a privilege. We will also learn about the role of women’s hormones in autism and ADHD. Join us! Dr. Kiley Hanish is a...

The grief process can be messy and unpredictable, and it can vary widely from person to person and through the different phases of life. Grief comes up in multiple, unexpected ways in the motherhood journey when you have already lost your mother. Join us to hear a personal story of motherhood and mother loss from today’s guest. Dr. Olivia Wedel is a licensed professional counselor in Texas. After almost 17 years working in the mental health field, Dr. Olivia started her private practice in...

There is more to the story than postpartum depression. There are many complexities to the ways we talk to ourselves. I see perinatal folks give in frequently to thoughts of self-judgment and even self-hatred, which is not at all a healthy scenario for the transition to parenthood. It’s a time when there are many new things to learn and adjustments to make as we become parents. In today’s session, we answer the important question: “Why are we so hard on ourselves?” Show Highlights: Thoughts...

Today’s episode is about a topic that may be unfamiliar to many. My guest shares her journey through her first pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, along with why she chose a very different scenario called free birth to welcome her second child into the world. Join us to learn more! Alexa Ericson shares why she chose a free birth for her second child, what that is, and how that choice worked out for her. She explains how she found comfort through writing and decided to put her experiences into a...

Postpartum psychosis is often misunderstood and mischaracterized. It is important to humanize this condition, remove the stigma around it, and let people know that treatment is available and healing is possible. In today’s show, we get a rare glimpse into the life of a family through the eyes of both a husband and wife about their journey through postpartum psychosis. Join us to learn more! Derek Winkler is a software engineering manager, father of two (Kerri-almost 4, and Robbie-6 months),...

We can all agree that the transition to parenthood is huge and multi-faceted. For many parents, that transition feels like not just a big change but a monumental loss. It’s a loss of what once was and the life you had grown accustomed to in your pre-baby world. There are a lot of changes around the freedom and flexibility you once enjoyed, and essentially every area of life is affected. Things are different in your world regarding your attention and energy, as well. Join me in today’s Behind...

I’m joined today by Emma Hopkins, a mom and business owner in the UK. At age 39, Emma became a first-time mother and experienced postpartum depression to the point that her entire life, identity, and livelihood changed. She walks us through the tough decision to give up the business that was her heart and soul to prioritize her basic survival. She finally found healing, reconnected with herself, embraced her new role as a mother, and built a new business based on her experience and education....

Today’s conversation is about interpersonal therapy (IPT). You’ll learn what IPT is, how it differs from other therapies, and why it is a validated therapy that is well-suited for the perinatal population. Many more clinicians should seek training in this therapy modality which is full of useful tools and skills. Join us to learn more! Elyse Springer is a longtime colleague and friend with much knowledge about supporting people in their perinatal mental health. She is a current board member...

There are a lot of dynamics at play in becoming a parent, and that is an understatement, to say the least! Often overlooked are the needed conversations around new boundaries, tasks, and the “invisible labor” that a new baby brings. These discussions are vital in protecting the relationship between partners and making the postpartum period more enjoyable for both parents. Today’s episode focuses on the mental and emotional labor that a mom most often takes on in the partnership–and I’m...

Today’s show brings back a guest from years ago, and I’m excited to reconnect with her and hear updates about her life and work. She’s a lovely human and a beautiful soul who is doing meaningful work that helps many people. Join us!  Nkem Ndefo is the founder of Lumos Transforms and the creator of The Resilience Toolkit, a model that promotes embodied self-awareness and self-regulation in an ecologically sensitive framework and social justice context. Originally licensed as a nurse midwife,...

My guest today is doing important work with perinatal mental health through psychodynamic and somatic therapy. There is a great need for this therapeutic modality to be available to people who need it and for more training to be accessible to care providers. Join us to learn more! Dr. Helena Vissing is a licensed psychologist certified in perinatal mental health as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. She is experienced as an adjunct faculty member and on the training committee of Maternal...

Becoming a parent can bring intense anxiety and high levels of worry about doing the right thing for your child. Some people have feelings of failure in meeting some high level of expectation that they have of themselves. I always wonder in therapy what has contributed to a person’s suffering in this way, and, as a therapist, I want to dig deeper into why this style of hyper-independence and hyperfunctioning at all costs is activated when some people become parents. Let’s dig deeper in...

We have all been in the place of overstimulation, even if we didn’t recognize what was happening at the time. The transition into parenthood is ripe with opportunities for overstimulation and sensory overload. Today’s episode helps us better understand how and why we are overstimulated, along with useful tips for managing overload and expert insight into how we can be more supportive of ourselves and others. Join us to learn more! Holly Peretz is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist with over...

Hearing the stories of others helps us to know that we are not alone. So many families face premature births, NICU stays, and traumatic birth experiences. As always, our message is that there is support and hope. Join us for Savannah’s story. Savannah Jane O’Malley is a wife and working mother of three former preemies. She works full-time, pursues her artistic passions part-time, and she “moms” all the time. When her twin boys were born 3.5 months early, everything she thought her life was...

If no one has told you lately, it’s okay to fall apart. If you aren’t functioning at 100% and don’t feel like you can do what you are supposed to do today, it’s okay. We are human beings, not machines, and we aren’t meant to push through every single thing in life to produce and do and be and succeed and surpass. Life is not a competition, but a lot of people act like it is. We feel the pressure to keep going and pretend like we are okay to the point of pushing past the need for rest—and our...

There are many questions and much misinformation about treatment options and medications for maternal mental health conditions (MMHCs). The key to having more awareness and understanding is to get correct information from qualified experts. Only when parents are educated and informed can they make the best decisions about their care! Today’s guest has valuable information to share to help us all become more knowledgeable. Join us to learn more! Dr. Liz Cox is a reproductive psychiatrist in...

The height of the COVID pandemic caused so much fear and anxiety, all for good reason. The moms who gave birth and faced postpartum difficulties during this time were under immense pressure to try to keep themselves and their babies safe.  For many, it ended up being the perfect storm that led to perinatal mental health crises. Join us to hear our guest’s story. Jackie Werboff is a licensed mental health therapist in private practice in Florida.  When she became a mother in 2021, her...