Perinatal Mental Health June Spotlight
Provider Spotlight
“After giving birth, I fell into a deep depression due to a lack of information from my medical providers and family environment. It took me a long time to get the right treatment. I stopped taking medication when my son turned one year old, and after two years, I was discharged from psychotherapy for the perinatal issue. Even after I was discharged, I did not understand what I had gone through. I preferred to keep quiet about this traumatic experience. I was embarrassed, and I ignored it”.
This began Analía Sierra’s path to becoming a mother, therapeutic companion, founder, and current president of the NGO Materna en Red in Argentina. Analía’s experience led her to search for answers, and four years after the arrival of her son, in the comments of an online article, she found other mothers talking about their symptoms. This discovery greatly relieved Analía: “I immediately began to open up about my story, symptoms, and treatment. I realized the trauma I experienced had value. It helped me understand my story could help others”.
This discovery encouraged Analía to tell her story openly on social networks so “at least the mothers who received my story could feel more understood, accompanied, empowered, that they were not alone.”
After this, Analía immersed herself in the world of perinatal mental health; she eventually met members of the Marcé Society of Spain and Wendy Davis of Postpartum Support International, who led her to contact other perinatal professionals. After these steps, she formed the interdisciplinary working group Materna en Red. In addition to forming Materna en Red, Analía is pursuing a degree in Perinatal Psychology at the University of Buenos Aires and serves as a PSI International volunteer coordinator for Argentina.
“It seems to me that my experience of having gone through postpartum depression and having experienced firsthand the symptoms of depression and anxiety gave me a certain sensitivity to accompany mothers better. And at the same time, working with children gives me the unique experience of being able to make up for certain lost moments in my postpartum period.”
The personalized therapeutic companionship Analía offers to both mothers and babies at their home is unique and offers a remarkable depth to how she supports families going through experiences similar to her own in the postpartum period.
“You must be flexible enough to adapt to the needs of each mother and baby without losing focus on either one or prioritizing one over the other. Have enough flexibility to adapt to each context and always be open to observing and rethinking work objectives according to the signs shown by each family. And I never stop learning from each family I work with.
In addition to the valuable work she does, Analía enjoys meditation, exercise, and connecting with nature on the weekends. Gatherings with family and friends are part of the activities that help her take care of herself.
For us, it is a joy to have Analía as part of our team of volunteer coordinators, and seeing the hard work she does, along with her fantastic team of professionals at Materna, fills us with hope in our shared goal of helping more mothers and families worldwide.
You can contact her and learn more about her work through her networks:
IG: @sierra.analia | Email: sierraanalia@live.com.ar
IG: @maternaenred | Email: saludmentalmaterna@gmail.com
Web: https://materna.org.ar/
Volunteer Spotlight
As Roderick Drew, PSI Board Member, looks back on the expansion of Postpartum Support International, he is amazed by the organization’s growth over the past five years. Roderick is based in Chicago, IL, and joined the PSI Board of Directors in January 2023. “I was surprised and honored when I was actually called to gauge interest in joining the board,” he shares.
Roderick learned about PSI from a friend after they shared their personal parenting stories. These conversations intrigued him and sparked a desire for him to learn more. 
“I was blown away by how the organization has grown in size, reach, and awareness. Learning about all of the different ways the organization and Board have impacted the country, and the world, by supporting efforts to shed light, provide resources, and reshape the discussion around postpartum depression and mental health. It really is an honor to support their efforts moving forward!”
Outside of serving on the PSI Board of Directors, Roderick is a Communications and Diversity professional with nearly 30 years of experience and a proud father of a 13-year-old and 9-year-old twins. For the past nine years, he has served as a Deputy Program Manager with HNTB Corporation, and prior to that, he worked for the City of Chicago in various communications and strategy roles.
Laughter is one of the primary ways Roderick cares for himself, and he has a history of telling corny dad jokes that elicit groans from his family and friends. In addition, to joking, Roderick has a passion for writing and reading about history and is a huge Chicago sports fan, “except for the Cubs-sorry.” He finds socializing with friends, volunteering in diversity efforts in his community, and spending quality time with his children necessary to re-energize and maintain a healthy balance in his life.
Roderick, thank you for turning your interest in learning more about perinatal mental health into a way to serve others. If you are interested in connecting with Roderick, please reach out to him via email at rdrew5992@yahoo.com.
If you want to learn more about providers and volunteers who are a part of the Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color or the program’s events and initiatives, subscribe to The Alliance newsletter today.