Posts

The Reality of Postpartum Anxiety and 4 Ways to Manage it

by Amy StuartVanessa’s first several months as a parent were marked by debilitating anxiety. She was terrified of leaving the house and felt certain something terrible would happen if she did. She obsessively checked on her infant as she…

Mom Guilt

Mom Guilt by Amy Stuart “You have to be kidding me.”I muttered these exact words to myself as I looked at the pregnancy test I held in my hand. It was positive. I had no idea what to do.My husband and I already had two small children.…

PSI and Black Lives Matter

This is a pivotal moment for our country and for the cause of perinatal mental health. I have been working hard to find the words to authentically address the emotions that we are all feeling while focusing our concern for black and brown women,…
mom and baby

“If This Is So Common, Why Haven’t I Ever Heard of It?”

“If This Is So Common, Why Haven’t I Ever Heard of It?” Jenny Schermerhorn“I think you might have Postpartum Depression” was something a close friend said to me at my first child’s 1-year-old birthday party.  I remember thinking…
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PSI Focuses on Raising Awareness of Maternal Mental Health

Events Include Maternal Mental Health Day, PSI 32nd Annual Conference and  Climb out of the Darkness PORTLAND, OR. --- Postpartum Support International (PSI), the leading organization dedicated to helping women suffering from perinatal mood…
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Featured PSI Member: Josh Cohen

PSI Donor and Supporter Josh CohenNote: There are many types of perinatal mental health disorders, and at times a range of unexpected consequences. This interview makes note of a tragic outcome that was a consequence of one woman’s illness.…

Featured PSI Member: Heather Anne Swensen Motta

PSI Volunteer Heather Anne Swensen Motta: Climb Out of the Darkness Brazil Team Leader, Brazil CoordinatorNote: There are many types of perinatal mental health disorders, and at times a range of unexpected consequences. This interview makes…

Dads mental health

by Mark Williams for the PSI Blog June 17, 2018 I was one of those people who was completely uneducated about depression until it came knocking at my door in 2004. It wasn't until my wonderful wife, Michelle, went through an emergency C-section…
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Featured PSI Member: Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter

Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter is a maternal child and pediatric clinical social worker for university-affiliated teaching hospital Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) in Colton, California. Currently teaching at California State University San…
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Maternal Mental Health Month, Week, and Day!

World Maternal Mental Health Day Wednesday, May 2, 2018 International Maternal Mental Health Week Monday April 30 – Sunday May 6Helping Mothers, Fathers, and Babies! In many countries, as many as 1 in 5 new mothers experience some…
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Climb 2018

Join Us! Climb Out of the Darkness 2018 The Climb Out of the Darkness 2018 is beginning! This is the sixth year that survivors will share their personal experiences with perinatal mental illness. Some of us have been sharing our stories for…
mom and baby

OCD: Harm Was My Obsession, Not My Reality

by Chelsea Elker for the PSI Blog March 6, 2018 Last month our country was once again reminded of the pain one person's actions can have upon countless innocent lives. The shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida is not…
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Undertrained and Far Too Common: An Alarming Reality

by April Gabriel-Ferretti, MS, MFT For the Postpartum Support International Blog February 20, 2018By now you’ve likely heard the story of Jessica Porten, a new mom from Sacramento, California who was devastated to learn that, after sharing…
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Post-School Shooting Self-Care–How to Cope with Spiking Parental Anxiety

by Suma Karandikar for PSI Blog February 16, 2018 From the day you bring children into the world, you would probably agree that one of your greatest responsibilities is to keep them out of harm's way.Almost instinctively, you make sure…
mom and baby

We Need to Talk About Postpartum Bipolar Disorder

by Dyane Harwood for the PSI Blog January 30 2018This blog originally appeared in Self Magazine on July 25, 2017.My manic symptoms were mistaken for a mother's joy—I needed help.Within 24 hours of giving birth to my daughter…