Mom and Mind | Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

Latest Episodes:

236: You Are Not A Sh*tty Parent Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to today’s show! Parents have an unfortunate knack for being too hard on themselves, comparing themselves to others, and living in constant judgment of their decisions. This conversation takes a closer look at how self-compassion, understanding, and lighthearted humor can make the parenting journey easier. Join us to learn more!

Dr. Carla Naumburg is a clinical social worker, mother, and the author of five nonfiction books, including her international bestseller, How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids, and You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent. She also wrote the upcoming book,How to Stop Freaking Out, which is the middle-grade adaptation of How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids. Carla infuses her witty sense of humor into her work and writing, bringing lightheartedness into subjects that are often filled with judgment, shame, and guilt. In this episode, she explains “Sh*tty Parent Syndrome,” why so many parents are suffering from it, and how self-compassion can make all the difference.

Show Highlights:

What Sh*tty Parent Syndrome is–and why you are NOT a sh*tty parent
Reasons why SO many people feel like they are bad parents–(it comes down to the way our brains are wired!)
Why social media causes us to compare ourselves to literally everyone in the world, both inside and outside our demographic
Why it’s a gift when people are truly honest about their parenting experiences
How Carla learned about self-compassion and how it benefits us as parents to squelch the anxiety and confusion
How self-deprecation and self-contempt become our native language about parenting, especially for women
Why we need to expect that chaos is the normal state of parenting–(why do we expect anything different?)
A fresh look at “happiness” for parents and our kids
How treating yourself with compassion (connection, curiosity, and kindness) reduces anxiety and depression and brings better mood and health
Why it’s a BIG deal to find connection with the people who let you know that you are not alone
How to use curiosity as the antidote to judging ourselves as a sh*tty parent
How to treat yourself with kind self-talk (Hint: It takes practice!)
Why we need moments of compassion every day
Why parents should not judge themselves for the decisions they made during the pandemic

Resources:

Connect with Carla: Website, Instagram, and Facebook

Order Carla's new book, You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent, in paperback, Kindle, or audiobook format!

Visit www.postpartum.net for resources!

Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

235: Centering the Mother and Healing with Internal Family Systems Psychotherapy with Rebecca Geshuri and Jessica Sorci Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

Today’s episode features a different take on perinatal mental health conditions. It’s a fresh and more expansive perspective on the things that take place in families during the perinatal process. This episode is loaded with helpful information, and I hope you’ll join us to learn more!

Rebecca Geshuri and Jessica Sorci are Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapists, and Perinatal Mental Health Certified. As co-founders of Family Tree Wellness in Silicon Valley, California, Rebecca and Jessica lead their one-of-a-kind IFS-informed group psychotherapy practice that provides counseling, education, and support for people who are in the family-building phase of life. They are wildly enthusiastic about creating trainings and supporting other therapists who want to deepen their knowledge and skill in using IFS and working in reproductive mental health. Most importantly, they are mothers on their own healing journeys who bring their own personal experiences with grief and growing, mixed with creative expression and spirituality to their work. Their goal is to heal the intergenerational burdens that are present in humanity. In this episode, Rebecca and Jessica share with us why perinatal mood and anxiety disorders need to be redefined, how IFS psychotherapy works in perinatal mental health, and why their practice offers training for therapists on the mother-centric approach to therapy.

Show Highlights:

How Rebecca and Jessica came into this work with motherhood and the perinatal population
What the mother-centric therapy approach includes and why IFS therapy hits the major pain points for new mothers
A basic overview of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy model, which recognizes and approaches the different parts of a person in a non-judgmental, respectful, curious, and compassionate manner
How someone becomes the “identified patient” is and why this person might need therapy
Why the new mother should be viewed as more of a hero who is revered rather than merely a sick or broken patient to be diagnosed
How perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) should be redefined to acknowledge patriarchy and shame
How IFS therapy and the mother-centric system focus on the shame and inner critic messages within a new mom to unburden her
How Rebecca and Jessica look to address both the symptoms AND the shame
A look at mother-centric therapy as a contrast to our baby-centric culture
How Family Tree Wellness is offering training and resources for other therapists–along with an upcoming book!

Resources:

Connect with Rebecca and Jessica: Website, Facebook, and Instagram

Visit www.postpartum.net for resources!

Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

234: Super Sad Unicorn: A Memoir of Mania with Jessica Ekhoff Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

We learn many things from the stories of others. In our quest to spread information, education, and compassion about the many topics we cover on Mom & Mind, it is just as important to hear the lesser-known stories of what people have experienced. Today’s guest shares her story of postpartum-onset bipolar disorder that resulted in postpartum psychosis. Unfortunately, this occurs in more mothers than we are led to believe, and we need more understanding about it. Join us now for a look at this often misunderstood condition.

Jessica Ekhoff has written a memoir of her experience with postpartum-onset bipolar I disorder and psychosis. Super Sad Unicorn: A Memoir of Mania will be published in early 2023 by New Degree Press, and it’s available for preorder now. Jessica is a trademark advertising attorney who is a figure skating, board game, and fiction enthusiast. She is a peer facilitator for Postpartum Support International’s support group for pregnant and postpartum women with bipolar disorder. She lives in Chicago with her husband and their young son. Jessica shares her journey with mania and psychosis that began a few days after her son’s birth and landed her in a psychiatric ward.

Show Highlights:

How Jessica’s symptoms began after the birth of her son, Wells, in 2021, even though there is no history of bipolar disorder in herself or her family
How Jessica entered a manic phase that escalated quickly when her son was 2-4 days old
How Jessica’s husband knew she was acting very much out of character and urged her to call her parents to come help
How she had delusions that her husband had called DCFS to come to take away her son
What Jessica now notices in retrospect about her first four days postpartum
How she prepared to enter an outpatient therapy program, but Jessica’s condition required hospitalization before the first appointment
How she felt scattered, confused, and unstable mentally through days 4-10 postpartum until she went into the hospital
Why Jessica was floored when the doctor revealed to her that SHE was the one who needed help
How Jessica was convinced that the hospital ward was actually an escape room set up just for her, and later thought God had sent her on a mission there
Why Jessica began referring to herself as the “super sad unicorn” during her six-day hospital stay
How she improved with medication and was finally able to go home to start the intensive outpatient program, even though she was still experiencing mania
How Jessica felt frustrated by many things at home and her husband’s reactions to her plans
What things were like when Jessica returned to work and had to re-enter the intensive program
How therapy and resources from Postpartum Support International were pivotal in Jessica’s healing and recovery
Why Jessica decided to write her book, a memoir of her story that stemmed from her journaling practice

Resources:

Connect with Jessica: Instagram

Pre-order Jessica’s book: https://www.jessica-ekhoff.presale.manuscripts.com/

Visit www.postpartum.net for resources!

Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

233: Healing from Birth Trauma and Postpartum Anxiety Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

I love hearing personal stories about someone’s experience, and I’m always honored to share those with you on this podcast. It is powerful to hear someone describe their struggles and journey to healing in their own words. Connecting through the story of a similar struggle can be extremely validating as it allows you to acknowledge what you have been through and find ways to cope. Join us now for Angela’s story of healing.

Angela Martin is the mom of two boys, and her professional background is in the field of finance and accounting. She currently enjoys her part-time work in real estate, and she fills her free time with baking, hiking, and reading. She and her family live in a large college town in the Midwest.

Having just completed her memoir titled Dirty Laundry, Angela is looking for an agent to help publish her book and put her healing message out to a wider audience.

Show Highlights:

How Angela realized in retrospect that she suffered from anxiety even before motherhood
How the birth of her firstborn son didn’t go well, requiring a C-section, blood transfusions, and general anesthesia
How the world seemed like an unsafe place after the loss of her infant nephew ten years ago
Why Angela’s relationship with her sister became strained because her son lived and her sister’s did not
How we find pieces of healing along the way on our journey, even years after the trauma
Why we, as a society, don’t share, help, and advocate for each other as we should
Why Angela didn’t seek therapy help for five years after the birth of her first son
How EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helped Angela process her trauma and heal from it
How Angela’s life was filled with worry and anxiety that depleted her quality of life–but she looked totally fine on the outside
Why one of the most important messages for any woman with similar experiences is “You are not alone”
Angela’s advice to others about advocating for themselves
How journaling became an important healing activity for Angela

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232: Healing from Postpartum Depression through Songwriting and Therapy Aug 29, 2022

Show notes

Today’s show takes a look at postpartum depression through a firsthand account of the struggle to understand and heal. My guest is another example that finding just the right therapy makes all the difference because the same treatment modalities don’t work for everyone. Join us for Amanda’s inspiring story.

Amanda Cunningham is a Pop/R&B singer-songwriter, wife, and mother of a 10-year-old daughter. Songwriting and singing provide her with an outlet to put her oversharing to good use, letting others know that it’s okay to poke fun at your imperfections and the trauma you’ve gone through and grown from. Amanda has struggled with mental health throughout her life, most recently having been diagnosed with Bipolar II, and she’s here to share her postpartum depression story and her journey to find healing. She shares helpful insights about her feelings of guilt and what it’s like to live in the “fog” of mental health issues. Amanda and I hope that her story can be an avenue of healing for others in similar situations.

Show Highlights:

An overview of Amanda’s chaotic life and mental health struggles when she got pregnant at age 19
How Amanda had virtually no help or support when her daughter was born
How the first two years of motherhood were a blur of mental fog for Amanda that she didn’t realize until years later
How Amanda’s Bipolar II diagnosis came in recent months, confirming what she suspected about her mental health issues
Why it’s a massive flaw in our standard postpartum care for healthcare providers not to ask more about how a new mother is coping
Why Amanda started therapy when her daughter was a few years old
How Amanda found music as part of her healing and recovery
Why it’s easier to look back with a new perspective when enough time has passed
What Amanda has learned about her journey
Amanda’s advice to others in similar situations

Resources:

Connect with Amanda and hear her music: Website, Instagram, and TikTok

Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!

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231: Return to You: A Postpartum Plan for New Moms with Natasha Sriraman, MD, MPH, FAAP Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

My guest today shares bits of her personal motherhood story, along with a glimpse at her new book for moms-to-be, new moms, and moms with other children. The book helps these moms make a plan for their postpartum time with evidence-based information, insights, and helpful advice from a physician-mom. Join us to learn more!

Dr. Natasha Sriraman is a board-certified academic pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School/Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. She is an internationally recognized expert on breastfeeding and postpartum depression. She works with the National AAP, is on the Virginia AAP Board, and is also the Honorary Chair of Postpartum Support Virginia.

Dr. Sriraman lives with her husband and children in Virginia Beach, VA. Her first book, recently published, is Return to You: A Postpartum Plan for New Moms, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Her book offers insights as a friendly self-help guide to help new mothers prioritize themselves and make it through their “fourth trimester,” the three-month period following childbirth.

Show Highlights:

How Dr. Natasha’s book came to be, both from her own experiences and from her patients’ stories
Why it is very important to be discerning about where your medical advice is coming from
An explanation of the fourth trimester and its needs
Dr. Natasha’s personal experience of being terrified of motherhood when she went home with her firstborn baby
How postpartum support for new moms varies in different cultures
Why Dr. Natasha’s book has a fill-in-the-blanks actual postpartum plan
How setting expectations and making a plan for postpartum can decrease anxiety
Highlights of some of the book chapters which cover social media, guilt, returning to work, childcare, breastfeeding, advocacy, setting boundaries, and more
Why Dr. Natasha hopes her book will empower moms in taking care of their children
How a pelvic floor therapist can be very helpful in the postpartum
How physical and emotional pain are signs that something is wrong and needs to be addressed
How Dr. Natasha’s book brings awareness and normalization to focusing on mental health as a priority
How Dr. Natasha is working to decrease the stigma around moms asking for and receiving help when they need it

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Natasha: Instagram

Return to You: A Postpartum Plan for New Moms

**Dr. Natasha is offering a signed copy of her book to the first listener to comment on this episode on the Mom & Mind YouTube channel. Visit Mom & Mind - YouTube today!

Visit my new website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, to get on the Interest List for the upcoming course. You’ll receive notifications when the course is live, and after you sign up, you’ll be able to watch or listen at your convenience.

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230: Teachers Deserve Better. Advocating for Bereavement and Paid Family Leave with Jackie Mancinelli Aug 01, 2022

Show notes

We all know that teachers are underpaid, but they are also undersupported emotionally in times of pregnancy loss and postpartum difficulties. The need is great for bereavement and paid family leave. Join us to learn more about how change can happen for educators in our country.

Jackie Mancinelli is a high school English and ESL teacher in New Jersey. She is the mother of two girls, ages 2 and 4, and had a son who passed away in 2016. She is the founder of Start Healing Together, a support organization for educators experiencing pregnancy loss and infertility, as well as the New Jersey ambassador for Count the Kicks. Jackie shares her personal story and the need for bereavement leave for teachers, both in instances of pregnancy loss and failed fertility treatments.

Show Highlights:

An overview of Jackie’s story that began with her first pregnancy during her first year of teaching in 2014; it ended in a missed miscarriage when she was a few weeks along
How her second pregnancy with her son went perfectly until about eight months along, when an emergency C-section sent her silent baby to the NICU–where he didn’t survive
How Jackie found support within her immediate family and from her best friend
What it was like for Jackie in the 2-3 months following the traumatic loss of her son–and how therapy helped her learn new things about herself
What it was like for Jackie to go back to teaching after losing her son
How Jackie was prompted to get into advocacy work to help other parents through Start Healing Together
How Start Healing Together works with school districts to provide resources and support for educators and help in contract negotiations regarding pregnancy loss, bereavement leave, fertility treatment, and adoption
Current initiatives being pursued by Start Healing Together
How you can help the ongoing lobbying efforts
Jackie’s advice to those experiencing a loss
What Jackie learned through her pregnancy and loss experiences

Resources:

Connect with Jackie: Website, Instagram, and Facebook

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229: Shades of Blue Project and Black Maternal Mental Health Week Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

Today’s show is another story of a spectacular someone who turned their personal grief into a mission to help others. Our focus is on the disparity of medical treatment and care in the Black community regarding maternal mental health, infant loss, and more. Join us for this inspiring story from today’s guest!

Kay Matthews is here to share her long-term work through the Shades of Blue Project. She and her team are on a mission to uplift all birthing individuals with the care, respect, and dignity they deserve—no matter their social status or birth outcome. Their focus is on the birthing experience, and they bridge gaps by acknowledging that everyone’s birth story matters. Through education, advocacy, and support, they are dedicated to helping birthing individuals of color whose lives are impacted by racial disparities that amplify their birthing struggles. It is from her personal experience of infant loss and postpartum depression that Kay recognized a critical diversity gap in mental health resources and emotional support for Black and minority birthing individuals. Kay has founded Black Maternal Mental Health Week, which in 2022 falls on July 18-25 with the theme “Collective Efforts for Greater Community Impact and Change.” You can learn more by visiting their Website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Show Highlights:

How Kay came into the work she does today through a totally unexpected journey
How Kay’s infant loss experience gave her a “big-picture view”
How Kay’s infant loss and postpartum depression were dismissed by healthcare professionals
Why Kay decided to “go it alone” to help herself and share helpful advice with others in similar situations
How Kay used her journaling practice as a springboard to begin the Shades of Blue Project to help others
How the Shades of Blue Project has taken steps to influence policy in Texas and open resource centers in 23 other states
Why Kay’s journal became the INSPIRE journal, an acronym for Involve others, Nourishment/exercise, Spirituality/prayer, Patience, Identify and initiate change, Rest/relaxation, and Each day is a new day
How Kay has seen growth in awareness and resources for people going through similar struggles with infant loss and maternal mental health
Why Kay wanted to focus more on her experience rather than her outcome
How mortality and morbidity rates in the Black community require that maternal health and mental health be acknowledged together
Highlights of Black Maternal Mental Health Week activities
How responsibility and accountability come into play in a collective effort to help others in the Shades of Blue Project
How you can help

Resources:

You can connect with Kay and learn more about the Shades of Blue Project by visiting their Website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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228: Waiting for a Psychotherapy Appointment Jun 20, 2022

Show notes

The podcast is six years old this month! With well over 220 episodes, I’m thrilled to know we are reaching so many people in the US and about 90 other countries in the world! What’s most important is that we are getting the message out about perinatal mental health and telling the important personal stories to raise awareness and provide resources for support and healing. I have to say a huge THANK YOU to every listener!

With the COVID pandemic and the prevalence of telehealth, every therapist has had to shift in many ways. By the time people reach out for help, they need it right away, and it’s heartbreaking to make them wait. It’s great that more and more people have the opportunity to get the help that they need, but the increase in demand has strained resources and increased the wait times for appointments. Nothing feels more frightening and disheartening than being unable to get the help you need when you need it. We need to bridge the gap and do more–and I, for one, am up for the challenge! Join me to learn more in today’s episode!

Show Highlights:

Why we need more than online support groups when timing is crucial
Why I decided to create an online course for those who are stressed out and overwhelmed in the postpartum period and waiting for a therapist
How this course is built to be the bridge that you may need–to give you something to hold onto as a support
Why new parents get lost when the expectation is to feel amazingly wonderful all the time
Why I’m happy to offer this course as something to help people feel heard and understand in a path forward
Details: The course is available in July with multiple modules in bite-size pieces through videos, audio, and accompanying downloadable worksheets. Check out our Resources section below for more information!

Resources:

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227: Parenting Through Collective Trauma Jun 06, 2022

Show notes

It’s a good time to acknowledge the trauma that is raging around the world, which just adds to the stress from the challenges we have come through with the COVID pandemic.

Here in the US, we are going through a time of multiple mass shootings, baby formula shortages, wars in other countries, political issues, and controversy about women’s bodies. There is lots of tense energy, worry, and confusion, along with the normal challenges of parenthood.

For many parents, it has become very hard to process it all and keep living life. With so many people experiencing anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and burnout, navigating the journey is a difficult challenge. In today’s episode, I’m calling this trauma what it is and admitting that life can be so difficult at times. Join me for a closer look.

Show Highlights:

How these traumas bring emotional impacts on parents and kids
Why it’s difficult to talk to our kids about the worry, anxiety, and trauma
The importance of remaining present with our feelings over tragedies like school shootings
How we have been collectively traumatized by many recent events
Suggestions for coping by pulling back from social media and the news
Why being fully present in your own life is a good option for dealing with stressful times

My takeaways and advice:

Limit your exposure to social media and news outlets.
Find things and people to connect with that make you feel safe and secure.
Engage in healthy and restorative activities.
Realize that we all bear the mark of collective trauma.
Know that you are not alone in the world and your feelings.
Remember that things aren’t always going to stay this way.

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