Perinatal Mental Health: Normalizing Change and Preventing Damage

VIRTUAL-via Zoom

Registration deadline 2/4/2017

TRAINER

Lea Calderon-Guthe, LICSW (she/her) earned her MSW in 2019 from Smith College School for Social Work and completed PSI and 2020 Mom Professional Maternal Mental Health Certificate Training and Advanced Perinatal Psychotherapy Training in 2021. She has eight years of practice in community mental health as an outpatient therapist and crisis clinician working with dozens of clients in the perinatal period both for outpatient therapy (before and after birth) and through acute crisis, including supporting clients experiencing a substance use disorder, postpartum psychosis, postpartum depression, postpartum OCD and postpartum anxiety.

DESCRIPTION

In this workshop we will take a deep dive into the time of incredible neuroplasticity that is the perinatal period. We will learn what important brain changes pregnant and postpartum people (including non-gestational parents) can expect, as well as the latest theories on why
these changes happen. We will examine the unique vulnerability, both neurological and environmental, of parents who use substances and the benefits and challenges of a harm reduction approach. We will explore prophylactic interventions in family, community and therapy for supporting everyone’s mental health during this tender time, and we will review the signs and symptoms of the major mental health diagnoses in the perinatal period. We will also discuss some tools and therapeutic interventions for healing and returning to wellness once a diagnosable condition is identified.

AGENDA

• Morning: 9:00 am – Noon
• Welcome & Introductions (15 min)
• What is perinatal mental health? (15 min)
• Overview of postpartum hormones and brain changes (45 min)
• 10:15cam Break (15 min)
• Questions (15 min)
• SUD and the postpartum brain (45 min)
• Overview of postpartum diagnoses (30 min)
• Lunch: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
• Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
• Welcome back and review (15 min)
• Breakout activity #1: case sort exercise (30 min)
• Discussion (15 min)
• Treatment and Recovery (30 min)
• 2:30 pm Break (15 min)
• Treatment and Recovery continued (15 min)
• Break out activity #2: case assessment and planning (30 min)
• Discussion and environment and systems analysis (15 min)
• Closing reflections (15 min)
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Understand what perinatal mental health is and why it is important
• Identify typical experiences and changes in brain function postpartum
• Understand the effects of substance use on the postpartum brain and family environment
• Recognize symptoms of perinatal mental health diagnoses
• Chart a course to wellness with clients with neuroscience-informed strategies