PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH: An Introduction for Clinicians

This introductory training is designed to help clinicians better understand, recognize, and respond to perinatal mental health concerns .
About this Event

Pregnancy and the postpartum period can bring profound psychological, emotional, and relational changes.
But how confident are you in recognizing when a client is experiencing a normal adjustment—and when something more serious is happening?
This introductory training is designed to help clinicians better understand, recognize, and respond to common and serious perinatal mental health concerns.
IN THIS TRAINING, YOU’LL EXPLORE:
* Perinatal depression and anxiety
* Perinatal OCD and intrusive thoughts
* Birth trauma and PTSD
* Bipolar disorder in the perinatal period
* The difference between the **Baby Blues** and a perinatal mood disorder
* **D-MER (Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex)** and how it may present
* Prevalence and common risk factors
* Suicide risk during pregnancy and the postpartum period
* How to recognize **postpartum psychosis**
* Important differential considerations
* When symptoms require consultation, referral, or a higher level of care
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
KNOW WHAT TO ASK.
KNOW WHEN TO ACT.
Perinatal mental health concerns do not always present in obvious ways. Clients may report anxiety, intrusive thoughts, irritability, difficulty sleeping, emotional numbness, overwhelming fear, or symptoms that can easily be misunderstood or minimized.
This training will provide clinicians with a foundational understanding of perinatal mental health and the clinical considerations necessary to assess symptoms, identify risk, and respond appropriately.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
1. Identify common perinatal mental health disorders and differentiate them from the postpartum Baby Blues.
2. Describe the prevalence and major risk factors associated with perinatal mental health concerns.
3. Recognize D-MER and differentiate it from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
4. Differentiate intrusive thoughts associated with perinatal OCD from symptoms that may indicate psychosis or increased safety concerns.
5. Identify warning signs associated with suicide risk and postpartum psychosis and recognize when immediate intervention or a higher level of care may be necessary.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Psychologists • Social Workers • Professional Counselors • Marriage & Family Therapists • Psychotherapists • Other Behavioral Health Professionals