Mom and Mind Katayune Kaeni, Psy.D., PMH-C

Health anxiety during pregnancy and the postpartum is a very real struggle for many people. My guest today joins us to share her experience and what she’s seeing from clients in her practice. You’ll learn how to notice perinatal health anxiety and what to do about it. Join us to learn more!
Michelle Flynn is a fully accredited perinatal psychotherapist and certified infant massage instructor based in Dublin, Ireland. She specializes in supporting parents at all stages of their parenting journey from conception through birth and postpartum. She works with a national organization providing psychotherapy to survivors of childhood sexual abuse and also teaches in a master’s program. Following her experience of perinatal anxiety and her struggle to access appropriate mental health support, Michelle turned her focus to perinatal mental health and set up her private practice, An Croi Beag Psychotherapy (“Little Heart” in Irish). Through her private psychotherapy practice and her infant massage groups, Michelle hopes to further support parents in perinatal distress, raise awareness about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and improve access to mental health services for birthing people. 
Show Highlights:

Michelle’s journey into perinatal mental health and her overwhelming anxiety during her difficult first pregnancy

Michelle’s experience with healthcare providers who dismissed her concerns and made her feel invalidated and unsafe

Even mental health professionals feel shame and stigma about asking for help!

Subsequent pregnancies brought Michelle two more babies for “three under three,” but those were different from her first pregnancy.

The conversations we need to have with young people about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum so we can normalize it and remove the shame and stigma

Understanding the mental health system in Ireland—and how things are beginning to improve

What Michelle sees in her patients and their experiences

The challenges in treating health anxiety

The narrative around motherhood—and why we don’t open up when things go wrong

Michelle’s advice about identifying health anxiety for yourself, and what to do next


Resources:
Connect with Michelle Flynn: Website, Email, and Instagram
Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to better support people for whom they provide services. 
You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms
Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.  
Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many factors influence the transition to parenthood, and most of those things are unexpected and unpredictable. No one “signs up for” a perinatal mental health condition, but it can seem to come out of nowhere and leave you blindsided–in addition to the normal adjustments that come with the addition of a new baby to the family. These PNMH conditions can impact every area of life significantly, including the return to work. Join me for a closer look at navigating this tricky transition.

Show Highlights:

New parents experience varied emotions about returning to work (“It’s okay to want to return to work, and it’s okay not to want to return to work!)

The truth: If you return to work when you’re not mentally well, the added stress of work will not help you get better.

Your healthcare provider can do assessments of your perinatal mental health symptoms–just ASK!

Planning ahead for the return to work can help you navigate the transition.

My best tips for returning to work: 

Try to navigate your return slowly, and don’t take on big, new projects right away.

Pace yourself and give yourself space to figure out your changing needs.

Understand that your priorities might have shifted by having a new baby. (Things might not feel “normal” for a while.)

Be intentional and think about how you’ll balance work and home.

Set boundaries and protect your energy.

Prioritize your sleep!


Resources:
Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to better support people for whom they provide services. 
You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms
Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.  
Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having information and being empowered to make decisions are ways to protect mental health. Nothing is more disempowering than finding out later that you had choices of which you were unaware at the height of a mental health struggle. All of these concepts apply perfectly to birthing situations. One of the main reasons this podcast exists, along with the work of today’s guest is to spread information so that it’s accessible to EVERYONE. Join us to learn more!
Dr. Rebecca Dekker, a nurse with her Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of Evidence Based Birth®️ and the author of Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered. Previously, Dr. Dekker was an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Kentucky. In 2016, she shifted gears to focus full-time on the mission of Evidence Based Birth®️. She and Team EBB are committed to creating a world in which all families have access to safe, respectful, evidence-based, and empowering care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. EBB does this by boldly making the research evidence on childbirth freely and publicly accessible. Dr. Dekker is also the host of the 
Evidence Based Birth®️ Podcast, which has over 5.5 million downloads!

Show Highlights:

The beginnings of EBB in 2012

The shift for Rebecca from her first birth to her second—-a clear change from disempowerment to empowerment

The evidence around preventable cesarean births, vaginal births, and the mother’s wishes

Rebecca’s advice for those who want to advocate or feel empowered:

Choose a provider and birth setting with a low cesarean rate. (Leapfrog is a recommended resource for information.)

Consider hiring a doula for added support.

Learn what the evidence shows about induction, Pitocin, and preparing your body with proper sleep, food, and hydration.

Assessing your provider for “continuity of care”

Fact: Switching providers can help prevent birth trauma!

Approaching your labor/delivery experience with a spirit of collaboration and teamwork

How PTSD can impact the decisions of healthcare workers

Rebecca’s tips for empowering yourself in the labor/delivery process, using the acronym BRAND [Ask, what are the benefits, risks, alternatives, (what happens if I do) nothing, and discuss (with your partner).]

Hot tip for laboring moms: Ask for time to pray (Rebecca explains why this gives you time and space.)

Components of a calm birthing environment for an empowered laboring mother

What Rebecca wants our listeners to know


Resources:
Connect with Dr. Rebecca Dekker and Evidence Based Birth®️: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered, and the Evidence Based Birth®️ Podcast
Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to better support people for whom they provide services. 
You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms
Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.  
Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have a very special episode to share with you today. I’m deeply honored to host Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, thought leader, and wholeness advocate, Alanis Morissette! She is joined by the president and CEO of Postpartum Support International, Dr. Wendy Davis! 
Alanis found PSI as a resource when she was dealing with perinatal mental health challenges, and she has openly shared about the value of PSI resources while on tour. In addition to being a long-time, powerful presence in the music world, she has become an equally influential advocate for mental health. She has been vocal about experiencing postpartum depression, or “postpartum activity,” as she has referred to it. In our conversation, she shares like never before what her experience was like, how it impacted her life, and how she has found her way to healing. Being in the public eye as a well-known performer has brought a whole other level of pressure and scrutiny to Alanis’ life experiences under the bright–and sometimes stinging–light of celebrity. 
Dr. Wendy Davis began as a volunteer with PSI in 1997, became the executive director in 2009, and later became the president and CEO. She was drawn to this work after healing from postpartum depression and has become a passionate advocate and leader in the world of perinatal mental health. I’ve been privileged to see Wendy in action at PSI and work closely with her in my role as the Board Chair. Her heart-centered and help-centered approach to leadership has grown PSI into the leading perinatal mental health non-profit in the world today. 

Show Highlights:

Alanis’ struggle to balance the people-pleasing life of a celebrity with “the dark swamp of depression” that nobody wanted to see or hear

Being a high-achieving perfectionist who is self-reliant and autonomous puts a person at a greater risk for postpartum depression.

Figuring out the archetype of “mom” is a lifelong journey.

Motherhood brings profound vulnerability–and ALL the past traumas.

Alanis’ perspective: What does a struggling mother need the most? To be nurtured

Understanding how the 90s rock and roll scene was a strongly patriarchal environment that left Alanis feeling more isolated and less connected

Alanis’ role today as the champion of a sisterhood that protects and micromanages on behalf of women

The immense value of someone saying, “I see you.”

Alanis’ experience with anger, rage, panic attacks, and a loss of identity

Tenderness, love, and empowerment in motherhood

The elements of support that were most helpful for Alanis: the appropriate medications, finding community, strong relationships, and finding a space of safety to be “broken” (What didn’t help was someone saying, “You’re not alone.”)

What we all want: to make postpartum challenges more visible and to normalize the conversations around them

“Wholeness over wellness”

Alanis’ thoughts on the beauty and purity of being a mother to her children

Our immense gratitude for Alanis’ impact as a fierce advocate and champion of PSI’s work and helpful resources


Resources:
Connect with Alanis Morissette: Find out more about Alanis’ music and events on her Website; follow Alanis on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to better support people for whom they provide services. 
You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms
Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.  
Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!
Learn more abo

It’s no secret that a new baby brings many nuances to a couple’s relationship and family life. The couple relationship dynamics shift and change as new responsibilities have to be prioritized. Planning ahead with open communication can make things easier in every way. Let’s take a closer look in today’s behind-the-sessions episode.
Show Highlights:

The first few weeks with a new baby: patterns, plans, and problems

Sleep issues complicate everything!

The communication challenges around different parenting styles, cultural differences, and incorrect assumptions

Understanding how resentment builds and creates a rift in the relationship

The value of setting aside time for regular daily or weekly check-ins to stay connected

The importance of asking for help and giving each other space

Planning ahead is the key!

Resources:
Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support! 
Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.  
Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Through the sharing of our stories, we educate ourselves and others about perinatal mental health challenges, and we normalize the fact that we should not feel shame for needing professional help and support. For so many people, shame over what they are experiencing keeps them from admitting the truth of their struggles and reaching out for help and support. We want to change that scenario! Join us for a candid conversation with today’s guest. 
Dr. Ellen Chance is a counselor educator and the founder of Whole Counseling and Wellness, a mental health private practice based in Florida. Her practice specializes in women’s and maternal mental health and support through all stages of motherhood, from trying to conceive to beyond the empty nest. Dr. Chance has advanced training in perinatal mental health and is passionate about empowering women and mothers to prioritize their whole wellness, and she works from the belief that all individuals deserve to feel whole: complete, fulfilled, grounded, and connected. Her motivation to serve the perinatal population came from her lived experience with postpartum anxiety and OCD and the shame that kept her from getting the help she needed and deserved. 
Show Highlights:

Shame drives and perpetuates the symptoms of anxiety and OCD.

Ellen’s story of fear and worry dominating her emotions during pregnancy–and dealing with breastfeeding struggles with her newborn

Ellen’s experience with concealing how she felt and where her thoughts were going

OCD, for Ellen, manifested itself through excessive worry and prevention of every bad thing that could possibly happen to her child—and the shame she felt as a trained mental health professional who could not admit that she needed help

Ellen’s fears of opening up, being judged for her compulsive behavior, and burdening someone else with her mental health struggle

Is it still intrusive thoughts if they aren’t about harming myself or my baby?

Steps that helped Ellen “clear the fog” and start to be herself again

Being open, transparent, and vulnerable about postpartum OCD didn’t happen until Ellen volunteered with PSI and started leading support groups.

Things that were helpful to Ellen on her healing journey

Resources:
Connect with Dr. Ellen Chance and Whole Counseling and Wellness: Website, Instagram (Ellen), Instagram (counseling practice), and Facebook
Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support! 
Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.  
Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices