Why Every Therapist Working With Parents Needs Perinatal Mental Health TrainingPerinatal Mental Health Training for Therapists Who Work With ParentsPregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood are not ordinary life stages with a baby added on top. Anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, identity shifts, relationship strain. All of it can look and behave differently during the perinatal period. And yet most of us walked out of grad school having never heard the word perinatal. If you see parents in your practice, and almost all of us do, this episode is for you. Even if you would never call yourself a perinatal specialist. I sat down with Melissa Medjuck and Kate Borsato, co-founders of The Perinatal Collective, a team of more than 20 therapists supporting families across Canada. We talk about what makes this stage clinically distinct, why the standard interventions often do not land with new parents, and the gaps most training programs leave us to fill on our own. I will be honest, I did not get this training in grad school either. I came to it after my first baby, and I think back on clients I saw before that certification and wish I had known what I know now. That is exactly why this conversation matters. What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy the perinatal period is clinically different from anxiety or depression at any other life stageWhat a generalist therapist can miss or misread when a new parent is in the roomWhy intrusive thoughts and postpartum OCD are so common, and how to tell them apart from actual riskHow untreated perinatal struggles show up years later in your clientsWhy you do not need full certification to support parents well, and where to start Episode Timestamps00:00: Introduction—why honest, strategic perinatal mental health conversations matter for all therapists00:47: Guest intros and the Perinatal Collective’s mission to ensure no parent waits for care05:35: The shocking lack of perinatal education in most counseling and social work training12:11: What makes pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood fundamentally different clinically14:04: The influence of systems—childcare, gender roles, finances—and why mental health never exists in a vacuum23:29: Why every therapist (not just perinatal specialists) needs basic training to support parents29:00: The danger of missing (or mishandling) issues like intrusive thoughts or dad’s postpartum depression33:31: Creating the Perinatal Mental Health Conference—filling the gap with relevant, nuanced, real-world education Top Takeaways on Perinatal Mental Health Training1. The perinatal period is clinically distinct, not just new-parent stressWhen a client is building a family, every dimension of life shifts at once. Hormones, sleep, identity, relationships, the body itself. On top of that, the stakes feel impossibly high, so an ordinary worry can balloon into something that runs all day. Kate names it well: this is the before-and-after pivot of a person's life. If you treat it like regular anxiety that happens to coincide with a baby, you will miss what is actually going on. 2. Most of us got nothing on this in grad schoolKate, Melissa, and I all said the same thing. Nobody mentioned perinatal mental health in our training. The good news is you do not have to go get fully certified to help. A few courses, some focused learning, or a conference can teach you what presents differently and where your usual interventions fall flat. Telling a new parent to rest and ask for help is lovely in theory and often useless in their actual reality. Learning the nuance is what makes you useful. 3. Intrusive thoughts and postpartum OCD are common and misunderstoodAround 50% of moms report intrusive thoughts about intentionally harming their child, and nearly all parents have intrusive thoughts about their child being hurt. These are anxiety-based, not dangerous, but when a provider does not know the difference, they can mishandle a disclosure badly and shut a parent down for good. Knowing how to sit with a scary thought, ask direct questions, and tell an intrusive thought apart from genuine risk is some of the most important work you can do here. 4. You do not have to specialize, but you do have to know when to referPerinatal struggles do not disappear on their own. Clients show up years later still carrying what started in pregnancy or postpartum. Dads and non-birthing parents experience postpartum depression too, which surprises a lot of providers. The goal of this episode is not to send you running for a certification. It is awareness: recognize when something perinatal is in the room, and either build the skills or refer to someone who has them. Resources Mentioned in This EpisodePerinatal Mental Health Conference (virtual, November 4 to 6, 2026, 55+ sessions): https://perinatalcollective.com/conference — use code EMPOWER15 for 15% off registrationThe Abundant Therapist Mastermind: https://perinatalcollective.com/the-abundant-therapist-mastermindThe Perinatal Collective website: https://perinatalcollective.com/Follow The Perinatal Collective on Instagram: @theperinatalcollective and @insidethepractice ⭐️ You don’t have to figure this out alone. Ashley Comegys specializes in helping therapist moms build private practices that allow them the time freedom, flexibility and autonomy they need in their careers. Looking for support in either starting your practice, or looking to revamp your marketing and systems? Let’s chat, book a free consultation here 🫶🏼 Join us for Therapist Mom Networking Meetup — a casual space to connect with other therapist moms, share what’s working in your practice, talk through challenges, and build real community. No pressure, no pitching — just support and connection. Register at https://www.raisedtoempower.com/networking 🩵 This episode is sponsored by Jane, the all-in-one practice management software I use and love. Book your FREE Live Demo HERE and when you're ready to sign up use code ASHLEY1MO for a 1 month grace period 📌 Follow on Instagram @Raisedtoempower 📌 Grab your FREE networking guide for therapists HERE 📌 Learn more about how I can help support you and your practice, and ways we can work together at www.raisedtoempower.com 🎙️ If you find today's episode helpful or inspiring, be sure to share it with your therapist friends, subscribe to the show, and leave your five star rating and review. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy, supervision, or legal advice.
