In the Ladies' Room with Dr. Donnica Dr. Donnica Moore

The HealthyWomen 2021 Survey reveals that moms still feel pressured to ‘do it all’ and continue to deprioritize their mental health and well-being.  Ummmm. . .we needed a study to find that out?!

In all seriousness, research shows that women are more likely to experience postpartum depression (PPD) if they receive little or no support from family, friends, or community after childbirth than women who receive appropriate support. With 1 in 8 mothers in the U.S. reporting experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) each year, there is a need for greater fourth trimester (the 12 weeks following baby’s arrival) planning and support.
So what are we going to do about it?  Check on Mom https://www.mycheckonmom.com is a program to help new and expectant moms create a maternal mental wellness plan and designate a group of trusted friends and family who are empowered to help her through the postpartum period. The site also features ongoing inspirational content and helpful information and tips.

Here to discuss this with us today is Dr. Kristina Deligiannidis, Director, Women’s Behavioral Health of Northwell Health.  Dr. Deligiannidis is a national leader in the field of perinatal depression and novel therapeutics research. Her research program includes a focus in psychoneuroendocrinology, particularly neurosteroids and hormones, and neuroimaging in women’s behavioral health. She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles plus several textbook chapters and has given more than 170 scientific presentations.
 
Dr. Deligiannidis completed her undergraduate degrees in biology and psychology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. As a recipient of predoctoral intramural research training awards, she trained in molecular neuroendocrinology research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). She received her medical degree from and completed her psychiatry residency and chief residency in psychopharmacology research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. After residency, she completed a visiting fellowship and further training in multimodal neuroimaging at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Dr. Deligiannidis joined faculty at Zucker Hillside Hospital, the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in September 2016. She is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and currently serves as the director of women’s behavioral health at Zucker Hillside Hospital. As a reproductive psychiatrist, she has expertise in treating women with mood and anxiety disorders linked to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy/postpartum and perimenopause.

Here’s an email I recently received: “I've had a hysterectomy due to cervical cancer diagnosis 3 yrs ago, had to use IVF to conceive my twins, experienced chemically induced menopause in my 20s related to endometriosis, all while on active duty so lots to share, LOL!!!  I'm also connected to a women's online "sexology" group talking about intimacy as we age.”  So you know, we had to invite that woman to be a guest on our show!  She’s Pamela Price, Deputy Director for The Balm In Gilead and with us today!
 
Pamela manages the various health initiatives of the organization.  Under her leadership, The Balm In Gilead provides support to faith-based and public health institutions in areas of program design, implementation, and evaluation, which strengthen their capacity to deliver programs and services that contribute to the elimination of health disparities.  
Mrs. Price also serves as the Director for The National Brain Health Center for African-Americans.   In 2016, she co-developed a six-part educational curriculum for nurses and allied healthcare professionals aimed at addressing knowledge gaps related to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias affecting African Americans.  Mrs. Price has conducted numerous training sessions across the country with various nursing associations and healthcare organizations.  She also co-created and facilitates an accredited training for healthcare providers; aimed at increasing cultural competencies related to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of dementia in African Americans.      
 
Mrs. Price holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health and has more than 20 years of experience in public health, epidemiology, and healthcare.  As a registered nurse, she has served as a member of the U.S. Army Nurse Corp.  Mrs. Price is also an experienced consultant and serves on various boards and steering committees, frequently conducting workshops and trainings across the country at various conferences and events in addition to providing technical assistance and capacity building services to community-based organizations.   

Most women have heard of fibroids—and most women will have them—so let’s talk about Fibroid Facts!  Fibroids are the most common type of non-cancerous tumors in women.  But just because they aren’t cancer doesn’t mean they are “benign”: they can be asymptomatic, but more often, they can cause a wide range of physical symptoms, including heavy menstrual bleeding and an overall reduced quality of life. 
  
Uterine fibroids occur in more than 80% of African American women and nearly 70% of Caucasian women by the time they are 50 years old.  Fibroids are also the leading reason for hysterectomies performed in the U.S.
 
My guest today, Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell knows a lot about fibroids, both personally & professionally.  She is a practicing, Board-certified ob-gyn and section head of women’s services at Ochsner Kenner in New Orleans. She is the Medical Director of programs with the LA Department of Health as well as an associate professor and director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Treatment of Uterine Fibroids.
 
She earned her medical degree from Meharry Medical College and completed her residency training at Ochsner Health System. She also earned a Master of Applied Science in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Additionally, she has received certification in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

Did you ever meet someone at a meeting & immediately decide that you want to get to know this person better?  That you want them to be on your team?  That’s how I felt when I met Lisa Charles several years ago when we were both speakers at Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs’ annual women’s health conference.  It’s no surprise that this inspirational speaker is known as “Coach Lisa”.  She’s the CEO of Embrace Your Fitness, a health & wellness consultancy.  She has walked the talk, having to overcome her own health & weight management challenges.  She’s a life coach who has also had an incredible diversity of life experiences from being a state and federal prosecutor for more than a decade, becoming a jazz and opera singer and actor, and then changing lanes to focus on health & fitness.  She is the Research Coordinator for the Rutgers University Aging and Brain Health Alliance & today adds 2 new accolades to her resume:  she is a new author of the motivational book “Yes! Commit. Do. Live.”  And she is my official new health & fitness trainer. 

In case anyone ever wondered if LinkedIn actually works, the answer is YES! I learned about today’s guest through a LinkedIn post about Suzanne Sinatra being named to the Forbes 1000 List which recognizes bold and inspiring entrepreneurs on their way to breakthrough success.  And she is well on her way with the launch of her company “Private Packs”.  I immediately invited her to join us In the Ladies’ Room! 
 
Private Packs is a consumer products company that makes wearable, reusable hot and cold packs to relieve pain, swelling, and discomfort in the lady parts on-the-go.
 
Suzanne is a pioneer in the SexTech and FemTech spaces.  In addition to making the Forbes 100 list, she has been honored by Yotpo’s 2020 Amazing Women in E-Commerce.
Through her exciting entrepreneurial journey, Suzanne was also forced to embark on a journey no one wants:  battling breast cancer. She now describes herself as a proud breast cancer survivor, who is committed to helping other women by sharing her story to raise awareness about women’s health and sexual wellness.
 
Originally from Toronto, Suzanne served in the Royal Canadian Armed Forces where she was one of three women in Canada selected for a highly competitive Aircrew Search and Survival course.  She is also a skilled markswoman. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we’ve been asking each of our guests to describe their personal and professional pandemic experiences.  Today’s guest, Shari Wallack sums it up in the title of her new book, “From Hell To Challah”.  As the founder of Buy The Sea, the largest and most decorated cruise and all-inclusive brokerage company in the industry, Shari experienced a mind-numbing professional crash in one day when cruise ships stopped sailings & her days became filled with arranging refunds for her clients rather than bookings.  Her adult children came home to roost & with increasing anxiety, depression and despair Shari just wanted to run away from home.  Unfortunately, the first stop on her journey was an involuntary commitment to a mental hospital.  The rest of the story—3 months of travel & cooking in far-flung kitchens-- is far more uplifting.