Written by Lenaida "Lennie" Rodriguez, MS, LMFT-Associate
As a mother of a toddler that hopes to expand her family after having experienced a traumatic miscarriage, I became trained in Perinatal Mental Health to help others with similar stories. After gaining a deeper understanding of what Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders could look like, I couldn’t help but wish I had known these valuable skills while my older sister was suffering from postpartum depression, after having experienced a traumatic birth with her twin boys while her husband was deployed. Recovery from her C-section was long and painful, and navigating parenthood while recovering with twins was extremely stressful for her- she would often vocalize the pressure of trying to be “supermom” and how there was no way she can make time for herself. After 6 months postpartum, her husband’s return home finally gave her the opportunity to have a “break” and seek professional help. With the help of counseling and medication, she was able to make a full recovery for her family and for herself. Through my Perinatal Mental Health training, I hope to help mothers and parents going through similar stresses and adjustments to parenting, baby blues, pregnancy or postpartum depression/anxiety.
Perinatal Mental Illness can occur anytime throughout pregnancy into the first year postpartum. Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders can look like:
Depression during Pregnancy & Postpartum
Anxiety during Pregnancy & Postpartum
Pregnancy or Postpartum OCD
Postpartum Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Postpartum Psychosis
Bipolar Mood Disorders.
STATISTICS:
* 1 in 7 Mothers experience Depression or Anxiety during pregnancy or postpartum.
* 1 in 10 Fathers experience depression or anxiety after birth of a child.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME. WITH HELP- YOU WILL BE WELL.
If you or someone you love is experiencing signs or symptoms of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, please speak to your doctor to discuss options of counseling near you, the possibility of medications, and/or joining a support group.
The Vine Wellness Group is a holistic private practice that offers mental health and wellness services to all our clients. Lennie is a trained perinatal mood disorder counselor supervised by Annie Viers, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S. If you would like to receive counseling services from Lennie, send us a contact or call us at 210-490-4419.