Mom and Mind

Today, my guests are talking about their new card deck for postpartum folks. Available in English and Spanish, the card deck is called “Centering You” and is a collaboration between these longtime friends and perinatal therapists. In this episode, they will explain what the card deck is and how it can be helpful. They are offering a special discount to Mom and Mind listeners, so don’t miss your chance to buy this unique product! Marianela Rodriguez-Reynaldo is a mother, certified lactation educator, and clinical psychologist certified in perinatal mental health. For the past 15 years, she has worked exclusively in the perinatal mental health field. She serves with PSI as an international trainer and volunteer coordinator in Puerto Rico and works as a psychology consultant for the Puerto Rico Health Department’s Mother, Child, and Adolescent Section (Title V). She is also a member of the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Board and the Maternal Mortality Review Committee. Marianela provides supportive psychotherapy for people living with HIV at the Center for Maternal Infant Studies at the University of Puerto Rico. In 2020 she co-founded the first Center for Perinatal Mental Health in Puerto Rico, where work focuses on research, awareness, and service for this population.  Elizabeth O’Brien is a mother who lives in Atlanta, GA, where she works as a psychotherapist with over 25 years of clinical experience. In her private practice, she is certified as a perinatal mental health therapist and treats women through the lifespan from a body/mind perspective, infusing her background in dance movement therapy, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Additionally, Elizabeth provides her own training and is a national trainer with PSI in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. She supports the community as the co-chair for the GA Perinatal Task Force and was the founding president of the PSI Georgia Chapter. She provides feminist business consulting and plans for the postpartum edition of Centering You to be the first in a series of wellness card decks. Show Highlights: * Elizabeth and Marianela’s backgrounds, long-lasting friendship, and “Centering You” * The main message to anyone in the postpartum: “You are not alone.” * A description of the cards, their content, and their purpose * The vision for how providers, partners, and families can use these cards to support a postpartum person * The card deck is for everyone in the postpartum—because the experiences are universal. * Is the card deck a game to play? Elizabeth and Marianela explain ways to use the cards. * Even the manufacturing process is done in a thoughtful and intentional way.   Resources: Connect with Centering You: Website [https://www.centeringyou.com], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/centering.you/p/DCRsJOmOu5y/], and The Shift Shop [https://www.theshift.shop/] Use the code “MOMANDMIND” (all caps) for a 10% discount on your purchase of the Centering You [https://www.centeringyou.com] Card Deck.  Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit cdph.ca.gov [https://www.cdph.ca.gov] Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International [https://www.postpartum.net/], 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 be more supportive in offering services.  You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/postpartumsupportinternational/?hl=en], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/25960478598/], and most other platforms Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ [https://www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/] for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com [https://www.wellmindperinatal.com], for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me [drkat@wellmindperinatal.com] about openings for private pay clients! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

There are internal and societal pressures in making birthing and parenting decisions that are magnified for the BIPOC community. My guest explains how incorporating ancestral practices can be supportive and shares her valuable work and the importance of doulas for people of color. Dr. Suzanne Mungalez (aka Dr. Zann) is a licensed clinical psychologist in CA certified in perinatal mental health, childbirth educator, certified lactation education specialist, and trained doula. She has worked in hospital settings and birthing centers alongside OB-GYNs, midwives, and other birth workers. She is black, Congolese-American, and queer, along with being a gender-expansive woman and mother who has given birth in the comfort of her own home. Her background and experience shape her expertise in clinical work and how she holds space for her patients. Dr. Zann describes herself as “tender with people, tough on systems, and relentlessly committed to our collective liberation.”  Show Highlights: * Dr. Zann’s path to the perinatal work she does today * The need to equip people with knowledge * Everyone needs support and community! * Pressures in birthing and parenting decisions for people of color * Dr. Zann’s help includes guided meditation, visualizations, therapy, and education. * The benefits of incorporating ancestral background into birth experiences * Considerations for people of color in “mom rage” and finding safe spaces to express yourself * Understanding the role and benefits of a doula * Dr. Zann’s unique support for people in the transition to parenthood * Ways of telling your birth story that bring empowerment, healing, and community * How things are changing for the better for the BIPOC community—but it’s still not enough! More support is always needed! * Dr. Zann’s appeal to people of color Resources: Connect with Dr. Zann: Website [https://www.itsthemamaspace.com] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/its.themamaspace/] Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit cdph.ca.gov [https://www.cdph.ca.gov] Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International [https://www.postpartum.net/], 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 be more supportive in offering services.  You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/postpartumsupportinternational/?hl=en], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/25960478598/], and most other platforms Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ [https://www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/] for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com [https://www.wellmindperinatal.com], for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me [drkat@wellmindperinatal.com] about openings for private pay clients! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Today, Dr. Kat discusses the pressures and expectations of the new year, particularly around personal goals, parenting, and self-reflection. She addresses feelings of inadequacy that arise from societal standards and social media comparisons. Dr. Kat emphasizes the importance of self-compassion, manageable goal-setting, and recognizing that perfection is unattainable. She advises listeners to focus on small, realistic changes and to limit exposure to social media to avoid unfair comparisons. Tune in to learn how to navigate the new year with a healthier, more sustainable mindset! Show Highlights: * Pressures and expectations associated with the new year * Feelings of inadequacy from social media comparisons * Importance of self-compassion in goal-setting * The impact of societal standards on personal goals * Recognizing individual life circumstances in goal planning * The influence of external pressures from family and community * Strategies for setting manageable and realistic goals * The role of self-care and rest in personal objectives * Limiting social media exposure to reduce comparison Resources: Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit cdph.ca.gov [https://www.cdph.ca.gov] Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International [https://www.postpartum.net/], 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 be more supportive in offering services.  You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/postpartumsupportinternational/?hl=en], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/25960478598/], and most other platforms Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ [https://www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/] for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com [https://www.wellmindperinatal.com], for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me [drkat@wellmindperinatal.com] about openings for private pay clients! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This is an important conversation that affects many women at various stages of life, perhaps none so much as during pregnancy and postpartum. We are covering eating disorders, body image, trauma, and core beliefs. Join us to learn more! Andrea Wetterau is a mother of two and a therapist specializing in pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenting, specifically to empower people on their journey toward healing from trauma and finding peace in relationships with food and their bodies. Our conversation covers the intersection of eating disorders, trauma, and perinatal mental health, along with negative core beliefs, finding healing in the relationship with your body, and how body image issues can impact perinatal mental health.  Show Highlights: * The intersection of eating disorders, trauma, and perinatal mental health * Personal experiences with anorexia and recovery journeys * Prevalence of eating disorders among pregnant individuals * Types of eating disorders relevant to the perinatal period (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, orthorexia) * Impact of negative core beliefs and childhood experiences on eating behaviors * Societal pressures and unrealistic standards regarding body image during pregnancy and postpartum * Emotional complexities of body image and self-worth during the perinatal period * Therapeutic approaches for healing, including Internal Family Systems Therapy and EMDR * Importance of intuitive eating and fostering healthy relationships with food in children * Need for specialized support in perinatal mental health and breaking generational cycles of disordered eating Resources: Connect with Andrea Wetterau: Website [https://www.wetterauwellness.com] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nurtured.and.embodied.mama/] Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit cdph.ca.gov [https://www.cdph.ca.gov] Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International [https://www.postpartum.net/], 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 be more supportive in offering services.  You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/postpartumsupportinternational/?hl=en], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/25960478598/], and most other platforms Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ [https://www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/] for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com [https://www.wellmindperinatal.com], for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me [drkat@wellmindperinatal.com] about openings for private pay clients! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This episode is packed with useful information for everyone. We discuss ways high-functioning and over-functioning mothers can cope differently with the demands of motherhood. You’ll hear actionable tips and practical advice for anyone who feels caught in the grip of anxiety, whether occasionally or on a regular basis. Join us! Tracy Torelli is a therapist who has focused her career on disorders with high relapse rates. Her expertise in working with severe and persistently mentally ill people has shaped her approach to emphasize resilience and wellness as pathways to growth and healing. She has worked most recently as a clinical staff educator for an outpatient clinic at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center and has trained therapists, contributed to various boards, and followed her passion for women’s mental health, reproductive mental health, and a holistic approach to mental health care and advocacy.  Show Highlights: * Tracy’s path to this perinatal specialty and the work she does today * Tracy’s work with moms with anxiety who are high-functioning and hard-working * Understanding what “high-functioning” means and what it looks like in a mom’s life * Prioritizing tasks safely and wisely while holding space for the disappointment in not finishing everything on your to-do list * Learning to tell yourself the truth about your decisions * Assessing “failure” in different ways—what it is and is not * Figuring out your “Charley Horse” (Your symptoms aren’t who you are.) Resources: Connect with Tracy Torelli: Website [https://www.tracytorellilcsw.com] Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit cdph.ca.gov [https://www.cdph.ca.gov] Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International [https://www.postpartum.net/], 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 be more supportive in offering services.  You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/postpartumsupportinternational/?hl=en], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/25960478598/], and most other platforms Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ [https://www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/] for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com [https://www.wellmindperinatal.com], for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me [drkat@wellmindperinatal.com] about openings for private pay clients! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]