This book provides a comprehensive look at effective therapy for postpartum depression. Using a blend of professional objectivity, evidence-based research, and personal, straight-forward suggestions gathered from years of experience, this book brings the reader into the private world of therapy with the postpartum woman. Based on Psychodynamic and Cognitive-Behavioral theories, and on D.W. Winnicott's "good-enough mother" and the "holding environment" in particular, the book is written by a therapist who has specialized in the treatment of postpartum depression for over 20 years. Therapy and the Postpartum Woman will serve as a companion tool for clinicians and the women they treat.

This accessible guide addresses the nature of the intrusive and unwanted thoughts that can be common in new parenthood, and offers practical answers and advice on how to tackle these. With fresh material focusing on how to overcome barriers to disclosure and stigma, and updated treatment approaches and case descriptions, this revised edition explains exactly what these negative thoughts are, why they come about, and what can be done about them. Chapters offer information on the specific nature of perinatal anxiety and related disorders, along with take-home points and evidence-based strategies for symptom relief that clinicians can use effectively with new parents. Written by two leading clinicians in the perinatal community, in collaboration with two promising leaders in this specialized field, Dropping the Baby and Other Scary Thoughts, 2nd edition offers a compassionate approach to breaking the cycle of scary thoughts that is invaluable to new parents and clinicians alike.

* Written by a leader in the field of perinatal mental health, Karen Kleiman, who is joint by a rising star and emerging voice in the community, Hilary Waller. * New preface addresses changes in the field since the first publication. * Continues to be an indispensable tool for clinicians and the women they treat.

First conceptualized by D.W. Winnicott, holding in this book refers to a therapist's capacity to respond to postpartum distress in a way that facilitates an immediate and successful therapeutic alliance. Readers will learn how to contain high levels of agitation, fear, and panic in a way that cultivates trust and the early stages of connectedness. Also addressed through vignettes are personality types that make holding difficult, styles of ineffective holding, and how to modify holding techniques to accommodate the individual woman. A must-read for postpartum professionals, the techniques learned in this book will help clients achieve meaningful and enduring recovery.

Perinatal Distress encompasses all clinically significant symptoms of anxiety or depression that occur during pregnancy or the postpartum period. While medication exists to combat this specific form of anxiety and depression, the need for the development of non-pharmacological interventions is great, especially as many women are hesitant to take medication during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. One therapeutic approach that has particular promise in the treatment of perinatal distress is CBT. This volume is a step-by-step guide for the implementation of CBT for women with perinatal distress in an individual psychotherapy format. Described in detail is be the manner in which standard CBT session structure components and strategic interventions can be adapted in light of the unique needs of this population. The authors illustrate the compassionate, flexible cognitive behavioral treatment of perinatal women experiencing a wide range of depressive and anxious clinical presentations and unique life circumstances.

* Written by a leader in the field of perinatal mental health, Karen Kleiman, who is joint by a rising star and emerging voice in the community, Hilary Waller. * New preface addresses changes in the field since the first publication. * Continues to be an indispensable tool for clinicians and the women they treat.

This accessible guide addresses the nature of the intrusive and unwanted thoughts that can be common in new parenthood, and offers practical answers and advice on how to tackle these. With fresh material focusing on how to overcome barriers to disclosure and stigma, and updated treatment approaches and case descriptions, this revised edition explains exactly what these negative thoughts are, why they come about, and what can be done about them. Chapters offer information on the specific nature of perinatal anxiety and related disorders, along with take-home points and evidence-based strategies for symptom relief that clinicians can use effectively with new parents. Written by two leading clinicians in the perinatal community, in collaboration with two promising leaders in this specialized field, Dropping the Baby and Other Scary Thoughts, 2nd edition offers a compassionate approach to breaking the cycle of scary thoughts that is invaluable to new parents and clinicians alike.

Perinatal Distress encompasses all clinically significant symptoms of anxiety or depression that occur during pregnancy or the postpartum period. While medication exists to combat this specific form of anxiety and depression, the need for the development of non-pharmacological interventions is great, especially as many women are hesitant to take medication during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. One therapeutic approach that has particular promise in the treatment of perinatal distress is CBT. This volume is a step-by-step guide for the implementation of CBT for women with perinatal distress in an individual psychotherapy format. Described in detail is be the manner in which standard CBT session structure components and strategic interventions can be adapted in light of the unique needs of this population. The authors illustrate the compassionate, flexible cognitive behavioral treatment of perinatal women experiencing a wide range of depressive and anxious clinical presentations and unique life circumstances.

Postpartum depression is hard on a marriage. In their private practices, authors Karen Kleiman and Amy Wenzel often find themselves face-to-face with marriages that are suffocating, as if the depression has sucked the life out of a relationship that was only prepared for the anticipated joy of pending childbirth. What happens to marriage? Why do couples become angry, isolated, and disconnected? Tokens of Affection looks closely at marriages that have withstood the passing storm of depression and are now seeking, or in need of, direction back to their previous levels of functioning and connectedness. The reader is introduced to a model of collaboration that refers to 8 specific features, which guide postpartum couples back from depression. These features, framed as "Tokens," are based on marital therapy literature and serve as a reminder that these are not just communication skill-building techniques; they are gift-giving gestures on behalf of their relationship. A reparative resource, Tokens of Affection helps couples find renewed harmony, a solid relational ground, and reconnection.

Postpartum depression is hard on a marriage. In their private practices, authors Karen Kleiman and Amy Wenzel often find themselves face-to-face with marriages that are suffocating, as if the depression has sucked the life out of a relationship that was only prepared for the anticipated joy of pending childbirth. What happens to marriage? Why do couples become angry, isolated, and disconnected? Tokens of Affection looks closely at marriages that have withstood the passing storm of depression and are now seeking, or in need of, direction back to their previous levels of functioning and connectedness. The reader is introduced to a model of collaboration that refers to 8 specific features, which guide postpartum couples back from depression. These features, framed as "Tokens," are based on marital therapy literature and serve as a reminder that these are not just communication skill-building techniques; they are gift-giving gestures on behalf of their relationship. A reparative resource, Tokens of Affection helps couples find renewed harmony, a solid relational ground, and reconnection.

This book provides a comprehensive look at effective therapy for postpartum depression. Using a blend of professional objectivity, evidence-based research, and personal, straight-forward suggestions gathered from years of experience, this book brings the reader into the private world of therapy with the postpartum woman. Based on Psychodynamic and Cognitive-Behavioral theories, and on D.W. Winnicott's "good-enough mother" and the "holding environment" in particular, the book is written by a therapist who has specialized in the treatment of postpartum depression for over 20 years. Therapy and the Postpartum Woman will serve as a companion tool for clinicians and the women they treat.

"Will I ever feel like myself again?""Why am I so sad and irritable all of the time?""Will my wife ever be like she used to be?""Why didn't anyone tell us to expect this?" If you or someone you love is among the one in seven women stricken by PPD, you know how hard it is to get real help. In this definitive guide, postpartum experts Karen Kleiman and Valerie Davis Raskin offer compassionate support and solid advice on dealing with every aspect of PPD. Their proven self-help program, which can be used alone or with a support group or therapist, will help you monitor each phase of illness, recognize when you need professional help, cope with daily life, and recover with new strength and confidence. Learn how to:Identify the symptoms of PPD and distinguish it from "baby blues"Deal with panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive urges, and stress overloadBreak the cycle of shame and negative thoughtsMobilize support from your husband or partner, family, and friendsSeek and evaluate treatment optionsCope with the disappointment and loss of self-esteem

First conceptualized by D.W. Winnicott, holding in this book refers to a therapist's capacity to respond to postpartum distress in a way that facilitates an immediate and successful therapeutic alliance. Readers will learn how to contain high levels of agitation, fear, and panic in a way that cultivates trust and the early stages of connectedness. Also addressed through vignettes are personality types that make holding difficult, styles of ineffective holding, and how to modify holding techniques to accommodate the individual woman. A must-read for postpartum professionals, the techniques learned in this book will help clients achieve meaningful and enduring recovery.

For many women, having a baby delivers all the profound joy they anticipated and brings happiness beyond description. For women who experience depression after the birth of a baby, this joy can seem elusive. Instead, women with postpartum depression (PPD) are often gripped with feelings of deep sadness, confusion, anxiety, and despair, and they are deprived of their anticipated joy in their first precious months with their baby. At some point, the question of having another baby arises. If you ask a woman in the throes of a depression this question, she may say, no. No more children. If you ask a woman who has recovered from postpartum depression if she wants more children, she may say, yes, but I'm scared to go through that again.This book was written to accompany these women on their journey toward a subsequent pregnancy after postpartum depression. What Am I Thinking contains essential information for a woman and her family who plan on having another baby after a previous experience with postpartum depression. As these women know, planning another pregnancy can be a process filled with profound anxiety, indecision, fears, and self-doubt. What if I get depressed again? What if it's worse this next time? What if something terrible happens? What if I'm making a mistake?Filled with self-help strategies, current treatment recommendations, and practical advice, this book offers women the hope, confidence, and support they need to make this journey in spite of their anxiety. With this resource and available knowledge in hand, they are likely to feel more empowered, enabling them to proceed with confidence.

This is a story of a man who enters a therapeutic relationship for reasons of which he is not sure. All his life, he had chosen not to grandstand his extraordinary dilemma. Rather, he proceeded in isolation, privately designing a way to endure his almost incomprehensible set of circumstances. He struggled alone, researching, networking, looking for answers, explanations, friends, looking for someone to listen, to believe him. When he finally begins therapy for the first time in forty-one years, he initiates the opportunity for his life to take final shape. Together, they learn what it means to listen and to really hear what someone is saying. They learn how it feels to be a man and a woman in a world that isn't always sure what that means. They learn what it means to be tolerated by a society that makes every day living an unimaginable chore. It is a story, ultimately, of acceptance and forgiveness.