ay is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month.

Did you know 1/5 women globally report a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder during pregnancy or postpartum? Sadly, there are many more cases that go unreported leaving women suffering alone due to stigma around mental health or confusion around when to seek support.

Mothers of school aged children also report mental health struggles and burnout, often due to the social isolation from intensive parenting and the weight of carrying the mental load.

Moms may be surprised to find themselves struggling again or for the first time during  perimenopause.  

So let' clear up some important misconceptions about therapy so you can get the help you deserve when you need it:

1) Unlike in the States, you don't need a diagnosis or to meet a threshold for severity of symptoms to receive support from a registered health professional and insurance coverage here in Canada. Check your plan to ensure coverage for Registered Psychotherapists.

2) Your problems aren't less important than someone else. You are are not taking space from someone who needs it "more."

3) You don't have to wait for things to get really bad or wait to see how you adjust to motherhood or midlife before you start your therapy journey. Many women have benefitted from reaching out in preparation of becoming a mother or adding a second child. If something happens during pregnancy or you struggle with infertility, you already have established a connection with someone you trust.

4) If you don't click with the first therapist you meet or have had a bad experience in the past, it doesn't mean therapy isn't for you. Sometimes it can take a few people before you find the right fit.

The theme of this year's Maternal Mental Health month is "Storytelling Saves Lives." I hold my clients stories as sacred. I listen with compassion, reflecting back strengths and helping release shame and unfair pressure.

If you've been thinking about starting or resuming therapy, you can book a free intro call online to ask questions and get a feel for my energy.  I have space available now on Monday afternoons.

- Nicole Schiener, RP, HSP-Knowledgable Therapist