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Mental Health Center

Treatment for Postpartum Depression

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postpartum depression

By Ashley Barnes What is postpartum depression? If you are a mother experiencing postpartum depression, you are not alone. In fact, approximately 1 in 7 women experience PDD (GUNHS, 2021). According to the American Psychological Association (APA), postpartum depression (PPD) is a mood disorder that can appear days or months after a woman gives birth, with symptoms lasting longer than two weeks (2022). The severity of symptoms and their prolonged nature (lasting more than two weeks) distinguishes PDD from the “baby blues.”  The mood disorder can affect any woman regardless of the course of pregnancy, those who are first-time mothers or have had children before, and regardless of race or ethnicity, income, culture or education, and age. However, there are known risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing PPD, including the inevitable shift in hormone levels after giving birth, previous experience of depression and anxiety, family history of depression or …

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Moving Towards Self-Compassion in 2023

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postpartum depression

By Ashley Barnes   What is self-compassion? In understanding compassion, it is first important to understand what compassion means. “Compassion involves feeling another person’s pain and wanting to take steps to help relieve their suffering” (Verywell Mind, 2021). The word ‘compassion’ is derived from Latin and means “to suffer together.” It is markedly different from empathy in that it takes a step further by taking action on the shared understanding of a person’s pain and suffering. Put simply, “Self-compassion is…the process of turning compassion inward.” (Neff, 2022). This practice is often easier said than done, as many of us have learned through experience or observing others that treating ourselves harshly is the only way to move forward.  From a self-compassion lens, we instead would provide ourselves kindness and understanding when we “fail, make mistakes or feel inadequate. We give ourselves support and encouragement rather than being cold and judgmental when …

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Helping Children’s Mental Health

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postpartum depression

By Ashley Barnes   The Current State of Children’s Mental Health. So many of us understand the deep emotional and mental toll that the pandemic and current events have created. Perhaps one of the hardest hit populations are children. Imagine moving through one of the most important periods of life where one’s social and emotional skills are critically important, where the brain is particularly malleable, only to be robbed of this crucial, enriching experience. We are merely starting to uncover the ways in which the pandemic (amongst other world events) have impacted children’s mental health. Even before the pandemic, children’s mental health struggled: According to state data, Suicide rates among Black youth doubled between 2014 and 2020. Incidents of youth deliberately causing self-harm increased 50 percent in California between 2009 and 2018, the state auditor reported.  According to a CalMatters analysis of state data, between 2019 and 2020, opioid-related overdoses …

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International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022

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postpartum depression

By Ashley Barnes   Why International Day of Persons with Disabilities? December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), “promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities at every level of society and development, and to raise awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic, and cultural life” (World Health Organization, 2022). IDPD is meant to educate the general public about the extra challenges that persons with disabilities face with the aim to break down such barriers. In a world built to serve the “able-bodied,” it becomes increasingly important to reinforce the rights of persons with disabilities. When referring to those living with a disability, we use the term “persons with disabilities” instead of other, potentially harmful terminology. “Persons with disabilities” is an example of “people-first language,” putting the person before the diagnosis; this defines what a person has rather …

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The Importance of Setting Boundaries

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postpartum depression

By Ashley Barnes   What are boundaries? One of the most important forms of self-care is setting boundaries. Boundaries are limits people set with the intention of creating a healthy sense of personal space; they can be emotional or physical in nature, aiding us in distinguishing our desires, preferences, and needs from one another. Like a fence, it protects our space from factors that could negatively impact our mental health.  When to set boundaries. A good sign that we need to set a boundary could be when we start to feel agitated with that which is infringing on our well being. This may look like feeling exhausted and resentful towards someone in our lives who keeps asking for favors, feeling frustrated with our professional life if we aren’t getting adequate work-life balance, or feeling anxious regarding a romantic partner who is making us feel uncomfortable. Without setting clear boundaries, we …

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