In this crazy world, stress abounds—deadlines, controversy, politics, commitments—all seem never ending. I’m fortunate to live in a wooded area of Colorado, and to find serenity in wildflowers. Winter is long for those of us who live in the higher elevations of Colorado. It’s not unusual to have several snowstorms in May, and perhaps […] Read more…
Mood
Brave Moms I’m Proud to Know
Being a mom isn’t easy under the best of circumstances. But what if you lost touch with reality and were put on a mental ward shortly after childbirth? For roughly one in a thousand moms, a time that is supposed to be joyful turns into a nightmare. The technical term for moms who lose touch […] Read more…
New Book-Perinatal Mental Health & Military Families
Having a baby is never easy, especially for military families. What if you were pregnant with your third baby, and your spouse was going to be deployed immediately after you delivered? This is just one of the challenges that military families face. The new book, Perinatal Mental Health and the Military Family, delivers an in-depth […] Read more…
Can Probiotics Improve your Mood?
It’s easy to experience firsthand the positive effect of probiotics on the digestive system, but believing that probiotics can improve your mood may require a leap of faith. I’ve written about the latest research on probiotics and mood in my Health and Wellness column in Dairy Foods magazine. PROBIOTICS AND DIGESTIVE HEALTH Some years ago […] Read more…
A Mind Of Your Own – Book Review
Kelly Brogan’s new book, “A Mind of Your Own,” offers hope and a plan for women who want to heal themselves from depression. The book debuted on the New York Times bestseller list, and I quickly ordered my copy. I agree wholeheartedly with the premise of the book, that lifestyle medicine—including balanced nutrition, meditation and […] Read more…
White Noise Sleep Potion
Many factors contributed to my postpartum psychosis. But the overwhelming cause was sleep deprivation. It wasn’t until I went through menopause that I realized – it’s not just the new baby and the wee hour feedings – hormonal changes also play a role in sleep disruption. These occur in the perinatal period as well as […] Read more…
Has Your Postpartum Experience Been Misdiagnosed?
Thirty-six years ago I had a postpartum psychosis. After delivering a premature baby and being sleep-deprived for almost two weeks, I was definitely out of touch with reality, and definitely had a postpartum psychosis. That diagnosis was correct. But when I became unstable a few months later, due to additional family stress, I was diagnosed […] Read more…
Romance doesn’t end when you say “I do.”
I was thrilled that my novel, “Back In Six Weeks” won first place in both the “Fiction-Romance” and “Women’s Studies” categories at the recent Colorado Independent Publisher’s Association EVVY Awards. After meeting and hearing the stories of so many other women who experienced postpartum psychosis or some other perinatal mood disorder, I’m thrilled that my […] Read more…
Is Guilt Over Your Postpartum Experience Killing You?
I had the privilege to attend the 28th annual conference of Postpartum Support International in Plymouth, Michigan on June 26 and 27. George Parnham, attorney for Andrea Yates was the keynote speaker. George ended his emotional presentation with the quote, “Every child deserves to be raised by a mother as free of mental illness as […] Read more…
Live Postpartum Psychosis Support Group
There are lots of support groups around the world for women with postpartum depression and anxiety. You can find a support group in your area on the website of Postpartum Support International. But women who have experienced a postpartum psychosis (PPP) may go through their entire life and never meet another woman who has […] Read more…