Professional Training
Upcoming Trainings | Recent Trainings | Training Descriptions | Host a Training in your Area!
Our trainings are designed for a wide range of medical and social service providers, including physicians, nurses, midwives, social service employees, mental health providers, and all others working with women and families in the perinatal period. We offer regional trainings, as well as private trainings to meet the needs of individual offices, hospitals, agencies and staff. If you have any questions please contact us at (413) 387 - 0703 or email Kristel Applebee at kristel@motherwoman.org
These are approved trainings of the Perinatal Support Coalitions of Western MA.
Host a Training in your Area
MotherWoman will schedule a training in your location. Contact Kristel Applebee, Training Coordinator, to discuss details and pricing for your group, (413) 387-0703 or kristel@motherwoman.org.
Upcoming Trainings
June 5, 2013
Promoting Perinatal Emotional Health: Best Practices for Universal Screening for Perinatal Depression
Berkshire Medical Center, Pittsfield, MA
June 13, 2013
A Comprehensive Understanding of Perinatal Mood Disorders: Spectrum, Assessment and Treatment and Promoting Perinatal Emotional Health: Best Practices for Universal Screening for Perinatal Depression
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
June 21-22, 2013
Promoting Maternal Mental Health through the Community-Based Perinatal Support Model for Mothers
Minneapolis, MN
September 20, 2013
Northampton DPH In-Service
Northampton, MA
September, 26-28, 2013
MotherWoman Perinatal Group Facilitator Training
Simkin Cetner for Allied Birth Professionals, Bastyr University, Seattle, WA
October 24-26, 2013
MotherWoman Perinatal Group Facilitator Training
Western MA, (Specific location TBA)
November, 2013
MotherWoman Perinatal Group Facilitator Training
New Jersey Maternal Child Health Consortium, TBA.
All MotherWoman Training Institute trainings are highly interactive and provide relevant handouts and resources, as well as opportunities to network with allied professionals.
Recent Trainings
May 1, 2013
MotherWoman will present at a Weekly Lecture for OBGYN Residents
Baystate Medical Center, MA
April 10, 2013
A Comprehensive Understanding of Perinatal Mood Disorders for Crisis Services
Monadnock Community Hospital, Peterborough, NH
April 5, 2013
Addressing Barriers to Success for Public Health Initiatives: A Community-Based Approach in Western MA
Early Childhood Summit 2013, Federal Reserve Bank, Boston, MA
April 2, 2013
Understanding Postpartum Depression and Preventing Tragedy: The necessity for a community-based response
Massachusetts Suicide Prevention Conference, Sheraton Hotel, Framingham, MA
March 15, 2013
2 Half-Day Workshops:
Promoting Maternal Mental Health: Addressing Perinatal Mood Disorders for Crisis Services and MotherWoman's Community-Based Perinatal Support Model
The Connecticut Women's Consortium, Hamden, CT
February 13, 2013
Introduction to Postpartum Depression and Its Impact on Families
Early Childhood Advisory Network, Collaborative for Educational Services, Northampton, MA
February 11, 2013
The Intersection of Public Policy, Public Health and the Nonprofit Sector: Massachusetts' Postpartum Depression Initiative
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) Annual Conference, Washington D.C.
January 25, 2013 [Rescheduled, Date TBA]
Promoting Maternal and Infant Mental Health: The Community-Based Perinatal Support Model
New Bedford, MA
January 17, 2013
Best Practices in Screening for Postpartum Depression: A Training for Healthcare Providers and Maternal Child Health Professionals
Hampshire Obstetrical and Gynecological Associates, Inc., Northampton, MA
Training Descriptions
A Comprehensive Understanding of Perinatal Mood Disorders: Identification, Assessment and Treatment
Level I (3 hours)
Training participants will: Gain a comprehensive perspective on postpartum emotional complications, such as postpartum depression, anxiety, psychosis, and learn about:
- The risk factors and spectrum of symptoms associated with perinatal mood disorders.
- The impact of perinatal mood disorders on children.
- The impact of poverty on perinatal mood disorders.
- Individual provider and systemic barriers to care for perinatal mothers & how to overcome them.
- Sign of perinatal crisis and emergency protocols.
- Research and screening tools for assessing postpartum depression.
- The success of comprehensive, community-based care for mothers at risk for, or experiencing, perinatal mood disorders.
- CEUs are available for MSWs.
Understanding Perinatal Mood Disorders for Early Intervention Specialists: Developing Partnerships with Parents for Early Identification, Assessment & Treatment
Level II (3 hours)
- This training specifically addresses the practice needs of home visitors and early intervention workers. Because of their access to mothers in their home environments during the perinatal period, early intervention specialists and home visitors can provide vital preventive care for mothers at risk for or experiencing perinatal emotional complications. Providing new mothers with education about perinatal emotional complications and risk factors in a supportive and non-threatening manner can prove invaluable for families. Home visitors have the opportunity to observe family dynamics and potentially identify mothers who are struggling so they can be referred to other resources for additional support. This curriculum covers the spectrum of severity of PMDs and appropriate action steps for each level, such as1) when and how to speak with mothers themselves about PMDs and treatment, 2) when to engage a supervisor, 3) when and how to make a referral for further services, and 4) signs of a crisis and essential action steps. Participants will leave this training with tools that they can implement immediately in their work.
A Comprehensive Understanding of Perinatal Mood Disorders: Training for Mental Health Clinicians:
Level II (3 hours)
- This training builds upon the learning of A Comprehensive Understanding of Perinatal Mood Disorders: Level I and specifically addresses the practice needs of mental health clinicians who provide outpatient counseling to mothers and families. This training addresses in depth the finer points of differential PMD diagnosis. Postpartum depression, clinical depression, bi-polar II and postpartum anxiety disorders such as PTSD and OCD can present similarly and are often difficult to diagnose. Particular emphasis is on understanding when intrusive thoughts pose a serious threat and when they may not, and recognizing postpartum psychosis. Best practices models of intervention are discussed such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), including treatment recommendations, as well as the effectiveness of community-based perinatal support groups and trauma-informed therapies such as EMDR. Research is shared on barriers to care for perinatal women, including innovative recommendations for diminishing these barriers such as utilizing community-based supports, strong intra-agency communication and the use of non-stigmatizing language for providers.
A Comprehensive Understanding of Perinatal Mood Disorders for Crisis Services
(3 hours)
- Crisis services clinicians are often a mother’s first call for help during a perinatal emotional crisis. This training provides clinicians with the tools necessary to quickly distinguish between a mother who is overwhelmed and needing increased support and treatment, and one who is in danger of hurting herself or her baby. This training will address the difference between postpartum depression, clinical depression and bi-polar II, as well as postpartum anxiety disorders such as PTSD and OCD. Particular emphasis is on understanding when intrusive thoughts pose a serious threat and when they may not, and recognizing postpartum psychosis. Recommended emergency protocols are discussed in detail.
Promoting Perinatal Emotional Health: Best Practices for Universal Screening for Perinatal Depression
Level II (3 hours)
- You’ve read the research and the recommendations from your professional association. You’re ready to implement perinatal depression screening, but you’re not sure how. This training discusses various screening tools with emphasis on the effectiveness of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). You and your staff will learn effective protocols for implementation of the EPDS - when to use it, how to score it, addressing HIPPA concerns and how to make the right referrals for effective treatment. Participants practice using the screening tool and discuss the benefits and challenges of implementing universal screening.
Promoting Maternal and Infant Mental Health: The Community-Based Perinatal Support Model (CPSM©)
(3 hours)
- This training is for providers interested in, or already engaged in developing multi-disciplinary perinatal support coalitions or task forces in their communities. MotherWoman developed the Community Perinatal Support Model CPSM© and has been leading the way building successful CPSMs in the four counties of Western Mass. How can your community or region develop local Resource and Referral Guides, multi-agency Perinatal Professional trainings, universal screening for mothers from pregnancy through the first year postpartum and free and specialized MotherWoman Postpartum Support Groups? This training shares the steps and best practices components of the CPSM.
MotherWoman Group Facilitator Training: An Innovative Approach to Leading Successful Support Groups in Your Community, An Introduction.
An Intro: 3-6 hours
3 Day Intensive Training: 21-25 hours
- The MotherWoman Support Group Model provides education about the psycho-social context within which mothering takes place and its impact on individual mood and functioning, while at the same time creating an environment of safety, personal recovery and empowerment, which enhances a mother’s confidence, competence and capacity to advocate for herself. This two hour introduction discusses the positive therapeutic impact of support groups for maternal mental health and describes the MotherWoman Support Group Model© in detail. This replicable model has been effective for many populations of mothers such as; mothers at risk for or experiencing perinatal emotional complications, incarcerated mothers, mothers in recovery from substance abuse, mothers of color, immigrant mothers and parents who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss.
- For More Information, please see our Facilitator Training page.