Secrets to a Happy 2020

I bought my new planner the other week, which I look forward to every year. I always geeked out on school supplies growing up, but since I am not in school anymore, I don’t get to do an annual office supply run, but I can get my yearly planner :) 

Finding the “right” planner for you

This has been a struggle for years for me. Do you have this same problem? Well, over the past couple of years I have settled on the Happy Planner (I get no affiliate marketing for this, but I wanted to give a shoutout to this planner.)

I love it for so many reasons!

1. There are so many cover and page options, with gorgeous choices. I love anything floral, so I get my floral fix. Of course, they have other options if floral is not your thing :) 

2. Each month has a place for monthly goals, notes, and important dates and usually a motivational quote which I find to be a helpful reminder. 

3. The weekly review is great and they have a few different options to meet different needs. The one I got this year I love because it has a weekly meal plan area, errands to run for the week, and a “things to buy” area. 

4. I also enjoy that there are multiple inserts and stickers you can get to go along with the planner. I just got the budget insert and I am hoping this is helpful for me as my goal this year is better money management. 

Not beating yourself up

I was going through my 2019 planner to write down anything important I needed to carry over for the new year. I became discouraged when I looked at my monthly goals from the beginning of last year and some of them were never accomplished or were not met until the fall. I just continued to push back my goals, afraid of taking action, and really what I realized is when I look back, I was afraid of failing. My initial thoughts were to give myself a hard time for not meeting my goals and telling myself I was a failure. But, after some reflection, I started to think about all the positives from 2019 and the goals I did accomplish, really trying to not let the negative self-talk get the best of me. 

Focusing on the positive

Giving myself grace was key.  I started my practice, I changed jobs to have more time with my family and kids (getting to spend 4 days a week with them has been wonderful, especially over the summer), and moving to a location we love. 

Looking ahead for 2020

As mentioned above, I do want to focus more on money management and build my savings. I am considering resources from Dave Ramsey to help get my personal finances in order. I also want to put myself out there more on social media, build on in person connections, and not let anxious thoughts get in the way of taking action. 

These are my goals for this year. What are yours?

We are all human and have successes and sometimes failures. Life has its natural ebbs and flows. We don’t have to go through this journey alone. 

If one of your goals was focusing on your self-care. You can read that post here Creating your self care plan

If you feel your anxiety is getting in the way of your daily living and feel overwhelmed by work, family, household, kids, etc. have you considered counseling?

Call 970-795-2100 or send me a message contact for your free consult to start feeling better and find joy again. 

Much care,

Alison 

Importance of screening moms for postpartum depression during pediatric visits

When screening reveals risk...

1 in 7 Women suffer from Perinatal Depression and Anxiety

• Communicate the depression is treatable

• Demystify and validate

• Provide supportive resources (community and family)

• Refer and follow up with mother after referral is made (decreases depression)

Brief Intervention

1. Promote strength of mother-infant relationship

2. Encourage and reassure any concerns about breastfeeding

3. Promote responding to infant cues

4. Encourage reading and talking to infant

5. Encourage routines for predictability, security, sleep, diet, exercise, and stress relief

6. Promote realistic expectations

7. Encourage social connections

Recommended screening of mother at 1, 2, 4, & 6 months postpartum

Screen father at 6 months 

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) screening is validated for men and women

Purpose of referral is to clarify diagnosis and offer indicated treatment. Help to facilitate referral for mother. 

Screening for PMAD is a benefit to infant, mother-infant dyad, and family system as a whole. 

If you, a loved one, or friend is postpartum and not being screened ask your doctor about this.
If you think you may be struggling with depression reach out today by phone 970-795-2100 or email me alison@hartmantherapyco.com to learn more about ways to feel better.

Alison is the owner of Hartman Therapy in Colorado. She offers online counseling helping tired, overwhelmed moms, sad teens, and frustrated parents. Alison has been working with adolescents, families, and adults for the past 7 years helping to build healthy, resilient families. She specializes in perinatal mental health and teen girl depression and anxiety. 

Is this postpartum OCD? Psychosis? If so, what do I do now?

Pregnancy, birth, and postpartum brings with it many feelings, hormone, changes, and role transitions. Some women develop symptoms of anxiety and depression to the point of where it causes significant distress. Findings suggest that 1 in 7 women, have diagnosable depression and/or anxiety during the postpartum period. 

Is this postpartum OCD?

A study from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that pregnancy and childbirth can produce OCD symptoms or increase symptoms of OCD if previously diagnosed. 

Symptoms of OCD in the perinatal period include:

• Contamination obsessions and washing/cleaning rituals, common during pregnancy

• Intrusive obsessional thoughts or images of harming the baby

• Avoidance behaviors or checking rituals

Other OCD symptoms include:

• Worry of accidentally causing harm to the baby

• Fear of exposing baby to toxins or chemicals

• Obsessively checking baby while he/she sleeps

• Unwanted sexual thoughts 

• Excessive washing or sterilizing baby’s clothing or bottles

Onset of OCD in the postpartum period can happen as early as 2-3 days post birth and considered “rapid onset”. Typically OCD, does not get diagnosed and then goes untreated. This can lead to negative affects in the family, the woman, and the baby. 

The literature review also suggested that pregnancy and/or birth can exacerbate symptoms of OCD if the mother already suffers from obsessive/compulsive symptoms. 

Postpartum OCD can be treated through outpatient therapy. Typically, using CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is an effective treatment that specifically addresses decreasing intrusive thoughts and teach healthy coping skills. Some women are treated with psychiatric medications as well to manage their OCD. Discussions with your provider or therapist will help determine what level of care and treatment approach would be best for you. Postpartum OCD is treatable and the symptoms you may be experiencing are not your fault and you can get better. 

The constant fear, overthinking, and worry lead some women to believe they may actually harm their baby. These thoughts are anxious in nature and there is a very low chance of women acting on these thoughts since these are not considered to be delusions. 

To be clear, OCD symptoms can sometimes be confused with postpartum psychosis. 

What is postpartum psychosis?

Postpartum psychosis is an emergent situation that needs immediate medical attention. The onset of postpartum psychosis typically occurs within the first 2 weeks post birth with sudden onset. Essentially the mother is having a break from reality and her delusions and hallucinations appear real to her. 

Symptoms include: 

• Strange beliefs or delusions

• Hallucinations- seeing or hearing things that are not there

• Paranoia

• Decreased need for sleep

• Difficulty communicating

• Rapid mood swings

• Extreme irritation 

• hyperactivity

Risk factors include:

    Family history

    Previous psychotic episode

    History of bipolar disorder

Postpartum psychosis is very rare, 1 or 2 out of 1000 births. .1-.2% of women postpartum. Postpartum psychosis is treatable and temporary, but professional help and monitoring is needed for stabilization. 

If you or someone you know is suffering with postpartum psychosis call for immediate help by calling your doctor, 911, or going to your closest emergency room. 

If you believe you are struggling with postpartum OCD, you can call me at 970-795-2100 or email me at alison@hartmantherapyco.com to learn more or ask any questions you may have. 

It’s hard taking that first step, you can do this. 

with care,

Alison

If you or someone you know is struggling with postpartum OCD or postpartum anxiety and reside in Colorado or Texas I offer postpartum counseling. I am a prenatal and postpartum therapist who helps women and their families from pregnancy, birth, through postpartum. If you would like to learn more about me and my work with moms click here

I provide online therapy with the ability to meet you anywhere. No need to find childcare or the extra time needed to get to and from an office. 

If you live outside Colorado and Texas you can reach out to Postpartum Support International and they can connect you to a local therapist. They also offer a wide variety of support groups for moms and dads. You can click the link here to learn more: Postpartum Support International

Treat yo self

Not sure if you were a Parks and Recreation fan, but Donna and Tom have a day dedicated to treating themselves. It’s called treat yo self.

You can watch what it’s all about here

https://youtu.be/AU0h7TlZGO4

Yes this is an exaggerated version of treating yourself, but the idea is important. To take care of yourself, not just on 1 day out of the year, but daily. Today, I am going to talk with you about ideas for a self care plan, along with a simple way to stick to your plan. 

There are 5 aspects to self care: Mind, body, spirit, reflection, and connection. 

This is definitely not an exhaustive list. This is to give you an idea and you can tailor it to meet your needs.

Mind

Take 3 deep breaths- breath in count to 4, hold for 4, breath out for 4

Read a book

Color

Paint or draw

Drink cocoa of coffee

Cozy up with a warm blanket and watch a movie or your favorite show

Paint your nails or go get a mani pedi

De-clutter a room in your home

Watch the snow or rain fall

Listen to classical or rock music

Body

Go for a walk

Yoga

10 minute stretch

Cut back on sugar

Eat more fruits and veggies 

15-30 minute cardio workout

Go for a run

Run around outside with the kids

Dance your heart out

Deep pressure- using your hands to squeeze up and down your arms and legs

Get a massage

Have your hubby give you a massage

Spirit

Prayer time

Read your Bible

10 minute meditation

A 15-20 minute nap

10 minutes of lying down resting with your eyes closed

Tell yourself positive affirmations like “I am good enough” and “you can do this”

Laugh and laugh often 

Smile

Reflection

Journal

Write down 1 thing you are thankful for daily

Use a planner to stay organized

Reflect on your daily goals

Blog or vlog

Connection

Call or text a friend

Call or text a close family member

Go out to lunch or coffee with someone special

Volunteer 

Give or donate

Be intentional about treating others with kindness

Express gratitude 

Spend quality time with your kids

Go on a date with your spouse

Goal Setting

In sticking to your plan it’s will be key to remember your why behind having a self care plan and why it's important to you. This way if you do get off track you can be reminded by why you started it in the first place. Consider the pros and cons for not taking care of yourself. A couple examples of the benefits for a self care plan for me are my mind will feel more clear and refreshed and I will have more energy. The cons could be that when I don't take care of myself I know this leads to burnout, not connecting with friends and family, and irritability. 

If you want to stay consistent with your plan start with realistic goals for yourself. For instance if you don't workout regularly I wouldn't start with a goal of working out 4-5 days out of the week. The first week in, you may not meet this goal and you might be discouraged with the results. A realistic goal could be “okay this week I am going to work out 2 times for 15 minutes each”. Then over time you can build up and work towards your ultimate goal of working out 3-4 times a week.

Choose 1 or 2 self care ideas from each category that you would like to implement into your day or life more. Write them down and check in on your goals weekly. Pay attention to how you feel before and after you do a self care activity. This will help you recognize the benefits of taking care of yourself regularly and how much better you will feel. Most of these activities can be done in 10 minutes or less.

Small steps are important in this process and it's really about what works for you, your style, and your life. 

Get started today and treat yo self!

with care,

Alison

I offer postpartum counseling to those who have experienced birth trauma. I am a prenatal and postpartum therapist who helps women and their families from pregnancy, birth, through postpartum. If you would like to learn more about me and my work with moms click here

I provide online therapy with the ability to meet you anywhere. No need to find childcare or the extra time needed to get to and from an office. 

If you live outside Colorado and Texas you can reach out to Postpartum Support International and they can connect you to a local therapist. They also offer a wide variety of support groups for moms and dads. You can click the link here to learn more: Postpartum Support International

Best Practices for Treating Postpartum Depression

Becoming a parent comes with so many emotions and changes. I remember when I first found out I was pregnant, I felt so many different emotions I couldn’t even name all the ways I felt, from excitement, relief, to fear. I remember reading so many books and watching videos of births, but nothing really prepared me for the real life experience of the birth and the experiences that came after. 

Being a parent is a significant developmental life stage and there are so many changes and transitions to make. From our bodies changing and doing different things that we didn’t know our bodies were capable of, and all the expectations we have for how life will be with baby. 

We also experience loss even if we don’t realize it, the loss of our independence and the life we once had, having all the time to ourselves to do whatever we want, when we want, possibly loss of employment, maybe you worked a long time to build your career, but now you are going to be a stay at home mom. Then there’s the limited sleep, and trying to find quality time with your partner. Finding time for dates and conversations that don’t involve poop, pee, sleep, and eating are few and far between. 

These adjustments and the emotions that follow can be distressing to the point of needing additional intervention. But typically women will not reach out for professional help and will try other informal ways first, as in finding support from family and friends, researching on the internet, or reading articles or books. 

The barriers that keep women from reaching out for professional help include: 

1. Stigma -their own thoughts on mental health or not trusting their healthcare professional enough to share what is really distressing to them.

2.  May be unsure if their symptoms are normal or not

3.  May not be able to describe how they feel, and wanting to figure it out on their own first. “I can manage this on my own”. 

4. May not want to take psychiatric medications and afraid that if they seek out professional help they will be pressures to start medications. 

5. Perceived lack of time

6. Financial reasons

7. Childcare

8. Transportation

9. Or location of services may not be convenient. 

Often times though, perinatal distress goes untreated and undiscovered. When postpartum depression goes untreated, at least 40% of these women will continue to have symptoms throughout their child’s school years even. Perinatal distress can impede the mother-infant relationship, cause developmental issues with their child, or complications during the prenatal period. 

Best practice IPT

There are specific treatment approaches that have positive outcomes in treating postpartum depression. 

Interpersonal Process Therapy(IPT) has about 35 years of effectiveness treating adults with depression. Women who receive Interpersonal Process Therapy (IPT) to treat their depression have noticed improvement in their marriage, mother-child relationship and significant decrease in depressive symptoms. 

Goals of IPT

Increasing social support network, while addressing loss, role changes, relationship conflicts, and interpersonal problems. It is noted that IPT can improve a person’s ability to cope with challenging situations and increase resiliency. IPT is considered one of the best treatments in addressing postpartum depression. If symptoms are more intense, best practices are a combination of IPT and medication management. 

Importance of reaching out for help

If you think you are struggling with postpartum depression reach out to your primary care doctor or look into starting counseling. The benefits that you can feel better and have improvement in your marriage, personal relationships, support system, and the bonding relationship you can have with your baby are invaluable. 

Learn more about the symptoms of postpartum depression here PPD

Reach out by phone 970-795-2100 or email me alison@hartmantherapyco.com

To discuss if counseling would be a good option for you. 

We can even schedule a 15 minute consultation by video for you to test the process. I would send you a link and when it is our scheduled time to meet, you click on link and the consultation begins. Hope to see you there!

Reference: Bright K, Charrols E, Mughal M, Wajid A, McNeil D, Stuart S, Hayden K, & Kingston D. Interpersonal psychotherapy for perinatal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol (2019), open access, published online, doi:10.1186/s13643-019-1158-6