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Perinatal Mental Health: Building a Foundation in Understanding Depression, Anxiety, and Postpartum OCD

Suzie Berthiaume, LPC
Erin Cook, PsyD, PMH-C
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Information

Date & Time

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify at least three biological, psychological, and/or social factors that can contribute to mental health concerns during pregnancy and the postpartum period

  • Describe key differences between transient postpartum “baby blues” and depression or anxiety symptoms that warrant further clinical assessment

  • Explain the role and limitations of screening tools and identify at least two additional areas to explore during a perinatal clinical interview

  • Describe key features of postpartum OCD, including unwanted intrusive thoughts and compulsive responses, and identify clinical considerations that may warrant further assessment or specialty referral

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this presentation is to strengthen clinicians’ foundational knowledge of perinatal mental health and their ability to recognize concerns, respond without judgment, and connect individuals with appropriate care.

Description

This course provides a foundational overview of perinatal mental health, including the emotional and psychosocial transition to parenthood and common presentations of depression and anxiety during the perinatal period. Participants will review considerations for recognition, assessment, referral, and appropriate treatment planning. The course will also examine postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), including common misconceptions, differential considerations, and evidence-based treatment approaches. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of perinatal depression, anxiety, and postpartum OCD, with an emphasis on comprehensive assessment, appropriate intervention, and timely referral to support optimal outcomes.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Suzie Berthiaume, LPC
Suzie Berthiaume, LPC serves as the National Clinical Onboarding and Program Development Specialist at a national mental health organization, providing clinical training, onboarding support, and consultation to therapists across programs and sites. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. Suzie’s clinical and educational focus is neurodivergence, including autism spectrum disorder, with an emphasis on trauma-informed assessment and treatment. Her approach integrates EMDR, DBT, and a polyvagal-informed framework to support regulation, identity development, and sustainable wellbeing. She is passionate about helping clinicians understand neurodivergence in context, including the emotional and relational impact of masking, chronic invalidation, and the demands of navigating a neurotypical world.
Erin Cook, PsyD, PMH-C
Erin Cook, PsyD, PMH-C, is a psychologist, co-founder, and director of Red Elm Psychotherapy, a specialty practice focused on OCD and perinatal mental health. She is a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional through Postpartum Support International and specializes in the assessment and treatment of OCD, anxiety, and perinatal mental health concerns, with particular expertise in perinatal OCD, intrusive thoughts, pregnancy and infant loss, high-risk pregnancy, and birth trauma. Dr. Cook has specialized clinical experience in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD and draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and attachment-informed and relational approaches. Her work focuses on adapting evidence-based OCD treatment to the unique context of pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood, including helping clinicians distinguish common perinatal experiences from clinically significant OCD, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, and other psychiatric presentations. She provides clinical education and training for mental health professionals on perinatal mental health and OCD and is particularly interested in improving clinicians’ ability to recognize and appropriately treat OCD and intrusive thoughts during the perinatal period.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Newport Healthcare