We just celebrated Mother’s Day, which may not have been what you expected. It can be a complicated day when people don’t show up or recognize you as you deserve. I want to acknowledge the complex feelings that come with Mother’s Day and say that you aren’t alone in experiencing those emotions. Whatever your Mother's Day brought you, I hope you feel recognized and supported. Today, we are bringing you another great episode during Maternal Mental Health Month as we uncover the purpose of a new podcast filling a gap for many people. Join us to learn more about this vital resource!

Allie Hales, a mom of four, is passionate about making reliable, relevant information available for moms like herself. She graduated from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar. She serves on Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Newborn Medicine and Reproductive Health Advisory Board, Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Maternal Services Council, and is actively involved with the Boston Center for Endometriosis. Allie grew up in the suburbs of Boston and currently lives in Baltimore with her four children and her husband, Riley, a resident in anesthesia at Johns Hopkins Hospital. 

Dr. Ruta Nonacs completed a perinatal and reproductive psychiatry fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School, a senior psychiatrist with the Center for Women’s Mental Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, and the creator and editor-in-chief of their website,⁠ ⁠⁠womensmentalhealth.org⁠. She, with Allie Hales, co-hosts the new podcast,⁠ So Glad You Asked⁠. Dr. Ruta’s work has been published in numerous scientific journals and books, and she is the author of⁠ A Deeper Shade of Blue: A Woman's Guide to Recognizing and Treating Depression in Her Childbearing Years. ⁠

Show Highlights:

Highlights of Dr. Ruta’s path to her current work

Allie’s lived experience in her mental health journey and her connection to Dr. Ruta

Barriers to getting information and accessing treatment

The importance of lived experience in developing solutions and strategies

Moms, questions, and a new podcast

Giving a voice to “regular moms” and providing evidence-based solutions

Major topics planned for upcoming podcast episodes (Dr. Ruta and Allie have a huge list!)

The connection between the podcast and a resource hub at ⁠womensmentalhealth.org⁠

Accessible information IS preventative.

The podcast schedule and plans for the first season

Dr. Ruta and Allie’s hopes and dreams for their podcast to empower and support women

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Ruta Nonacs and Allie Hales:⁠ Women's Mental Health website⁠,⁠ Instagram⁠,⁠ So Glad You Asked⁠ podcast, and⁠ A Deeper Shade of Blue: A Woman's Guide to Recognizing and Treating Depression in Her Childbearing Years⁠.

Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit⁠ cdph.ca.gov⁠

Please find resources in English and Spanish at⁠ Postpartum Support International⁠, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to be more supportive in offering services. 

You can also follow PSI on social media:⁠ Instagram⁠,⁠ Facebook⁠, and most other platforms

Visit⁠ www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/⁠ for information on the grief course.  

Visit my website,⁠ www.wellmindperinatal.com⁠, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!

If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, ⁠email me⁠ about openings for private pay clients!

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