What happens when the journey into parenthood collides with mental health challenges? This episode pulls back the curtain on a critical yet often overlooked aspect of becoming a parent - perinatal mental health - and discusses The Menninger Clinic’s innovative "hospital without walls" approach to supporting families.
 
 Clinical social workers Emily Pyle, LPC-S, and Michael Riley, LCSW-S, from Menninger 360 join us to explore their wraparound care model that meets parents exactly where they are - in their homes and communities. They reveal a stark reality --- that perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are the leading medical complication in childbearing and the leading cause of maternal death in the United States, affecting one in three pregnancy-related deaths.
 
 The conversation explores how mental health challenges manifest differently between birthing parents and their partners, with fascinating insights into the biological and psychosocial factors involved. They reveal that up to 10% of new fathers experience clinical depression or anxiety, often showing symptoms through distancing behaviors, substance use, and irritability. Also sharing that  fathers undergo documented hormonal shifts including decreased testosterone and increased cortisol.
 
 Moving to a multigenerational perspective, the discussion examines how untreated perinatal mental health issues can impact child development through disrupted attachment and the modeling of coping mechanisms. Our experts share crucial warning signs for clinicians and loved ones to watch for, while emphasizing that effective, evidence-based treatments exist, emphasizing that the challenge lies in making them accessible.
 
 Whether you're a mental health professional, an expectant parent, or someone supporting a growing family, this episode offers vital insights into creating supportive environments during one of life's most transformative journeys. Listen and join the conversation about how we can better support the mental health of parents and families.

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