• University of Exeter

Addressing Postnatal Depression as a Healthcare Professional

4.5 (10 reviews)

Learn how postnatal depression affects parental mental health and how to provide support on this BPS-approved course.

Addressing Postnatal Depression as a Healthcare Professional
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Learn how to offer effective support to new and expecting parents

During pregnancy and the year after birth, many women can be affected by mood changes, anxiety disorders, and depression. Women report that a key barrier to seeking help is the lack of perinatally-informed treatments and practitioners.

On this course, you will understand the symptoms of postnatal or postpartum depression, how to support clients, and improve their mental health and wellbeing. You will identify the patterns that contribute to the depression cycle and explore how to combat them with coping strategies. This will help your clients stay well during the perinatal period and beyond.

Download video: standard or HD

Skip to 0 minutes and 8 seconds I’m just not enjoying this.

Skip to 0 minutes and 14 seconds I’m missing my old life.

Skip to 0 minutes and 19 seconds I’m lonely and stuck.

Skip to 0 minutes and 25 seconds I’m exhausted.

Skip to 0 minutes and 31 seconds Will it always be like this?

Skip to 0 minutes and 36 seconds I don’t know how to cope.

Skip to 0 minutes and 44 seconds I can hear the birds tweet again.

Skip to 0 minutes and 49 seconds I feel like I’m getting better.

Skip to 0 minutes and 55 seconds I feel I know how to ask for help.

Skip to 1 minute and 0 seconds I can see my baby looks at me and wants to be with me. I feel like I know what I need and the steps to get there.

What topics will you cover?

  • Understanding Postnatal Depression, symptoms and cycles
  • Identifying Perinatal TRAPs - Identifying patterns that help maintain the depression cycle
  • Turning Perinatal TRAPs into TRACs - Breaking patterns by developing alternative coping strategies
  • Support and Communication - Strategies for good communication and asking for support in a postnatal context
  • Being a ‘Good Enough’ Mum - Identifying ‘mummy goals’ and using alternative coping strategies to meet them
  • Staying well - Strategies for staying well in the future

Who is this accredited by?

British Psychological Society
British Psychological Society:

Approved by The British Psychological Society Learning Centre for the purposes of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

The CPD Certification Service
The CPD Certification Service:

This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service, which means it can be used to provide evidence of your continuing professional development.

When would you like to start?

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more

  • Available now

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explain what post-natal depression is, when you should treat it and when you should refer
  • Demonstrate a clear understanding of how the postnatal transition and postnatal health may affect parental mental health
  • Demonstrate the ability to adapt evidence based behavioural principles for perinatal- specific concerns
  • Demonstrate an ability to promote effective communication strategies
  • Demonstrate a clear understanding of how to deliver treatment with baby in the room

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for current healthcare professionals or those training to provide perinatal support or mental health care services. It is also beneficial for maternity, general practice, and supervised lay and peer support workers.

Who will you learn with?

heather O'Mahen

I am an academic clinical psychologist at the University of Exeter. My research and clinical work focuses on improving access to effective treatments for perinatal parents with mental health problems

Who developed the course?

University of Exeter

The University of Exeter is a Russell Group university. It combines world-class research with very high levels of student satisfaction.

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