A new online therapy course has been deployed by the Government of Saskatchewan, supporting new and expecting mothers and their partners. The goal of the course is to help those experiencing mental health difficulties, such as depression or anxiety.
The University of Regina's Online Therapy Unit is offering The Wellbeing Course for New and Expecting Parents, following $380,000 in funding coming from the province.
"We want new mothers and their partners to know they are not alone if they face challenges with their mental health," Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. "This free online course offers easy, flexible access to mental health support from anywhere in the province and our government is proud to work with the University of Regina to provide it."
Clients for the new course started being accepted back in February. A similar Non-Birthing Parents Resource is also available through the program and will continue to be enhanced in 2025-26.
"We are grateful for this important investment from the Government of Saskatchewan," University of Regina's Online Therapy Unit Psychology Professor and Director, Dr. Heather Hadjistavropoulos, said. "Our new eight-week online course provides a much-needed doorway to care, meeting new and expecting parents - both birthing and non-birthing - with compassion, flexibility, and evidence-based support. For those facing barriers like distance, time, or privacy, this funding means we can be there when and where they need us most."
The program is part of the larger Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (ICBT) programs developed at the University of Regina, working with issues such as depression, anxiety, substance use, or difficulties coping with chronic health conditions.
Almost 14,000 Saskatchewan residents have used ICBT services since 2015. The province will be providing over $1.6 million for the service over the fiscal year.
"At the University of Regina, we are committed to research that makes a real difference in people's lives," University of Regina's President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jeff Keshen said. "The launch of the Wellbeing Course for New and Expecting Parents is a powerful example of responding to needs within our community and turning research into action to support mental health, strengthen families, and build more resilient communities across Saskatchewan."
"More people should know about and take the course because it is so helpful," an anonymous client said after ICBT treatment. (The course) makes you feel that normalcy. These feelings with becoming a parent are normal, and there are solutions."
The province says that additional work is underway to develop and coordinate maternal mental health supports.