'It can be among the most rewarding yet challenging times in life. Filled with physical changes combined with thoughts and feelings that run the emotional gamut, the time between conception and one year after birth can be a life-changing experience. And while parental anxiety during and after pregnancy is normal, it can sometimes be a challenge,' shares the Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba's recent news release.
'To help deal with the anxiety that often presents during these times. Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba, in conjunction with the University of Manitoba, is now offering a new, six-week online program: Overcoming Anxiety in Pregnancy and Postpartum.'
“The pregnancy and postpartum periods are filled with various physical, emotional, and lifestyle changes that can increase a woman’s risk for anxiety,” says Dr. Kristin Reynolds, assistant professor in the department of psychology at the University of Manitoba. “Our program helps people understand and recognize the signs and symptoms of anxiety and related mental health concerns in the pregnancy and postpartum periods."
UM Researchers launch anxiety program to support new and expecting moms
Dr. Reynolds and her colleagues from the Department of Clinical Health Psychology and the Department of Psychology at the University of Manitoba developed the program, Overcoming Anxiety and Pregnancy and Postpartum, out of community-based needs and clinical needs coming through their clinics with people presenting with increased anxiety and low mood and pregnancy and postpartum, as well as being faced by long wait times for medical care, or uncertainty of where to go for help and support.
Since those early days in 2015 when Reynolds co-developed the overcoming perinatal anxiety program, the team was able to evaluate that program in clinical settings as well as online. More recently they could evaluate results or feedback through an online self-directed program where participants who are pregnant and/or postpartum and experiencing symptoms of anxiety can log in and go through modules of e-health.
This gave the participant more flexibility with the program in amongst sleepless nights, afternoon naps, and demanding feeding times, to learn through their online device on their own time and gain support and helpful information to help understand and move through some of the symptoms of anxiety that can commonly occur in in pregnancy and postpartum, says Dr. Reynolds.
Program expansion driven by participant feedback
"Through some of our recent evaluation of that online self-directed program, one of our findings was that though the program was significantly helpful in reducing anxiety and depression and improving maternal attachment and self-efficacy, people consistently talked about wanting more, wanting more conversations with other people who are pregnant and have postpartum and who got it, who got that experience and who are living that experience, of being in that particular period, that stressful life transition period and having anxiety."
"And so, a really lovely logical extension and partnership was that with Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba, who are experts in providing peer support and who have provided just tremendous resources in and across Manitoba," says Reynolds.
"And so that led to our what we call OPA Peers Plus - overcoming perinatal anxiety with peer support," she explains. "And so, we're really, really excited to have co-developed that program with Anxiety Manitoba, and to be offering that program starting later in September to integrate both the online self-directed program as well as weekly peer support sessions with ADAM, geared towards pregnancy and postpartum anxiety and offered virtually over Zoom!"
Lifestyle changes can intensify anxiety—support is available
Based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy, the online program is free and self-directed, highlighting evidence-based techniques known to be effective in reducing anxiety and depression.
"Yes, there's no shortage of things to worry about," says Reynolds. "We find health and safety about the person who's pregnant as well as the growing fetus and infant, those are sort of key concerns that people have when pregnant and postpartum."
"And then you throw the lifestyle changes on top of all those worries, the sleepless nights and the changes in routine and rhythm, and reduced coping strategies, everything else, those can exacerbate anxiety and fears. And so yeah, so we're hoping this will help to bring support to a community of people who are dealing with anxiety and pregnancy and postpartum. We hope that this can offer some much-needed support in a timely way."
Please listen to more with Dr. Kristin Reynolds below as she shares more on postpartum depression.
The program will be delivered by trained peer support facilitators Registration is now open - and free of charge.
Those interested in taking part can email: research@overcomingperinatalanxiety.ca.
Dr. Reynolds says people can continue to contact the team to learn more about the program and register. Registration will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the groups begin. The first start date is at the end of September, with a second group beginning in October.
"So, one of the groups will be Tuesdays at 6:00 in the evening and another will be Thursday mornings at 10:30. We wanted to give a few a few different times to allow people some flexibility in when they might join," she adds.
- Thursday morning program at 10:30 am begins September 25th
- Tuesday evening program at 6:00 pm begins October 14th
"And we'll take registrations sort of up until the start date of those programs and we hope that that we'll be running more programs in the later fall and into the wintertime as well".
Please visit the website HERE for more information on this 6-week online program.
Space is limited and available on a first-come, first served basis. Gift cards offered as incentives for participants. Funding in part provided by the John Walker Family Fund in conjunction with ADAM and the U of M.
