Karen Kleiman, a wonderfully dedicated therapist to the PPD world, has authored yet another wonderful book, Therapy & the Postpartum Woman. Available for pre-order now, this book will release in September and is written for the benefit of both clinicians and women with PPD to maximize the therapy experience on both sides. Click here to pre-order: Therapy & the Postpartum Woman
Here’s an excerpt of what Shari Lusskin, MD says in the foreword of the Therapy & the Postpartum Woman:
Ms. Kleiman presents a theoretical framework in which the therapist “mothers the mother” by acting as the “good” mother, who “must achieve that equilibrium between absolute support and appropriate boundaries.” Using compelling patient narratives, she demonstrates just how to achieve that balance in order to teach the patient how to develop confidence in her own skills as a mother. There is a treasure trove of “clinical pearls” in this eminently readable book, which even the most experienced clinician will be able to use right away. For those new to the field, and for patients and their loved ones, the book offers a wealth of information on the nature of postpartum depression as a medical illness and the psychosocial issues that arise when a woman is faced with caring for a baby. Ms. Kleiman describes how the medical community tends to minimize the complexity of these issues and use a “one size fits all” approach to treating depression. Readers will learn to be more effective advocates for proper treatment of perinatal depression. Therapists will also learn how to draw from their own experiences to facilitate the human connection between therapist and patient at a time when women feel isolated by shame and insecurity. Together, the therapist and the patient can work towards discovering the innate resilience that has allowed women to raise children even in the most extreme circumstances. Ms. Kleiman has developed a humanistic approach to psychotherapy for postpartum mood disorders that gives recognition to psychodynamic theory, but then uses many cognitive–behavioral techniques to reach well-defined goals. Therapy and the Postpartum Woman is an elegantly written book that not only offers practical advice but also does so in a way that will touch the lives of both patients and therapists. It is destined to become a classic for those experiencing or treating perinatal mood disorders.
