Coming Soon:

A woman holding and kissing a young child on a couch in a living room

Anticipated Release Date:
September 15

Price:
$35

CE Credit:
1 CE available for Colorado providers
(quiz & survey required)

Format:
1-hour recorded video

Modern Motherhood:

Understanding the Perinatal & Postpartum Experience

A woman and a young child smiling and playing together indoors.

Course Overview

Modern Motherhood explores the multidimensional impact of motherhood on birthing people, with a focus on the perinatal and postpartum periods. We’ll dive deep into the psychological, hormonal, immunological, and social changes mothers experience—and identify the gaps where support and diagnosis often fall short.

This course equips you with practical knowledge to better support clients in the perinatal period. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of both the challenges and opportunities for healing, plus the insight to advocate for increased awareness and access to care.

Who This Course Is For

Therapists and mental health providers

Doulas, midwives, and birth workers

Social workers and case managers

Any professional working with perinatal clients

White floral line art design with various flowers and leaves on black background.

What You’ll Learn:

Psychological Impacts & Diagnoses

  • Common perinatal mental health diagnoses: depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, psychosis

  • Symptoms: anger, irritability, intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, traumatic birth impacts

  • Hormonal and environmental triggers

Common Postpartum Experiences

  • Sleep disruption

  • Physical recovery (vaginal or C-section)

  • Sensory overload and postpartum rage

  • Body image shifts and dysmorphia

  • Birth trauma effects

 Hormonal Changes

  • Drops in estrogen and progesterone

  • Increases in oxytocin and prolactin

  • Cortisol spikes and sleep-related serotonin changes

Therapist’s Role

  • Supporting identity, self-trust, and boundaries

  • Trauma recovery across contexts

  • Strengthening communication and connection

  • Reducing isolation and connecting to resources

Additional Considerations

  • Emotional labor of co-regulation

  • Impacts of pregnancy loss

  • Advocacy for systemic reform

Relationship Impacts

  • Mother-infant attachment challenges

  • Partner relationship changes

  • Family dynamic shifts and conflict

  • Role of community and social support

Immunological Shifts

  • Pregnancy: anti-inflammatory response

  • Labor: inflammatory cytokine increase

  • Postpartum: immune rebound and dysregulation

Systemic Challenges

  • Postpartum care gaps

  • Barriers to help: shame, guilt, cultural expectations

Cultural, Social & Political Contexts

  • Impact of social media

  • Political and policy influence on maternal care

  • Cultural pressures and gender roles

  • Disparities in care for Black and Native mothers

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will:

  • Recognize signs of under-supported and under-diagnosed perinatal clients

  • Understand the interconnected physiological, psychological, and social factors affecting maternal well-being

  • Apply evidence-based strategies to support clients more effectively

  • Engage in advocacy for improved maternal care systems

A young boy kneeling and pressing his face against a pregnant woman's belly, who is sitting and touching her belly with one hand. The woman is wearing a beige floral dress, and the boy is dressed in a white shirt and gray overalls.
Red outline drawing of a three-flower plant with leaves on a black background.
Red outline of a flowering plant with multiple flowers and leaves on a black background.