Why Perinatal Mental Health Training Matters—And Why I Created One for You
- Emily Morehead, MA, LPC-S
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
My Story: Why This Work Is Personal and rooted in my own journey.
Hi, I’m Emily Morehead—licensed psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, TEDx speaker, and PhD student researching Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), maternal identity, and Sex Therapy.
But before all of that, I was a mom silently struggling.
Yep. That's right. That cutie to your left & I learned more than I could have imagined as I became his mama after a fertility journey, high-risk pregnancy. Honestly, after that rollercoaster ride, I thought I would take him home & all the pieces would fall together without a care in the world.
Little did I know that those factors all lined up perfectly for me to experience a PMAD- a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder.
So, with that said, let's restart my introduction! My name is Emily, and I am a proud survivor of Postpartum OCD and Postpartum Anxiety, and for a long time, I didn’t have the words to describe what I was feeling. It wasn’t until I attended a perinatal mental health training, as a provider, that I realized how much I had been suffering. That moment changed my life—and became the foundation of the work I do now.
That’s why I created this Perinatal Mental Health Training—for therapists, OBs, nurses, doulas, pelvic floor therapist, and dietitians who want to confidently support pregnant and postpartum clients.
Why Providers Need Perinatal Mental Health Training
Too many people experience the perinatal period: pregnancy through the first year postpartum, without adequate emotional or mental health support. In fact, 1 in 5 birthing people will experience a PMAD, including postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, or trauma-related symptoms.
These disorders are treatable. But only if providers are equipped to recognize them.
This is why I created the Providers Integrative Perinatal Mental Health Training: a research-forward, comprehensive course for:
Therapists, counselors, and social workers seeking CEUs and deeper clinical confidence
OB-GYNs, midwives, nurses, and medical providers who want to screen for PMADs early and treat effectively
Doulas, lactation consultants, dietitians, and holistic providers who support new parents day-to-day
Providers caring for families through miscarriage, infertility, birth trauma, or loss
What You’ll Learn in the Course
This self-paced, research-informed training goes beyond symptom lists and diagnostic checkboxes. We dive into:
How to identify and support perinatal mood and anxiety disorders
What it means to offer trauma-informed, culturally responsive care
The intersection of postpartum identity, sexual health, and mental wellness
How to support clients navigating grief, miscarriage, and reproductive loss
Tools for building interdisciplinary referral networks that truly support families
Clinical resources, downloadable slides, and a CEU certificate or Certificate of Attendance upon completion
Why This Training Is Different
This course was created from both lived experience and clinical research. It’s rooted in empathy, informed by evidence, and designed to help providers feel confident, connected, and capable when supporting clients in the perinatal period.
You won’t just learn what to look for—you’ll learn how to hold space for the messy, beautiful, and complex realities your clients are living through.
Who Should Take This Course?
If you’re a:
Licensed therapist or social worker needing CEU credit
OBGYN, family doctor, or nurse who screens for maternal health
Doula, lactation consultant, or midwife offering wraparound support
Dietitian, Physical Therapist working with parents in different season of pregnancy and beond
Provider supporting families through infertility, infant loss, pregnancy loss, Sexual Dysfunction and/ or Couples Counseling.
…this course was built with you in mind.
Final Thoughts: Why This Work Matters
Maternal mental health doesn’t end when May does. This training was born out of a personal mission to keep the conversation going every single day, not just during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month.
Whether you’ve walked this journey yourself or simply want to show up more fully for your clients, I hope this course becomes part of your ongoing advocacy and care.
So, please take a seat, you can sit with us, let's share The Couch, to build a better standard for perinatal mental health, together.
Start Today!
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