With celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Hayden Panietierre breaking their silence and revealing their struggles, Postpartum Depression has been getting a lot of press lately. Although the experience of pregnancy, childbirth and bringing a new baby home can be an incredible milestone in a woman's life, it can also present many challenges. Physical and hormonal changes can be a big factor in Postpartum Depression but social and psychological changes are also key influences. Like any life transition, bringing a new child into the family changes the dynamic. For a mother, this can be especially poignant as she may feel a significant shift in her identity and may need not only additional support but assistance in processing a role change. And this is not exclusive to the transition from being childless to becoming a parent for the first time. In Drew Barrymore's case she did not experience Postpartum Depression after the birth of her first child but did after her second was born.

Considering these psychosocial factors along with physical and emotional stress of childbirth, psychotherapy can be a useful tool to help a woman who is suffering from Postpartum Depression regain her sense of self. The Postpartum Project is a unique resource linking women to licensed and experienced mental health professionals who not only provide psychotherapy but also perform wellness visits at the mother's home. In addition to the often overwhelming emotions of the postpartum period and the stigma that can be associated with PPD, the physical and logistical restraints of a newborn infant further deters many women from seeking the help of a therapist. Through the use of therapist wellness visits to the new mother's home, The Postpartum project seeks to remove this common barrier to treatment.

Kate Kripke wrote an excellent article summarizing the eight types of psychotherapy often used to treat Postpartum Depression. Click here to learn more.