One in six couples will face fertility challenges and fertility issues are a risk factor for pregnancy-related mental health disorders. Join Karen Balumbu-Bennett, Shatiera Amankrah, Liana Bonadio, and Shamella Joy for an open and honest conversation on the experience of infertility, including its impact before, during, and after pregnancy. Hear stories of how they navigated the challenges physically, mentally, and spiritually. They will also explore the lasting impact of infertility in their relationships and how it continues to play out in their parenting.

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Suicide is the leading cause of death for birthing people in the first year following a child’s birth. Suicidal ideation is also common during the perinatal period. Infertility and infant loss are also significant risk factors for suicidal ideation. Yet, this topic remains something many do not discuss. Join us for an intimate conversation on suicide and suicidal thoughts from those with lived experience. Let’s learn together how to make sure no birthing person believes their baby would be better off without them. Hosted in partnership with Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance.

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Join Maternal Mental Health NOW and Return To Zero: HOPE for a conversation around the experience of pregnancy and infant loss including pathways to finding support for the bereavement and healing journey and how to support others experiencing pregnancy and infant loss.

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Join midwife and trans/queer childbirth educator Ash Dasuqi and MMHN’s Alex Villalba in a discussion on the unique experiences trans & queer (QT) folks face while going through pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum, including gender dysphoria, chest feeding, binding, lactation induction, medical discrimination, and more.

Explore deeper level considerations when working with the QT community that will enable you to provide more competent care and advocacy in which trans/queer clients may experience less traumatic encounters while receiving more support and validation.

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1 in 10 dads experience depression and other mental health issues after the birth of their children and yet it is rarely talked about.

Join Kevin Seldon, host of the Dad I’d Like to Friend podcast as he talks with author of Daddy Blues, Mark Williams, author of Boy & Arrow and I Rose with Tu Lips, Dustin Willis and Davion Mauldin, Fatherhood Coordinator for LA County Department of Public Health. Each will share their experiences becoming fathers and the mental health challenges they faced along the journey.

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This panel will be moderated by Jessica Wendi Abel who is the author of The Little Blue Rocket Ship: A Story About Postpartum Depression. This book is told by a boy who sees changes in his mom after she has a baby. As the boy explores his own feelings and questions, he is reassured by his mom’s continued love for him. Our panel includes those who have added to their family following an experience with PPD/PPA or any other perinatal mental health disorder. We will discuss preparing yourself, your partner and your children.

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Join us for our first Courageous Conversation event of 2022. We will be speaking with creative artists who have turned their storytelling gifts towards the journey of parenthood. We will explore how creativity can play a role in healing and how it can provide an outlet for others to do the same. This panel features Michelle Hall, founder of Proud Earthlings, Aloura Charles, Director of Under, Jessica Matthews, Producer of Under, Lauren Aboulafia, performer and animator, and Brittany Patterson, founder of Birthwrite Diaries. Join us for what is sure to be an amazing conversation and may even inspire your own story.

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For our last conversation of the year we presented a candid discussion on the range of fears and challenges experienced by those on the journey of parenthood. These sometimes include scary thoughts and may at times progress to perinatal mental health disorders. Our dynamic panel shared their stories of what life looked like along their journey, as well as how they found support to address their fears and how they navigated perinatal mental health treatment and healing. This discussion is inspired by the book “Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: A Healing Guide to the Secret Fears of New Mothers” by Karen Kleiman and Molly McIntrye.

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Join author Renee Cramer, author of “Pregnant with the Stars” and “Birthing a Movement” for a discussion on the impact of Hollywood and celebrity pregnancies in the media on society and pregnant people. We are exploring topics such as the pressure to keep up with the stars (think gender reveals, expertly designed nurseries, looking beautiful during pregnancy, ect), “bouncing back” and the expectation to do so, and other ways we might be subconsciously (or consciously) influenced by the way Hollywood stars are put up as the “standard”.

She will be joined by the dynamic husband and wife team behind the Mid-drift Movement, Angie and Mike Sonrode who will be sharing about their project aimed at changing the conversation about postpartum body image.

We will also be hosting two of our dynamic storytellers, Kimberly Osuna and Karyn Chen who are both survivors of postpartum depression and perinatal mental health disorders. They will share from their personal experience.

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An intimate conversation with Catherine Cho, author of “Inferno: A Memoir of Motherhood and Madness” and Liz Song Mandell. Catherine is a postpartum psychosis survivor and Liz is a survivor of postpartum PTSD. They will discuss their journey through pregnancy, birth, PTSD and psychosis and finally healing and adding to their family. They will explore the role of culture and societal expectations along with the need for compassionate education, treatment and support.

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A panel conversation with Andrea Freeman, author of “Skimmed: Breastfeeding, Race and Injustice”, along with Adjoa Jones, Shamiesha Johnson and Jadah Parks Chatterjee. They will discuss the lasting legacy of racism and injustice on breastfeeding and public health as it applies to Black mothers, birthing people and families today. They will also explore advocacy and systemic changes needed to address inequity today and in the future.

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