In recent years, several well-known public figures have spoken openly about the emotional and identity changes that accompany becoming a mother. This is important as it expands the discourse on perinatal mental health. Although they may not use the word matrescence, many of their reflections describe exactly this developmental transition — the profound psychological, relational, and embodied changes that unfold as women move into motherhood. Like adolescence, matrescence resh

A pregnancy loss is a primal, deep loss. And often the parents dealign with this devastating loss have other, young children who were looking forward to having a little brother or little sister. There is help available, in this time of pain, for parents who need to find ways to answer their surviving children’s questions about death and help them cope with their emotions. Pregnancy and infant loss is a family event.

A story of perinatal mental illness and recovery wrapped in a murder mystery.

Are You There Alone? is written by Suzanne O’Malley, an investigative reporter. She followed the tragedy in real time. She was present through Andrea Yates’ 5 weeks of court proceedings. To write this book, she read all of the transcribed trial testimony, 2000 pages of Andrea Yates’ medical records. She interviewed nearly 100 people, including Ms. Andrea Yates and Mr. Rusty Yates, her ex-husband, to write this book. Personal Note: I often review books written by perso

Dyane Harwood, author of Birth of a New Brain. Dyane's lifelong healing journey with bipolar Dyane Harwood battled depression her whole life and then bipolar disorder after she gave birth. Therapy, lifestyle changes, medication and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) got her life back. Birth of a New Brain , by Dyane Harwood is a very important book. Dyane’s autobiographical account of her life with bipolar disorder is as stunning as Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison’s autobiographica