Postpartum Times
A quarterly newsletter of PSI of WA 
April 2009
In This Issue
Properly Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder
Support MOTHERS Act Online
Support Group for New Fathers
Greetings from the Executive Director!
888-404-PPMD (7763)
PSI of WA's support line is for mothers, families and professionals seeking support, information and resources. Volunteers return calls throughout the day. You also can visit PSI of WA at www.ppmdsupport.com.
Join Our Mailing List!
Bipolar Disorder frequently misdiagnosed as depression, especially in postpartum women
Of all the postpartum mood disorders, depression gets the most attention, which can be life-saving for the women who have it. A misdiagnosis of depression can be devastating, however, for women who actually have bipolar disorder.
 
When they are given anti-depressants, women with bipolar disorder can go into intense manic cycles, sometimes including psychotic episodes that they might not have experienced otherwise. Some women experience less severe reactions to antidepressants.
 
The trickiest part for health care providers is that 60 percent of the people diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the postpartum period initially present with depressive symptoms. That makes a psychiatric evaluation particularly helpful.
 
Anyone diagnosing women with postpartum mood disorders should take a careful family history, including asking about symptoms -- such as whether anyone in the patient's family had mood swings or problems with rage, uncontrolled spending or hallucinations --because bipolar disorder used to go relatively undetected.
 
One Seattle-area woman said she saw three therapists and a family practitioner, and attempted suicide three times before finally being sent to a psychiatrist who diagnosed her with bipolar disorder.
 
"I kept saying, 'I'm not doing well, I'm getting worse. Hello, somebody?'" she recalled.
 
Thankfully, she was never given an antidepressant, which might have made a terrible situation worse.
 
Although many patients with bipolar disorder eventually take antidepressants for their depressive cycles, they start with mood stabilizers that usually mitigate the manic cycles and the roller-coaster of cycling.
 
Symptoms of bipolar disorder are available at the link below and elsewhere, but a psychiatric evaluation is the only way to know for sure whether someone who seems depressed is actually suffering from bipolar disorder.
 
Add your name to new list of supporters for MOTHERS Act
Postpartum Support International is creating an online registry of people and organizations who support the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, which would help provide support services to women suffering from postpartum mood disorders.
 
We want lawmakers to quickly see how many constituents from their states support the bill. PSI will send the list to every legislator's office during the week of Mother's Day and at key points in the bill's movement.
 
To be added to the list, e-mail Susan Dowd Stone, chair of the President's Advisory Council for PSI, at susanstonelcsw@aol.com saying you want be listed as a supporter of The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act.
 
For individuals, please give your name, the state where you live and any role or credentials you'd like to include. For organizations, please include your state and contact person.

You can watch the list grow here: http://www.perinatalpro.com/ppdlegislation/listingofsupporters.html.
 
It passed in the U.S. House of Representatives last month! More on that great news: http://postpartumprogress.typepad.com/weblog/2009/03/postpartum-depression-melanie-blocker-stokes-mothers-act-passes-house-last-night.html. Now it's being considered by the Senate, so we still need to show our support.
 
Thank you so much for your help with this important initiative!
Support Group for New Fathers
Derek Trlica, a Seattle psychotherapist, has a practice and community called Intentional Dads and offers support groups for new fathers and fathers-to-be. He started them after becoming a father and experiencing an unexpected shake-up of his emotions and belief systems.
 
The work Derek did to sort out his feelings helped him realize that many men go through a similar process, and that having contact with other men around these issues can be profoundly healing.
 
We'll have more about new father issues in the next newsletter, but here's a glimpse of what Derek addresses through his practice (www.IntentionalDads.com) and support group (http://www.bigbellyservices.com/fathers.htm):

"Becoming a father can be one of the richest, most wonderful experiences in life. It can also be one of the most difficult. The challenges and choices involved often bring confusion, stress, and overwhelm. How can I support my partner? Is the baby healthy? Can we afford a child? Is my old life gone forever?
 
"These questions often mean something different to a man than they do to a woman, which makes his experience of parenthood different than hers. Intentional Dads is a place where men can talk about their unique experience with other men who are going through something similar. We offer advice, support, and feedback on everything from how to change a diaper, to sex and finances, to personal identity."
Greeting from the Executive Director!
In synch with Spring's season of rebirth, growth and renewal, PSI of WA is launching into its own exciting time of change, growth and renewal. 2009 marks our 20th anniversary serving Washington families experiencing pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders, and we are continuing to grow in innovative ways to meet the needs of our community.
 
Since our last newsletter, we have launched an internal structural reorganization, hiring two part-time paid positions for the first time, including my position as Executive Director and a new Administrative Assistant, Ashlie Beach. We also restructured our board of director positions and formed several new subcommittees to better serve our organization's mission and core services.

One new area we are branching into includes a brand new presence on FaceBook Causes. Please add PSI of WA to your FaceBook Causes if you'd like to keep posted on our latest news via Facebook.
 
Additionally, we are currently underway with a complete remodel of our website. Not only will it be a totally new look and design, but it will be easier to navigate and integrate many new features. The new site is scheduled to launch by early June.
 
Also, we are excited to be publishing a completely revised and updated edition of our booklet, Beyond the Birth, based on the most recent research and treatment models. The new booklet will be available to order later this summer.

 
We also launched a new lecture series that we will be hosting about every other month. The first lecture is on Reflective Parenting, presented by Margaret Bermann-Ness, MA, LICSW. The event is free and open to the public. It will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, in the meeting room at Mosaic Coffee House, 4401 2nd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105.
 
It has been my privilege to serve PSI of WA in a variety of capacities for the past 12 years, and I look forward to this new chapter of service as the Executive Director as we grow and expand our services.
 
Warmly,
Heidi Koss-Nobel, MA
Executive Director, PSI of WA
 
Sterchi ad
 
PSIad1
 
To advertise in Postpartum Times, please e-mail newsletter@ppmdsupport.com. The newsletter reaches more than 500 subscribers, and ads cost $100 for four online issues.
Become a Member
PSIlogoPSI of WA is a non-profit organization that provides personal support for women with postpartum mood disorders and their families. It strives to educate the public, families and health care practitioners about the nature and management of these disorders through conferences, networking and special publications.
 
Benefits of membership include: Quarterly e-newsletters, opportunities to network with professionals in related fields, ability for qualified Professional Members to be listed in a directory that is sent to agencies statewide, used by volunteers on the phone support line and posted on PSI of WA's web site.
 
Membership is available at two levels: Professional ($100/year) and Supporting ($50/year) and runs September through August. For more information, see www.ppmdsupport.com or leave a message at 888-404-PPMD (7763).
Request for referrals and volunteers
Request for care provider referrals: PSI of WA is working to build its referral list of care providers outside the Seattle area. If you know someone who should be included, please let us know by contacting our membership coordinator, Shannon Armitage: lifetransitions@gmail.com.
 
We're also looking for volunteers, including people for these board positions:
 
Chairperson of the Board of Directors (not as big a role as in the past, since we created the Executive Director position)
Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Subcommittee coordinators and members of these subcommittees:
Co-coordinator for phone volunteers (with Mia Edidin)
Incoming mail management and distribution coordinator
Membership coordinator
Support Groups coordinator
Fundraising coordinator
Education Services coordinator
Conference Coordinator
Multi-cultural services coordinator
Advertising coordinator
 
Members to assist the marketing/outreach coordinator promoting our booklet (new revised edition hot off the presses in about two months!)
 
Inquiries for volunteer positions can be directed to Executive Director Heidi Koss-Nobel, at heidikossnobel@comcast.net.
Professionals and families use our booklets, "Beyond the Birth: What No One Ever Talks About," to better understand postpartum mood disorders. They cost $6.50 each, with discounts for large orders. Please phone 888-404-PPMD (7763) to order. Free brochures called "Speak Up When You're Down" include PSI of WA's support line number and can be ordered in English and Spanish at www.wcpcan.wa.gov/ppd/home.htm.