depression during pregnancy Archives

7 06, 2019

Tips for Preventing Postpartum Depression

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:27-08:00June 7th, 2019|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health|Tags: depression during pregnancy, perinatal mental health, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression|0 Comments

I have been sharing a little bit on social media about my latest venture, an online course to prevent postpartum depression and anxiety. I haven’t really announced it here yet, but yes, it’s live! The beta testing round filled up quickly after I shared on Instagram and Facebook. Happily, preliminary reviews from the beta testers have been overwhelmingly positive. If you just want to check it out, I made five of the lessons free previews. For those wanting to take the full-course, I recommend buying it soon as the early-bird pricing will go up after the official launch later this summer.

One beta tester shared: “The Skills and Strategy section is so supportive. It left me feeling hopeful and gave me […]

22 02, 2019

Preventing Perinatal Depression [TV News Clip]

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:27-08:00February 22nd, 2019|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health|Tags: depression during pregnancy, fox5, maternal mental health, media, mental health, new mom, perinatal mental health, peripartum mental health, postpartum, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, pregnancy, pregnancy resources, press, psychotherapy, san diego therapist, therapy for postpartum depression, tv appearance, video|0 Comments

Here’s some big news for perinatal mental health: a national panel just released a report that depression during pregnancy and postpartum can be PREVENTED with evidenced-based counseling. KSWB-TV brought me back for a sixth time to explain. You can watch a clip here.

Perinatal depression is a big problem

Depression and anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum is a big problem, not just for 1 in 5 women, but for their partners and children as well. We’ve talked before about stigma – that’s the fear of embarrassment that keeps us from telling our friends, “this is tough” or “I’m struggling.” Fortunately, more new parents have been getting real and sharing openly and honestly about their struggles.

Even […]

7 04, 2017

Abigail Burd, LCSW Now Accepts Cigna for Therapy

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:34-08:00April 7th, 2017|Categories: Blog, Practice Updates|Tags: cigna, college students, depression during pregnancy, insurance, maternal mental health, mental health, perinatal mental health, postpartum anxiety, psychotherapy, san diego, san diego psychotherapist, therapy for postpartum depression|0 Comments

I am happy to announce that I am now an “in-network” psychotherapist for Cigna.

What does this mean for YOU?

If you have Cigna for behavioral health insurance, it means that I can now bill Cigna directly for therapy sessions and you only need to pay the copay at the time of service.

If you are a provider in San Diego, please keep me in mind for clients with Cigna needing help. My specialties include addiction, dual diagnosis/co-occurring disorders, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including depression and anxiety. Over the past 20 years I have helped people from all walks of life and enjoy helping college students, other “helping” or “healing” professionals, and new parents navigate transitions.

Schedule an […]

23 06, 2016

Paternal Postpartum Depression [Video Clip – News]

By Abigail Burd|2018-02-28T21:10:33-08:00June 23rd, 2016|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health, Mental Wellness, Parenting|Tags: depression during pregnancy, fox5, maternal mental health, mental health, mental wellness, new fathers, parenting, perinatal mental health, peripartum mental health, san diego therapist, therapy for postpartum depression, tv appearance, video|1 Comment

Yesterday Fox 5 San Diego brought me back for a third time to talk about Depression. This time they wanted to hear more about Paternal Postpartum Depression. They were surprised to know that dads and partners are at risk for PPD, too. Many thanks to co-anchor Shally Zomorodi for helping raise awareness. You can watch the clip below:

Thinking About Getting Help for Paternal Postpartum Depression but Not Sure if You Have the Time?

One thing that I did not get a chance to say was that many parents think it is selfish or self-indulgent to spend time and money on themselves. But numerous studies have shown that fathers’ and mothers’ mental health greatly impact a child’s well-being. In fact parental depression affects emotional and intellectual development and has a lasting […]

28 01, 2016

Abby on TV Today Explaining the New Depression Screen Recommendations

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:36-08:00January 28th, 2016|Categories: Blog, Featured, Maternal Mental Health, Mental Wellness|Tags: depression, depression during pregnancy, fox5, news, postpartum depression, subject expert, tv, tv appearance, video|3 Comments

The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated their 2009 recommendations on screening adults for depression on 1-26-16. In a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, they detail how ALL adults should routinely be screened for depression, and made particular mention throughout of the importance of screening pregnant and postpartum women.

I spoke with Fox 5 morning news anchor, Shally Zomorodi, this morning about what the recommendations mean.

This clip originally aired on Fox5 KSWB TV Morning News on 1-28-16 at 7:40am. Uploaded with the permission of the station.

So why is this news?

Live TV goes fast and something that I didn’t really get to explain is how big a deal this is. As JAMA […]

3 03, 2014

7 Ways To Find Your Circle of Support When Pregnant and Postpartum

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:31:01-08:00March 3rd, 2014|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health|Tags: depression during pregnancy, mental health, perinatal mental health, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, pregnancy, san diego therapist, therapy for postpartum depression|3 Comments

Pregnancy changes many things. One thing you may find is that your old circle of friends no longer understand what you are going through. Just when you need more support. So how can you find or create support when pregnant or a new parent?

7 ways to find your circle of support when pregnant and postpartum

1. Birth education classes

Challenge yourself to strike up a conversation with at least one interesting woman during one of your birth education classes.

2. Consult existing friends who already have kids

Parents love to give advice to those following their footsteps!

3. Online support

Find a Facebook group of local women going through the same thing. Google+ can be a great place to find communities with common interests. And Babycenter and What to Expect have “birth month clubs” that can be […]

7 02, 2014

Mental Health Starts in the Womb

By Abigail Burd|2014-02-08T16:59:28-08:00February 7th, 2014|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health|Tags: depression during pregnancy, mental health, pregnancy|2 Comments

You take your folic acid up to a year before conception… You take your great-aunt’s advice to eat carrots while pregnant so the baby will have good eyesight… But have you thought about your unborn baby’s mental health?

Relax! I don’t mean to pile on more things to worry about. Please read Marcy Axness’ great article on Natural Baby Pros: “Mental Health Begins in the Womb” for the full story. But I’ll give you the takeaway: take care of the mom! Helping a pregnant mom to feel good and manage stress during the pregnancy makes all the difference to her unborn child.

(Photo from the original article.)

6 02, 2014

Online Test for Depression During Pregnancy and Up to One Year Postpartum

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:31:02-08:00February 6th, 2014|Categories: Blog, Giveaways/Free Resources, Maternal Mental Health|Tags: depression during pregnancy, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, san diego therapist, therapy for postpartum depression|2 Comments

Pregnancy and the postpartum stage are times of major changes: physically, emotionally, socially, professionally, hormonally…. you get the idea… just about everything is shook up. Anxiety and the blues are common. But when is it more than just baby blues???

When is it time to reach out to a mental health professional for postpartum depression?

Take this ten question online test* and see. A score of 10 or more (out of 30 possible points) is usually an indication to talk to a professional therapist or doctor.

–> Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale <–

*The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a widely used, 10 question questionnaire, to help screen for postpartum depression. It can also be used during pregnancy.

–> If you are having thoughts of […]

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