Did you know at least one in seven mothers and one in ten fathers suffer with perinatal depression or anxiety and for many this can lead to family breakdown?
These are some of the staggering statistics Elly Taylor has found in her perinatal research.
Elly says we laugh that babies don’t come with an instruction manual and that nothing can prepare parents for parenthood, but neither of these things are entirely true and clinging to them can cost new mothers and fathers their mental health and their marriages. She says our materialistic culture does a lousy job of preparing and supporting early parenthood.
Elly believes when we understand the modern day transition into parenthood, it’s cultural context and what it means for couples, we can reduce the risk for parents and support the emotional well being and bonding of mothers, fathers and babies.
In this interview Elly discusses:
- A summary of the research she is doing in Perinatal research
- How she came to be interested in working in the perinatal field
- The common challenges new parents struggle with
- Some of the more serious mental health issues that parents can encounter pre and post birth
- What therapists should be on the lookout for when working with new parents
- How therapists can help parents better prepare for parenthood
- What the research is telling us about the state of the mental heath of parents and young families in Australia
- Specific resources for therapists that might be working with this population
Links and resources mentioned in this episode:
- BeyondBlue
- Becoming Dad – Darren Mattock
- Becoming Us – Paperback book by Elly Taylor (ABC store)
- Becoming Us – International paperback version, including research on same sex couples and adoption (Amazon store)
- Becoming Us – Kindle edition by Elly Taylor (Amazon Kindle store)
- Why Dads Leave – Kindle edition by Meryn Callander, John Travis and Gabor Mate (Amazon Kindle Store)
- And Baby Makes Three – book by Gottman & Gottman
- Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy for Trauma Survivors – Sue Johnson
- Women, Stress and Trauma – book by Kathleen Kendall-Hackett (Kindle Edition)
- www.EllyTaylor.com – Elly Taylor’s website
- Elly Taylor on LinkedIn
- Becoming Us Facebook Page
- COPE – Centre of Perinatal Excellence
- Australia Counselling membership – Join Australia Counselling to promote your private practice
About Elly Taylor:
Elly Taylor is an Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist and a columnist for Practical Parenting magazine, resident relationship expert for Daily Life website and has appeared on Sydney’s Ten Network News. The result of over fifteen years research is her book Becoming Us, an attachment based, emotionally-focused guide which has been welcomed by parents and endorsed internationally by CAPPA, the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association and in Australia by COPE, the Center for Perinatal Excellence. Elly now works with therapy, birth and health professionals to prepare and support the expecting and new mothers and fathers in their care. She is presenting her research and work to the U.S. and U.K. this year. She lives in Sydney with her firefighter husband, her three children and a bunch of pets. Contact her at www.ellytaylor.com
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