News
September 28, 2011
Group Therapy Helps Pregnant Women and Moms Manage the Balancing Act
Patricia Neufeld-Erdman is a Marriage and Family Therapist who provides individual and group therapy for women experiencing stress, depression, and anxiety during pregnancy and motherhood.
With three daughters of her own, Neufeld-Erdman is passionate about women's health, and it's her mission to shed some light on a dark little secret: One in six women experience depression and anxiety during pregnancy and after childbirth, and it is the most common, undiagnosed complication during pregnancy and after childbirth.
"We tend to believe that pregnancy and having a baby is a time of emotional well-being for women and their families, and this is true for many women," explained Neufeld-Erdman. "But the reality is that this major life transition is stressful for many women, and the pressure to do everything right creates an enormous amount of anxiety."
Many women have a tendency to try to tough it out and not seek help, but Neufeld-Erdman is trying to change that. She is a founder of the annual Perinatal Mental Health Conference in Fresno and is the co-chair of the Central California Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative, a group dedicated to education and raising awareness of this condition.
In 2005 the American Group Psychotherapy Association awarded her a grant to develop a group therapy program for women experiencing postpartum depression. Her program, called "The Balancing Act," is designed to show women how to take care of themselves while still caring for others.
Six women per group meet weekly in Neufeld-Erdman's comfortable office for the 8-week course that helps guide them toward more satisfying relationships with their babies, partners and families.
"They come to the group feeling alone and wondering 'What is wrong with me?'" said Neufeld-Erdman. "A big part of what I do in the first session is work through that shame, help them accept what they are feeling, and develop some realistic expectations as a wife, mother and woman."
The groups are structured and focused. A woman new to the group can expect to start each session checking in with her mind and body – how is she feeling? Then the group celebrates successes in terms of how they have been taking care of themselves, and they discuss a challenge they have faced during the week. The group then addresses a different theme each week. Themes cover topics such as Managing our Emotions, Effectively Mobilizing Our Support, and Self-nurturing.
The sessions end with each woman sharing one thing that they got out of the group that day, and one thing they will commit to doing to take better care of themselves.
"After the first session, I most often hear 'Wow, I'm not alone.' That realization offers a huge sense of relief for them," shared Neufeld-Erdman. "Getting together with other women and sharing and hearing each other's stories is very powerful."
The group therapy is very effective and according to Neufeld-Erdman, she notices improvement in they way the women begin to feel and carry themselves. "They begin to breathe easier and feel more confident," she said. "They are able to ask their partners to accept some of the new responsibilities. As they begin to let go of some of their burdens, life comes back to them and they wake up to their sense of vitality."
In Neufeld-Erdman's experience as a therapist, she has seen frequently that when a woman's anxiety is reduced and she feels supported, she is able to hear herself when she shares her story. And when she hears herself and listens with compassion instead of criticism, her own wisdom emerges. "When this happens, they are able to experience joy again and receive more pleasure from life. They awaken," she said. "It is very satisfying for me to be a witness to this awakening."
For more information, contact Patty Neufeld-Erdman at (559) 226-0800 or visit www.PatriciaNeufeld.wordpress.com.
