Emily is embarking on some very exciting research with colleagues from the Center for Trauma and Embodiment at JRI about perinatal mental health, and a form of yoga, based on Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga, that may be especially useful to women during the perinatal period (pregnancy through 1-year postpartum) in supporting women’s mental health.  

Our Principal Investigator (PI) on the project is Viann Nguyen-Feng, PhD, MPH, LP from the Mind-Body Trauma Care Lab at the University of Minnesota Duluth.  We are also in collaboration with the Midwives at Boston Medical Center (BMC), the Center for Women’s Mental Health at Mass General Hospital (MGH).

• We are still looking for the right Funding Opportunity – please be in touch if you are interested in collaboration!

This research will be focused on experiences of trauma, and how a particular type of yoga, based on Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga, designed for women not only during pregnancy, but during the perinatal period could support the treatment/prevention of trauma. Participants may include (but will not be limited to) women who have experienced trauma before their pregnancy, during their pregnancy, during the birthing experience, or after pregnancy, perhaps due in part to experiences of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs).

As this pilot program is in its very beginning stages, Emily is offering a forum to women (current mothers (at any stage of motherhood), pregnant women, or women that endured a pregnancy loss) through this “Perinatal Mental Health Awareness” Facebook page to start a dialogue about this very important topic.

Here, Emily will pose questions to women such as:

• “What do you think was missing in your perinatal (pre and post-natal) care re: mental health acknowledgement/support (or lack thereof)?”
• “What would you have liked to been added to your perinatal care?”
• “Would you have been open to exploring a particular type of yoga, based on Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga,  designed for women, not only during pregnancy, but during the perinatal time?”
• “If offered, what mental health supports were helpful to you?”

*Please “Like” this page if you’d like to receive updates on this poject and participate in the dialogue!

• Learn more about the Perinatal Mental Health services Emily offers clients (including home-visits to new mothers) here.