Nikki Stillo, PhD

07/28/2025

🟣 Statement from Postpartum Support International (PSI): We Must Do Better for Parents 🟣

Perinatal mental health disorders—like depression, anxiety, and OCD during pregnancy or postpartum—are the most common complications of childbearing and a leading cause of maternal mortality. That’s why PSI is deeply concerned about the recent FDA panel discussion questioning the use of SSRIs (antidepressants) during pregnancy.

Here's what everyone should know:

✅ SSRIs are among the most studied medications used in pregnancy—backed by 30+ years of research.
✅ They are a vital, often life-saving, part of comprehensive treatment for perinatal mental health disorders.
✅ Mental health is health. Stigmatizing psychiatric medication only fuels misinformation and shame—and puts families at risk.

Sadly, the recent FDA panel did not include enough perinatal mental health experts, and some of the discussion spread dangerous and misleading messages. The maternal mental health community deserves better.

PSI continues to stand with parents. No one should suffer in silence.

If you or someone you love needs support, please reach out:
📱 Call or text the PSI Helpline: 1-800-944-4773
🌐 Visit: postpartum.net
📲 Download the free “Connect by PSI” app (English & Spanish)

📣 Providers: PSI offers expert consultation for prescribers managing perinatal psychiatric care. Learn more: https://go.postpartum.net/PPConsult

PSI Full Statement: https://postpartum.net/fda-panel-discussion-regarding-ssri-in-pregnancy/

The following is a statement from Postpartum Support International (PSI): We are Postpartum Support International (PSI), the world’s largest organization representing parents affected by perinatal mental health disorders (PMHDs), including pregnancy and postpartum depression, anxiety, obsessive-co...

04/01/2024

Let’s continue this week on a good note, and release the human tendency to speak harshly to ourselves and about ourselves 🙌

You may not be where you want yet, and you may being seeing old patterns repeating themselves. You won’t get past that by beating yourself up.

You may not be where you want, you may even see old patterns repeating themselves. But you still deserve kindness 💗

Self-Compassion Says: created by and reposted from the amazing 🙏🏽

12/02/2023

09/09/2022

World Su***de Prevention Day is Saturday, September 10. Here's to making every day an effort towards su***de prevention... (and stumbling across your name in an article on mental health tips!) Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones, and let's keep an especially close eye on our kiddos as they transition back to school this year.

If you or a loved one are in an emergency, please call the new su***de hotline at (988).

World Su***de Prevention Day is September Tenth, so what better time than now to check in on the mental health of yourself and your loved ones. The prevalence

07/16/2022

Starting July 16th, 988 will be a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the U.S., you can easily access 24/7 emotional support.

In the meantime, please continue to share 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to be connected with a trained, caring counselor.

We're here for you.

05/01/2022

Today is International Bereaved Mother's Day, started in 2010 in Australia by Carlie Marie Dudley after the stillbirth of their son Christian.

Today we honor you as a courageous and warrior mother to your most beautiful and beloved child. We see you and the deep love you carry for your child in your heart. As long as you love, you will never stop grieving your baby's death.

Be gentle with yourself.

With love,
Kiley & the RTZ HOPE Team

08/23/2021

“Back-to-school season is stressful for many kids, even without the uncertainty of a global pandemic. Here's how parents can identify signs of stress and support children and teens through a challenging transition.”

Young people experience stress from a variety of sources. Some stress can be positive, but too much stress is overwhelming. Tuning into emotional or behavioral cues is important in identifying potential problems.

06/02/2021

❤️‍🩹 You deserve the same kindness, forgiveness, and empathy you give everyone around you.

You are not the only person who loses their patience. You may have gotten irritable, maybe even yelled or gotten angry. Maybe you cried or had to walk away, or maybe today is one of those impossible days and it’s only noon.

You think to yourself, “Will this baby ever stop crying, and why can’t my partner just ____??”

I need you to remember this — save this post, write it down, do whatever you need to do to remember:

⚡️ Feeling irritable, or angry, or frustrated is common. These are feelings we feel when our own needs aren’t being met, when we feel invalidated (by ourselves or others), and are basically NATURAL reactions to a huge life transition and very little sleep.
⚡️ You are not going crazy. You are not alone. You are not a bad mom. This isn’t the “new you.” These things are temporary, and won’t last forever.
⚡️ BUT that doesn’t mean you have to put your head down and endure them!! You *can* get help and feel better. Therapy helps, support groups help, sleep helps, moving your body helps, medication can help, and talking to a trusted friend/adult helps!!

Asking for help is scary, but worth it.

A good place to start? Forgive yourself for doing the best you know how. Forgive yourself for being a human. Offer yourself the same kindness you offer everyone else.

👉 To find help in Utah, visit: maternalmentalhealth.utah.gov — you’ll find a whole map of people who can help.

01/11/2021

These are trying times in so many ways, on so many levels. In my work and personal life, I'm noticing how important it is to have a variety of quick and easy ways to help calm myself. So I made this graphic as a way to offer resources that are useful,
evidence-based, and even...dare I say it? Fun!

01/03/2021

The impactful wounds from childhood can result in complex trauma. These wounds most often have long-term effects and require a devoted journey of self-discovery and recovery. ⁣
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Even if we can identify the behaviors of our parents and how those behaviors affected us, it can take time to process the feelings of hurt and loss that accompany the realization that we were never given the care we as children deserved. ⁣
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Sometimes we have to grieve never having been given a safe childhood in which we could be ourselves, make messes, and play irresponsibly. ⁣
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Sometimes we have to accept our anger and forgive our parents for not providing the stable foundation we so desperately needed. ⁣
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Working through the effects of parentification may take time, but in doing so we can take the first step of breaking the cycle.⁣
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What can help you in your process: ⁣
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Tell your story free of shame. You have spent so long hiding your story and feeling like it is your fault for how you were treated as a child. But remember not everyone has the emotional capacity or understanding to validate your experience, when you do tell your story, choose wisely. ⁣
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Acknowledge the reality of the childhood you never had and validate how that has impacted you into your adult life. ⁣
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Recognize that this is not your fault. Say it with me now: “This is not my fault.” Recognize that your parent(s) did not love you the way you needed, but now it is time to heal from these wounds.⁣
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Work on setting boundaries with others, especially your parent(s). This can be an arduous process, and your parent will likely be resistant for a while. But boundaries are necessary to grow into the healthy adult you deserve to be. ⁣
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Apologize to your inner child. Let them know that you are committed to healing the trauma of the past and that you love who they are, despite it all. ⁣
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Most of your healing will require others. Having reparative experiences that begin to change our inner scrips and core beliefs will be essential. ⁣
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Find a trauma-informed therapist that understands complex PTSD. Please reach out if you need help on your journey. This journey is not meant to be done alone. ⁣
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Two books I usually recommend:

The Inner Child Workbook: What to Do With Your Past When It Just Won’t Go Away by Cathryn L. Taylor

Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving: A Guide and Map for Recovering from Childhood Trauma
by Pete Walker

Thank you for being here ❤️

12/21/2020