Perinatal Mental Health Care

Home
United States
Agoura Hills, CA
Perinatal Mental Health Care

A private psychology practice in Agoura Hills, CA serving women of all ages and offering unique servi

08/10/2026

Loving this dramatic take from Brooke Manley, LCPC, PMH-C

Specialized care isnt extra - it’s what women experiencing reproductive struggles deserve. Infertility, perinatal loss, depression and anxiety during and after pregnancy all warrant professionals specifically trained to treat these conditions. If even ONE of Lindsey Clancy’s inpatient psychiatrists had perinatal mental health training - perhaps we wouldnt be watching this court case unfold.

No one goes to their regular dentist for impacted wisdom tooth extraction - you go to the expert, an oral surgeon. We have experts for a reason and you deserve the best care possible.

To learn more about preparing for your postpartum wellness by trained perinatal mental health providers, please register for our FREE virtual class at the Reproductive Psychology Program Cedars-Sinai - held every Tuesday at 11AM. To register click on my biolink and select “Cedars-Sinai Groups.”

07/24/2026

Representation matters!

My colleague and friend, Dr. Bamgbose, shared this illustration of a Black pregnant person and Black fetus (never before seen in a medical textbook)! She said, “As a Nigerian American psychiatrist I’m proud to see these beautiful, educational illustrations done by my fellow countryman!” Thank you Chidiebere Ibe, for this amazing work!

Its Black Maternal Mental Health Week - Here are 5 top reasons to focus on Black Maternal Mental Health:

1. PMADs: Black mothers experience depression and anxiety at a rate of 40%, nearly twice the rate of white mothers. This discrepancy highlights not just a healthcare gap but a chasm of understanding and support.

2. Underdiagnosis: Black women’s symptoms of maternal mental health issues are less likely to be diagnosed or taken seriously, further compounding the crisis.

3. Access to Treatment: Only about 25% of Black women who experience PMAD symptoms seek professional help, compared to 45% of white women. The barriers? Stigma, lack of access, and insufficient culturally competent care.

4. Maternal Mortality: Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. Behind this stark statistic are issues of systemic racism, socio-economic disparities, and inadequate healthcare.

5. Impact on Infant Health: Untreated maternal mental health conditions can lead to poor developmental outcomes for children, including delays in language, cognitive abilities, and emotional regulation.

Learn more at Shades of Blue Project

07/13/2026

July is Bereaved Parents Awareness Month, dedicated to honoring parents navigating the unimaginable loss of a child. The observance aims to validate their lifelong grief, acknowledge the enduring love they carry, and encourage compassionate support from the community.

Many of my clients who experience miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss share that there is still a strong stigma around sharing these experiences. It can be difficult for a woman to seek support without feeling shame and guilt - even though it is not her fault. Perinatal loss can have long-lasting impacts on a woman’s mental health, such as increased isolation, disrupted sleep, and appetite changes.

Wondering what to say to a loved one whose baby has died? Tell them you love them and you are there for them whenever they want to talk. Then check in, often.

Wondering what not to say or do? Don’t make assumptions. They may have named their baby, they may not have. Ask. Don’t start any sentence with, “At least...” There is no right way to end that sentence. It doesnt matter if they can try again, or if they have an older/healthy child. Please don’t let your fear or discomfort get in the way of supporting your loved ones.

Please consider reaching out to the Reproductive Psychology Clinic if you are suffering after a , termination, or . We have a Ending a Wanted Pregnancy group - the next series starts August 4th! For more information please click link in Bio and select “Cedars Sinai Groups.” Please also check out for many more support group options!

06/23/2026

My favorite part of the job - training new psychologists! Saying goodbye to great students at the end of the academic year is always a challenge! We will miss you ❤️

Pictured L-R: Dr. Ruth Maouda, our (first) postdoctoral fellow; Megan Sweeney (Loma Linda); me; Elayne Zhou (USC); Renee Vergara (Pepperdine)

06/08/2026

Truth 💣

05/28/2026

As we near the end of Maternal Mental Health Awareness month, I want to remind us that having a baby affects everyone in the family! If Mom is struggling then Dad, siblings, everyone in the family will be too. It’s so important to encourage partners especially to reach out for help!

So proud of the work we do at the Reproductive Psychology Program at Cedars-Sinai and especially proud of our postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Ruth Maouda! She worked with one new father for months as he adjusted to the new baby and role overload.

Perinatal mental health is indeed a family affair! Thank you Laura Coverson for this wonderful piece ❤️

05/21/2026

The majority of my postpartum clients have negative intrusive thoughts.

These thoughts can be a symptom of or , yet as many as 70% of new parents experience related to infant safety or harm. Some studies note as many as 90% of postpartum women have mild, transient intrusive thoughts.

These thoughts are ego-dystonic (the thoughts are scary and do not feel like the right thing to do). The fact that these thoughts are scary and ego-dystonic is actually reassuring. It means that women are NOT likely to harm their baby. In fact, they are more likely to engage in avoidance behaviors to keep everyone safe. This is not the case with postpartum psychosis (rare, only 1 in 1000). Please see a reproductive psychologist or reproductive psychiatrist (or any PMH-C) for proper diagnosis and care. You do NOT have to suffer alone in secret.

Share these thoughts with someone you trust and deflate their power.

05/13/2026

Having a baby is one of the most stressful and life changing experiences that we ever go through. It can certainly be a time filled with joy but it would be unfair and untrue to say it is often easy or intuitive.

So how do we prepare? What do you think of ? I prefer to use the term “birth preferences” since, no matter what you plan, s #!t happens. Your ability to go with the flow and adjust your expectations as much as possible will help tremendously!

It’s also so important to prepare your and resource list for after delivery and 👶 I love ’s advice about creating a , or postpartum preferences!

So how are you preparing for your postpartum?

Please join our FREE virtual class called “Preparing for Postpartum Wellness.” This class is offered every Tuesday at 11am PST and led by a provider at our Reproductive Psychology Clinic . You can be pregnant or up to 6 months postpartum to attend – living anywhere in the USA! We offer the same class in Spanish once a month, so please share widely swipe for the flyers!

To register (in order to receive the link) click on my biolink and select “Cedars Sinai Groups.”

05/07/2026

Thank you for inviting me to speak at the Michael Marcy Memorial Lecture this week . It is so important to develop partnerships with the entire community to support new moms, and educating pediatricians about screening, education and referral is critical!

I also want to thank Deborah Herbert and her team for the wonderful documentary, “The Imperfect Mothers Club,” screened that evening. We must continue to uplift voices from diverse communities about how affects families across the country!

05/01/2026

Today is Pregnancy and Postpartum Psychosis Awareness Day and Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week starts on Monday. All month we will be raising awareness for MMH!

Maternal mental health disorders, AKA , like are the MOST common complications of childbirth and is one of the leading causes of maternal death.

Swipe 👈🏿👈🏾👈🏻 for how we will be spreading awareness in LA, more information to raise awareness for maternal mental health!

💟 Use the hashtags MMHAW2026 ADecadeOfVoices MMHWeek2026 and MaternalMentalHealth on social media

💟 Tell your story to help raise awareness of maternal mental health issues so that more women will get treatment and fewer will suffer

💟 Come up with your own ideas to highlight that maternalMHmatters in your area

💟 Stay tuned all month for highlights that maternal mental health is a global issue!

Address

28328 Agoura Road, Suite 201
Agoura Hills, CA
91301

Telephone

+18182804445

Website

http://www.perinatalmentalhealthcare.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Perinatal Mental Health Care posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Perinatal Mental Health Care:

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Agoura Hills?