08/19/2026
When a postpartum tragedy hits the news, itās so easy to zoom in on āone momā and miss the systems that were supposed to catch her.
Iām not here as a lawyer or a psychiatrist.
Iām here as a licensed clinical trauma therapist speaking from my lens. Before I do, I want to preface, that I am not passing clinical judgment towards any of the providers in this case. Further, I genuinely believe providers are acting in the best interest of the patient.
That being saidā¦
And from that seat, I see a really consistent gap: our medical system is undertrained in nuanced mental health diagnosis, especially around womenās health, pregnancy and postpartum.
As nonāprescribing clinicians (LCPC, LPCC, LMFT, LCSW, etc.), weāre rigorously trained to assess for psychopathology, psychopharmacology, psychosis, risk, and safety. Additionally, it is PREACHED into us to know our scope of practice; to consult when thereās any question or clinical need; and to prioritize continuity of care. With a signed release, we *should* be in active conversation with prescribersāsharing what weāre seeing in the room so they can make informed decisions about meds and monitoring.
When that collaboration happens, weāre more likely to catch early psychosis, escalate safety planning, and use medications thoughtfully instead of just medicating symptoms and hoping for the best.
So if you are pregnant or postpartum and something feels off, or you are scaring yourself, you are not dramatic and you are not a burden. For resources; the last slide in this post is a great place to start!
And if youāre a partner or family member watching this and youāre worried about someone you love, believe what youāre seeing and help them get connected to support.
