- This event has passed.
Perinatal Mental Health for the “Other” Parent: Dads, Non-Birthing Queer Parents & Foster/Adoptive/Kinship Parenting
FREE webinar series open to all professionals in Washington State
Parents who do not carry and birth their children often experience forms of othering in perinatal and parenting spaces. This training will center experiences from a diversity of voices, including dads, queer non-birthing parents, and kinship/adoptive/foster parents.
Dates & Time: All sessions take place 10am-12pm PT
October 9th: Keynote Session: Perinatal Mental Health of Non-birthing Parents and Family Health (Presented by Sheehan Fisher, PhD)
October 16th: Perinatal Mental Health for Dads (Presented by Nathan Friend)
October 23rd: Perinatal Mental Health for Parents who Adopt, Are Kinship Parents or Foster (Presented by Zia Freeman, MA, LMHC)
October 30th: Perinatal Mental Health for the Non-Birthing Queer Parent (Presented by Lara Hayden, MSW, LICSW)
***
Keynote Session: Perinatal Mental Health of Non-birthing Parents and Family Health
October 9th from 10am-12pm PT
Presenter: Sheehan Fisher, PhD
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the socioenvironmental factors that cause stress and the barriers to seeking support that make non-birthing parents vulnerable to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders
- Discuss the unique expression of perinatal depression in non-birthing parents and the gaps in the literature
- Describe the impact of non-birthing parent perinatal mental health on the individual, interparental relationship, and parent-child relationship
- Utilize non-birthing parents as assets to support birthing parent perinatal mental health
Perinatal Mental Health for Dads: Strengthening Family Systems Through Dads and Partner Support
October 16th from 10am-12pm PT
Presenter: Nathan Friend
Learning Objectives:
- Typical presentations for dads
- Normalizing the challenges
- Seeking help and key resources
- ACES impact on perinatal outcomes
- Evidence-based practices for supporting the parent-baby/dad-baby dyad
Perinatal Mental Health for Parents who Adopt, Are Kinship Parents or Foster
October 23rd from 10am-12pm PT
Presenter: Zia Freeman, MA, LMHC
Perinatal Mental Health for Non-Birthing Queer Parents: Beyond Birth and Binaries
October 30th from 10am-12pm PT
Presenter: Lara Hayden, MSW, LICSW
Learning Objectives:
-
Understand the variety of queer and trans family constellations that non-gestational and non-genetic parents exist in
-
Identify the unique psychosocial challenges faced by queer and trans non-gestational parents in the perinatal period
-
Apply aspects of the minority stress model to the experiences of queer and trans non-gestational parents
-
Identify and utilize a variety of resources to provide effective and affirming support to queer and trans families
REGISTER HERE
About the Presenters:
Keynote Session: Perinatal Mental Health of Non-birthing Parents and Family Health
Sheehan Fisher, PhD is an Associate Professor and perinatal clinical psychologist at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine and the Associate Dean for Academic Environment and Success at The Graduate School. His research career focuses on the effects of perinatal and subsequent parental mental health on infant/child health outcomes, with a specialization in the field of non-birthing parent mental health. His aim is to reconceptualize parental mental health research to integrally involve both birthing and non-birthing parents to differentiate parents’ impact on child medical and mental health. He has been a leader nationally and internationally advocating for more inclusion of racial, ethnic, sexual, gender, linguistic, and religious minorities in perinatal research and clinical practice to address domestic and global health disparities. In addition to research and clinical practice, Dr. Fisher focuses on public policy, advocacy, and media to support perinatal families and ensure programs address variations of family dynamics. Ultimately, Dr. Fisher’s goal is to optimize the health and effectiveness of the parental team to positively influence the child health trajectory and help the family thrive.
Perinatal Mental Health for Dad
Nathan Friend is the Dad Specialist for the PSWA Warm Line. Since 2022, he has helped dads and partners to navigate the struggles of new parenthood through peer support and resource sharing. Leaning on his personal lived experience with pregnancy loss, traumatic birth, and postpartum depression, Nathan brings authenticity, curiosity and care to his work with fellow dads. He facilitates a vibrant weekly Dads Support Group, bringing new dads from across Washington State together to build community and to share the challenges of parenting. A compassionate listener who loves cloudy days and any kind of movement, Nathan and his wife raise their three young children in a lively multi-generational, multicultural household.
Perinatal Mental Health for Parents who Adopt, Are Kinship Parents or Foster
Zia Freeman, MA, LMHC currently works as a Community Educator for Coordinated Care, providing clinical, trauma informed trainings to organizations and individuals that may work or live with youth with a background of trauma, especially in foster care, adoptive and kinship placements She facilitates a virtual caregiver support group across WA. In addition, she is a consultant for clinicians working with challenging youth. Zia has a MA in Behavioral Science and is a licensed Mental Health Counselor. She has worked in adoption and foster care (both domestic and international) for over 30 years as a clinical social worker, counselor and trainer for child placing agencies in WA state. She has worked as a therapist with military population and started her career working in domestic violence and sexual assault and began her child welfare adventures working as a counselor for Job Corps, a national training and residential organization. Zia has trained at the CASA conferences, the Fatherhood Conference in Spokane, FPAWS, PAVE, the REFRESH, and Restore conferences and other events around the state. She provides training for behavioral and physical health providers, caregivers & Child Placing Agency staff, CASAs, office of civil legal aid attorneys, residential and juvenile rehabilitation employees, schools, and others who may work with youth and young adults. Her extensive clinical experience and reality-based humor keep attendees engaged and coming back for more!
Perinatal Mental Health for the Non-Birthing Queer Parent
Lara Hayden (they/them) graduated from the UW School of Social Work with a Masters in Social Work in 2010; they are a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and an Approved Supervisor for Washington State mental health professionals seeking licensure. In their private practice, Lara offers evaluations and reports along with groups, clinical supervision and training. Specifically, Lara provides social work home study reports for confirmatory adoptions, fertility and family build support, as well as gender-affirming care documentation. They have worked in multidisciplinary care settings for over a decade, supporting individuals, families, and providers in navigating the complexities of medical and mental health care. Their clinical interests include LGBTQ+ family building, gender-affirming care, eating disorder care, and neurodiversity. Lara is a fat queer agender person who uses they/them pronouns. They are a parent of three kids, an enthusiastic road trip planner, and really into spreadsheets.