Perinatal Mental Health & Young Adult/Teen Parents

Open to WA state professionals with priority given to Pierce County Providers.

Pregnant and parenting adolescents experience mental health disorders, including depression, at over three times the rate of older mothers, and struggle with the dual stigmas of teen parenthood and mental illness.  This training will focus on the unique needs of teen and young adult parents including,  pregnancy, birth and pp considerations, emotional wellbeing, development stages and needs, attachment and support of infants and children, screening and referral.  Special topics include: psychopharmacology considerations, teen/young adult dads, and more.  This training is open to any professional working with young parents including- therapists, midwives, MDs, doulas, home visitors, parent educators, case managers and more.

Date: Friday, March 24, 2023

Time:  9am-5pm PST

Cost: FREE

Presenter: Nneka Symister, LCSW,  Aba Nduom, M.D. PLLC,  Keshet Ronen,PhD, MPH

Location: Zoom

Continuing Education Information:

• 6.5 CEUs approved for LICWs, LMHCs, and LMFTs.
• This Program has been approved for 6.5 CEUs for Licensed Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists by the Washington State Society for Clinical Social Work.
• 6.5 Contact hours approved for RNs: Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 17084 for 6.5 contact hours.

This free training is offered by Perinatal Support WA through a grant from Strengthening Families Washington at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).

Questions regarding the training, please email: training@perinatalsupport.org

About the Speaker:

Nneka Symister is a licensed  Clinical Social worker who has two decades of experience helping individuals and families build and strengthen their relationships with themselves and others. Her work includes supporting diverse populations, including self -harming young adults and the LGBTQIA community. She also specializes in helping young women and couples who suffer with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, miscarriage and loss. In her work, she uses multiple techniques to best serve her clients, including Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, interpersonal therapy and mindfulness. Ms. Symister received her Master’s in Clinical Social Work from The Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and UrbanEducation from the State University of Albany. She is also EMDR trained. She is  deeply involved in her community serving as member of state and national professional organizations, including the National Association of Social Workers, National Alliance on Mental Illness and The Links, Incorporated.