This short-course presentation aims to increase awareness and advocate for occupational therapy as part of the perinatal mental health treatment team.
Occupational therapy is a profession that holistically enables the fundamentals of engagement and participation in meaningful occupations using a client-centered approach to provide, promote, and emphasize participation in daily activities, role performance, and well-being. Occupational therapy practitioners are vital and should be considered on the treatment team in the area of perinatal mental health. Transitioning to motherhood is a significant and transformative life event for women (Horne, Corr, & Earle, 2005). Whether it is a new-time mother or a seasoned mother welcoming a newborn into the family, these new changes can be disruptive to established routines and habits. The physiological and psychosocial changes a woman encounters contribute to feeling overwhelmed, pressured, exhausted, alone, and misunderstood (Kepic, 2021). Occupational therapy practitioners have the knowledge and experience to conduct screenings, assessments, and evaluations, deliver treatment and interventions, and measure progress and outcomes. Considering clients’ strengths and abilities, daily routines and habits, motivation, interests, meaningful activities, and social supports, we can collaboratively establish individualized interventions and goals during the perinatal period. This short-course presentation aims to increase awareness and advocate for occupational therapy as part of the perinatal mental health treatment team.
Mauly Her Lo
Mauly Her Lo is a mother and an occupational therapist. She is a two-time alumna of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (UWM) and is currently a post-professional occupational therapy doctoral student at UWM focusing on Perinatal Mental Health. After experiencing perinatal mental anxiety during both of her pregnancies, Mauly believes it is important to bring knowledge and awareness of Perinatal Mental Health to the preservice education level. She contributed to developing 3 preservice education modules for pre-occupational therapy and entry-level occupational therapy students on perinatal mental health and the benefits of occupational therapy.
