How to respond and what to expect?
Read each question and reflect on it.
If you have questions, read it again, take time to reflect and/or contact me for further clarification.
Answer "yes" or "no"
in each of the 5 questions. If you have doubts about which one might be the most correct, answer what you consider best fits the moment you are currently experiencing.
You will receive a response
In your email (if you enter email) and as soon as you click on "Submit". If you scroll a little further down this page you will find useful information related to the questionnaire and its themes.
Questionnaire (anonymous)
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This short questionnaire aims to help mothers and fathers understand whether perinatal mental health consultations can be useful to them during preconception, pregnancy and postpartum.
If you answered "Yes" to any of the questions, it means that at least one perinatal mental health consultation could be very useful in helping you through this tougher/challenging phase that you may be going through.
On the website I talk in more detail about why it might be useful and what I can do to help you. Did you have a chance to read it?
http://www.anavale.pt/en-gb/saudementalperinatal
Contact me to find out when we can schedule a session online or in person (office or at home).
You can also purchase the session through our online store (on the website) for yourself and/or as a gift to someone else.
Hope we can talk soon,
Ana Vale
(+351) 92 682 82 02
PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH
"from pregnancy to the first year after the baby is born" (1)
Around 1 in 5 women experience changes in their mental health during pregnancy and postpartum, and these changes affect the relationship with themselves, the couple/family, and the baby. Many women need specific support, which can be provided by health professionals such as psychiatric nurses / nurses specializing in mental health field. (1)
(1) World Health Organization (2022). Guide for integration of perinatal mental health in maternal and child services. Geneva: WHO.
What types of mental health changes (symptoms)?
- Sadness/irritability/agitation
- Lack of pleasure in trying activities that previously gave pleasure
- Lack of energy, motivation
- Excessive worry / Extreme physical and mental tiredness
- Sleeping and/or eating too much (or too little)
- Difficulty paying attention and concentrating
- Difficulty making decisions
- Feeling guilty and/or hopeless/powerless/useless
- Feeling that something bad is going to happen and/or wanting to harm yourself
- Headaches and pain in different non-specific areas of the body
What kind of support can you get?
Care based on respect, acceptance, non-judgment, practices based on scientific evidence, active listening and person-centered care
Sharing information about mental health problems, medication, support resources, answering questions
Helps with stress management and finding strategies that facilitate coping and increase self-esteem and self-confidence
Helps with parental decision making, problem solving in self-care and baby care, communication, emotional management
Recognizing mental health problems, understanding how they affect self-care, daily life and finding facilitating strategies
Counseling, relaxation, coordination with different health professionals if necessary
What are the main benefits of the consultation?
- Decrease in emotional suffering
- Decrease in anxious and depressive symptoms
- Increased security in performing the maternal/paternal role
- Increased self-esteem and self-confidence
- Better self-care management for mother and baby
- More positive and calm relationship with the baby, partner and with oneself
If you answered "Yes" to any item in the questionnaire:
You can benefit from support!
Needing help with mental health and recognizing it is not "giving in to the weak side", it is taking the first step towards resolving what causes you suffering.
Let's talk?
Helping women and men with mental health problems during preconception, pregnancy and postpartum is something I have done for many years and with great pleasure, dedication and constant study and updating of knowledge. Talk to me to understand how we can start this path, side by side.
