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Psychotherapy for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

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Women's Mood Disorders

Abstract

Psychotherapy is an effective treatment for PMADs and should be considered as a first-line treatment option. Therapeutic modalities that have an evidence base for mood and anxiety symptoms common during the perinatal period include cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, listening visits, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and couple therapy. Evidence-based therapies share a number of common factors, including genuineness, empathy, and unconditional positive regard, in addition to an agreement between the therapist and patient about the presenting problem, treatment goals, and method of treatment. Each therapy also has unique elements that should be considered when deciding which therapy to provide. When choosing between the therapeutic modalities, providers should consider the patient’s presenting concern, existing strengths, and access to care. Barriers to accessing evidence-based therapies are multifaceted and must be addressed by both the referring provider and therapist in the early stages of treatment.

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Schiller, C.E., Thompson, K., Cohen, M.J., Geiger, P., Lundegard, L., Bonacquisti, A. (2021). Psychotherapy for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. In: Cox, E. (eds) Women's Mood Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71497-0_17

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