432: From Pain to Purpose: Building Resources for Perinatal Mental Health After Birth Trauma with Beth Partain, LCSW

Mom and Mind

Today’s guest is sharing her story as a survivor of postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and birth trauma caused by random placental abruption. She is also a NICU mama who learned to balance parenting with the start of her psychotherapy practice to bring therapy to a rural area. Her story has multi-faceted, beautiful parts, and we are honored to have her here.

Beth Partain is a licensed clinical social worker and the mother of three beautiful children. She founded Flourish Counseling and Consulting in 2020 to empower women and bring specialized perinatal expertise to an area where it was previously inaccessible. Her passion stemmed from her experience with the local hospital as she struggled through PPD, PPA, and birth/NICU trauma. Beth is the first mental health provider in Owensboro, KY, and the western Kentucky area to have a perinatal mental health certification. She serves on the new Maternal Health Council at her hospital and is a Blue Dot Ambassador, working in advocacy with the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. She has led two PSI Climbs in Owensboro. Beth works hard to help train local healthcare workers and therapists to identify PMADs from a trauma-informed care focus.

Show Highlights:

• Beth’s story: Her first pregnancy was normal until a random placental abruption at 34 weeks forced an emergency C-section, a three-week NICU stay, and almost zero mental health support.

• Placental abruption: what it is, how it is detected, and the results

• Beth’s shock and surprise at how quickly things changed and progressed to an unexpected birth, and navigating a NICU stay for her baby

• Looking back at the mental health struggles for Beth and her husband, with no support

• Beth’s realization that she had postpartum depression and anxiety, but did not have access to help

• Finding help and starting therapy (as a therapist)

• Making the difficult decision to have another child and grow their family further

• Beth’s commitment to bringing perinatal care to her rural area and training more providers in the care that she wished she could have had

• Making connections and partnering with PSI

• Great strides of progress and encouraging outcomes in changing the PNMH climate in Beth’s area of Kentucky

Resources:

Flourish Counseling and Consulting

Connect with Beth Partain: Facebook

Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit cdph.ca.gov

Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to be more supportive in offering services.

You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms

Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.

Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!

If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me about openings for private pay clients!

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