Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Perinatal Distress

Countless studies have established the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for many manifestations of depression and anxiety. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Perinatal Distress, Wenzel and Kleiman discuss the benefits of CBT for pregnant and postpartum women who suffer from emotional distress. The myths of CBT as rigid and intrusive are shattered as the authors describe its flexible application for perinatal women. This text teaches practitioners how to successfully integrate CBT structure and strategy into a supportive approach in working with this population. The examples used in the book will be familiar to postpartum specialists, making this an easily comprehensive and useful resource.

Amy Wenzel, PhD, ABPP, is author and editor of fifteen books, many of which are on perinatal psychology or cognitive behavioral therapy. She lectures internationally on issues relevant to mental health and psychotherapy and provides ongoing supervision to clinical psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses. Karen Kleiman, MSW, LCSW, is a well-known international expert on postpartum depression. She is founder of The Postpartum Stress Center, a premier treatment and professional training center for prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety. She has written several books on perinatal distress.

"Wenzel and Kleiman have done a superb job in writing this comprehensive guide utilizing CBT with a unique population. Their clinical expertise, in the care of women living with perinatal distress, informs their presentation, making it easy to read and highly applicable to providers in this specialty practice area." --Jeanne Watson Driscoll, PhD, RN, PC, Co-author of Women's Moods; Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders: A Clinician's Guide; and Traumatic Childbirth. "We usually think of pregnancy and the postpartum as times of happiness and joy, yet for a number of reasons, depression and anxiety are actually very common experiences during these times. All too often, these problems go unrecognized by healthcare providers. This book, which emphasizes cognitive-behavioral therapy, the most effective treatment for emotional distress, is sure to be of great use to practitioners and patients alike. The many personal examples and illustrations of therapeutic techniques make this a very usable workbook." --Jonathan