Today and everyday we honor the unheralded efforts of women. International Women’s day is equal parts reflection and celebration, as we begin to unpack triumphs and advancements for women’s rights and health, and future directions for equity advancement. We honor the dimensions of women’s experiences personally, and politically. We invite you to reflect on the experiences of those identifying as women and the collective efforts, organization, and representation of women in mental health areas. Today, we will celebrate International Women’s Day including the relationship between women’s health, community resilience, and strength.
The mental health experiences of women through stages of conception/fertility, birth, and postpartum are disproportionately high. A unique constellation of factors create this landscape before, during and after pregnancy which include income and employment inequality, underrepresented areas of women’s mental health treatment and research, and the gendered expectations of women. During COVID-19, postpartum depression increased to 1 in 5 women (Postpartum Depression Statistics, 2023).
Thankfully, Perinatal Mental Health is becoming more widely recognized in policy and health care. We look to the contributions of women psychotherapists, doctors, nurses, PSW’s, and doula’s for their commitment to quality care for women experiencing elevated mental health distress. We also acknowledge the glowing impacts of families rallying to identify and make up for gaps in women’s mental health in reproductive contexts by showing emotional, physical, and spiritual support to women. We celebrate those that share their untold stories of resilience, strength, and pain. The advanced representation of women’s experiences through media, and a plethora of training and education opportunities for professionals supporting women in health care settings shine a light on these unique experiences. While we look back at the strides and advancements in health and civil rights, we also look to the future to inspire our next steps for committed action. We thank all women, everywhere, for their contributions to the fabric of our communities!
As we reflect on our commitments to deliver quality care in the Bloom Well Therapy team, we also want to bring attention to the rigorous work completed by organizations like the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative to advance mental health care and support strategies for women in perinatal care. A combination of hard work, research, and sharing personal stories has forged a path embolden women’s access to care and support. As we step into a future of advanced care, celebration, and acknowledgement of women’s contributions and experiences, we share some strategies for celebrating International Women’s Day today, and every day.
How do we show up to celebrate the women in our lives?
Take A Moment for You
Take a moment to reflect on you, and those in your life that you are celebrating this International Women’s Day. If you’d like to take this one step further, grab a piece of paper and a pen and write down the moment you shared with these people that felt celebratory. Thinking about what motivates you day-to-day can offer insight about what connects us to others.
Honour Yours & Others' Achievements
No achievement is too big or small to relish in. Remembering that a unique collection of achievements completed by yourself, and those in your community, are the reason we celebrate International Women’s Day and rejoice today! Think of the women who have influenced your life and contributed to your makeup! We encourage you to tell this story today and each day!
Continue To Learn And Grow
This is a wonderful opportunity to tap into unexplored areas for learning. This might be listening to the voices and stories of the women in your life, a podcast, or reading about a particular issue or topic of interest that relate to women’s advancements, accomplishments, and strides for equity.
Map your Network
In reflecting on the last three points, establish who, and what, is in your network of support. This unique collection of systems, people, and information may shed light on the reservoir of strength and knowledge that exists in you, and those you love.
Challenge What Is To Create What Is Not
Resistance is part of existence. Every day, we are faced with obstacles. We encourage you to take a moment to reflect on when, where, and why you have been able to come so far in breaking molds and challenging the status quo. As you step into the next few hours and days, we invite you to join us in reflecting on all that you have, and will, continue to challenge.
References
Kimberly Langdon M.D., by:, M. R. and F.-C., & Editor, M. (2023). Postpartum depression statistics: Recent research and data about PPD. PostpartumDepression.org. https://www.postpartumdepression.org/resources/statistics/
Written By Hannah Marsala
M.S.W., R.S.W., RP (Q)
