Session A9
Tracks
Stream A
| Sunday, May 18, 2025 |
| 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM |
Overview
- Improving wellbeing through interprofessional collaboration: Collaborating with Complementary and Integrative Health Practitioners | Carrie Thomson-Casey (20mins)
- Navigating the Psychological Landscape of Perimenopause: Implications for Mental Health and Wellbeing | Leanne Mulheron (20mins)
Presenter
Dr Carrie Thomson-Casey
Improving wellbeing through interprofessional collaboration: Collaborating with Complementary and Integrative Health PractitionersTBC
1:45 PM - 2:05 PMAbstract
Many people with mental health problems utilise complementary and integrative medicine (CIM). For example, a study of Australian adults diagnosed with mental health problems reported 42.4% consulted a CIM practitioner and 56.9% had used a CIM product. Psychologists are likely to consult with clients who use CIM as part of their mental health treatment. Previous mixed methods research that examined the ways in which psychologists in clinical practice, engage with CIM indicated they are indeed engaging with CIM including discussing (e.g., CIM as part of self care), recommending (e.g., improved nutrition as it relates to mental health), and referring to their clients to CIM practitioners (such as integrative general practitioners, nutritionists, naturopaths, cultural/traditional healers). Psychologist engagement with CIM can be understood, in terms of: a means by which psychologists attempt to be client-centred; a response to client preferences; as part of diversity of therapeutic approaches and tools which can be utilised in clinical practice; and that psychologists perceive such CIM engagement as relating to demands and trends facing their profession. The findings from previous research suggest engagement with CIM amongst psychologists in clinical practice is a significant issue that will require further consideration by the wider profession with regards to policy, research, education, and scope of practice. This presentation aims to translate previous research at the intersection of psychology/CIM/mental health research into practical skills for psychologists.
.....
Carrie is a Lecturer in Psychology, Lifestyle Medicine, and Integrative Mental Health. Carrie is a Clinical psychologist in private practice, as well as a Nutritionist/Naturopath. Carrie completed a PhD that explored psychology and psychologist engagement with complementary and integrative health care approaches. Carrie's research interests include psychology (as a discipline) and psychologist engagement with evidence-based integrative mental health care approaches (nutrition, herbal, exercise etc). Carrie's research aims to highlight the opportunties for interprofessional collaboration, and the importance of acknowledging the cultural relevance, of some complementary health care approaches that support mental health outcomes.
Ms Leanne Mulheron
Affinity Psychology
Navigating the Psychological Landscape of Perimenopause: Implications for Mental Health and Wellbeing
2:05 PM - 2:25 PMAbstract
This presentation explores the often-overlooked psychological aspects of perimenopause, a critical transitional phase in women's lives,
We'll examine:
1. Hormonal fluctuations and their impact on mood, cognition, and behaviour
2. Common psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, and identity shifts
3. The interplay between physical symptoms and mental health
4. Neurodiversity in perimenopausal women:
- Hormonal influences on symptoms
- Potential unmasking or exacerbation of previously undiagnosed neurodiversity
- Challenges in differentiating perimenopausal symptoms from neurodiversity
- Tailored treatment approaches for neurodiversity during perimenopause
5. Effective therapeutic approaches and interventions for perimenopausal women, with and without neurodiversity
6. Sociocultural factors influencing perimenopausal experiences and neurodiversity diagnosis in midlife women
Our discussion will integrate recent research findings and clinical observations, offering valuable insights for mental health professionals working with perimenopausal women. We'll also address gaps in current literature and propose directions for future research in this understudied area.
We'll examine:
1. Hormonal fluctuations and their impact on mood, cognition, and behaviour
2. Common psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, and identity shifts
3. The interplay between physical symptoms and mental health
4. Neurodiversity in perimenopausal women:
- Hormonal influences on symptoms
- Potential unmasking or exacerbation of previously undiagnosed neurodiversity
- Challenges in differentiating perimenopausal symptoms from neurodiversity
- Tailored treatment approaches for neurodiversity during perimenopause
5. Effective therapeutic approaches and interventions for perimenopausal women, with and without neurodiversity
6. Sociocultural factors influencing perimenopausal experiences and neurodiversity diagnosis in midlife women
Our discussion will integrate recent research findings and clinical observations, offering valuable insights for mental health professionals working with perimenopausal women. We'll also address gaps in current literature and propose directions for future research in this understudied area.
.....
Leanne is a psychologist and passionate women's mental health advocate with a focus on menopause, her career is dedicated to supporting women through this significant transition. Leanne became increasingly aware of the gap in mental health support for women experiencing hormonal challenges and this realisation sparked extensive research into menopause and its impact on women including those who are neurodiverse.
Leanne’s work is holistic and combines evidence-based psychological interventions with a deep understanding of the physiological and emotional impacts, considering the interplay between mental health, physical symptoms, and societal expectations.
She is committed to destigmatising conversations about menopause advocating for better recognition and support in healthcare settings and workplaces.
Leanne's goal is to transform the narrative around menopause from one of decline to one of empowerment and growth. Through her work, she continues to inspire and support women in rediscovering their strength and vitality during this important life transition.
Dr Bronwyn Leigh
Centre for Perinatal Psychology; Perinatal Training Centre
Perinatal and Infant Psychology: Dual Frames Applied to Mood, Birth Trauma, Loss.
2:25 PM - 2:45 PMAbstract
Aim:
The aim of this symposium is to orient participants to the dual frames of the perinatal clinician: developmental and relational frames. These will be applied to working with perinatal depression and anxiety, birth trauma and perinatal loss.
Content:
Perinatal and infant mental health is a specialised area of practice focusing on the emotional health and development of parents and infants. The perinatal period is a vulnerable time for parent-infant and couple relationships. It is the time of highest risk for both men and women to develop, or have a reoccurrence of, a mental health condition.
Practicing as a perinatal psychologist requires a thoughtful understanding of the context in which clients are presenting with difficulties. As a developmentally rich life-phase, expectant and new parents are faced with the complex psychological task of ‘becoming’ a mother or father. Developmental frames of practice will be applied to illustrate this psychological approach.
The perinatal period is also an attachment activating and trauma re-activating event, where past relational upsets resurface, and one’s attachment style predicts the emerging relationship with one’s baby. Relational frames of practice will be applied to demonstrate this aspect of psychological intervention.
Primary goals for intervention with mood disturbance, perinatal loss or birth trauma require not only symptom reduction, but also reconnection and engagement with the developmental and relational processes of pregnancy and postpartum. This supports the formation of a motherhood or fatherhood identity, and the capacity for baby to be held in mind. Working clinically with parental symptomatology is important, however by expanding on this to working with the dyad can help both parental mood symptoms and parent-infant relationships.
Psychologists looking to work with a perinatal population are recommended training that incorporates the developmental and relational frames that guide the intervention of perinatal and infant mental health clinicians.
Goals:
• Demonstrate the importance of the developmental and relational frames used by perinatal and infant psychologists;
• Application of frames to interventions with perinatal mental health, birth trauma and perinatal loss;
• Link psychologists to recommended training to support their learning in perinatal and infant psychology, perinatal loss and birth trauma treatment.
The aim of this symposium is to orient participants to the dual frames of the perinatal clinician: developmental and relational frames. These will be applied to working with perinatal depression and anxiety, birth trauma and perinatal loss.
Content:
Perinatal and infant mental health is a specialised area of practice focusing on the emotional health and development of parents and infants. The perinatal period is a vulnerable time for parent-infant and couple relationships. It is the time of highest risk for both men and women to develop, or have a reoccurrence of, a mental health condition.
Practicing as a perinatal psychologist requires a thoughtful understanding of the context in which clients are presenting with difficulties. As a developmentally rich life-phase, expectant and new parents are faced with the complex psychological task of ‘becoming’ a mother or father. Developmental frames of practice will be applied to illustrate this psychological approach.
The perinatal period is also an attachment activating and trauma re-activating event, where past relational upsets resurface, and one’s attachment style predicts the emerging relationship with one’s baby. Relational frames of practice will be applied to demonstrate this aspect of psychological intervention.
Primary goals for intervention with mood disturbance, perinatal loss or birth trauma require not only symptom reduction, but also reconnection and engagement with the developmental and relational processes of pregnancy and postpartum. This supports the formation of a motherhood or fatherhood identity, and the capacity for baby to be held in mind. Working clinically with parental symptomatology is important, however by expanding on this to working with the dyad can help both parental mood symptoms and parent-infant relationships.
Psychologists looking to work with a perinatal population are recommended training that incorporates the developmental and relational frames that guide the intervention of perinatal and infant mental health clinicians.
Goals:
• Demonstrate the importance of the developmental and relational frames used by perinatal and infant psychologists;
• Application of frames to interventions with perinatal mental health, birth trauma and perinatal loss;
• Link psychologists to recommended training to support their learning in perinatal and infant psychology, perinatal loss and birth trauma treatment.
.....
Dr Bronwyn Leigh is a Clinical Psychologist dedicated to perinatal and infant mental health. She was the Founding Member and inaugural Convenor of the APS Perinatal and Infant Psychology Interest Group (PIPIG). Bronwyn is the Founding Director of the Centre for Perinatal Psychology, a national network of 85+ perinatal psychologists. An experienced educator, Bronwyn has developed and facilitated unique training courses in the field and has established the Perinatal Training Centre as a hub for quality professional development. With a psychotherapeutic practice spanning 20-years, Bronwyn is also a published author and researcher, conference presenter, campaigner, podcast guest and media commentator in this specialist field.
