Mini Workshop 2 - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Women with Anxiety During Pregnancy and the Postpartum

The perinatal period (pregnancy and up to 12 months postpartum) is associated with tremendous biological, psychological, and social change. Although the perinatal period is often a joyous time, many women experience increased distress. While heightened risk of mood disorders during the perinatal period is well-known, recent evidence suggests that anxiety disorders are at least as prevalent, if not more so, than mood disorders (Fawcett et al., 2019) and are similarly distressing and incapaciting, making effective treatment critical. Psychotropic medications can effectively treat anxiety symptoms but many women cannot, or choose not to, take medication during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is an empirically-supported psychological treatment for anxiety disorders but has received little attention in the context of perinatal anxiety. To this end, we developed a 6-session CBT protocol for pregnant and postpartum women with primary anxiety difficulties, with or without cormorbid depression (Green et al., 2019). This CBT intervention led to large reductions in primary anxiety, and secondary worry and depression symptoms, in addition to being well-received by patients (Green et al., 2020). In this mini-workshop, participants will learn specific cognitive and behavioral strategies to target anxiety and co-occuring depression symptoms that are tailored to meet the unique needs of women during the perinatal period. As consumer demand increases for non-medical interventions, this treatment may not only be preferred by some but necessary for others when pharmacological interventions are not a viable option given potential risks or side effects to women and their babies.

Outline:
- Review current research on the prevalence, risk factors, and impact of anxiety during the perinatal period on mothers and their infants.
- Review common anxiety disorders during the perinatal period and their clinical features.
- Discuss best practice guidelines for treating anxiety during the perinatal period and review pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options.
- Introduction to cognitive behavior therapy that is tailored to meet the unique needs of women with anxiety during the perinatal period.
- Review session by session cognitive and behavioural strategies for the treatment of anxiety during the perinatal period using case examples.