Holding in Healing: An Examination of the Experiences of Parents, Infants, and Clinicians in High-Risk Perinatal Settings

Perinatal and infancy are medically and psychiatrically vulnerable times for parents and infants. The purpose of this conference is to better educate clinicians in the field of perinatal and infant psychiatry and to establish a forum for exchange of innovative ideas and care collaboration between the fields of psychiatry, psychology, obstetrics, pediatrics, neonatology, and ancillary fields. There is a knowledge gap for clinicians and trainees in the fields of perinatal and infant psychiatry, in particular, as these fields are often isolated educationally and clinically. This gap in knowledge and the separation between these fields have become an obstacle in full-spectrum treatment, especially as we have continued to learn about the profound importance of these periods in individual's life and the reciprocal connection between parent and child beyond mere biology. This conference will address the impact of the perinatal loss and medical complications during the perinatal period and infancy on perinatal and infant mental health. To better inform our clinical practices we will incorporate lived experiences of patients and clinicians throughout the conference.  

9 - 9:15 am | Start and Introduction

9:15 - 10:15 am | Keynote Presentation

Speaker: Allison Dempsey, Ph.D. 

10:15 - 12 pm | Perinatal Loss Section

Chair:  Victoria Wilkins, Ph.D. 

10:15 - 11 am | Patient Panel

11 - 11:45 am | Clinician Panel

Panelists: Missy Trull; Will Sheldon; Nicole Brosnan; LaMone Downey Leonard, MSW, LICSW

11:45 - 12:30 pm | Keynote Presentation

Speaker: Deb Rich, Ph.D., PMH-C  

12:30 - 1 pm | Lunch break 

1 - 3:15 pm | Acute Perinatal Care Settings Section

Chair: Soudabeh Givrad, M.D.

1 - 1:45 pm | Patient Panel

1:45 - 2:30 pm | Clinician Panel

Panelists: Melissa Scala, M.D.; Amanda Yeaton-Massey, M.D.; Shanna Sapienza, R.N.; Talia Grossman, LMSW 

2:30 - 3:15 pm | Keynote Presentation

Speaker: Priya Gopalan, M.D.  

3:15 - 3:30 pm | Final remarks and closure

By the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

• Gain more awareness and competence in understanding the mother-baby (parent-infant) health as a unit.
• Increase the clinician's understanding of the experiences of parents and babies in acute perinatal care setting.
• Increase the clinician's understanding the experiences of parents in the context of perinatal loss.
• Increase the clinician's understanding of the need for multidisciplinary care to provide a comprehensive and wholesome care for parents and babies in these settings.
• Increase the clinician's ability to assess, formulate, and come up with treatment plans with a dyadic lens and understanding for high risk perinatal situations.

View the Continuing Medical Education brochure.

6.0 CE credits are available for $100 and will be awarded to licensed psychologists and social workers who attend the conference live and have met the requirements below. Participants who do not meet the attendance requirements will not receive a CE certificate or refund. Payment for CE Credits must be received no later than Saturday May 18th by 9:00am.

Please note that to receive your 6.0 CE certificate for the event, you must sign in with your full name, attend the entire conference and complete the evaluation in accordance with NYSED and APA requirements. If you are on faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine, sign into the zoom using your SSO and please make sure to use your full name.

Evaluation forms will be distributed via email following the workshop to those meeting the attendance requirements above. There will be one certificate awarding 6.0 CE hours for the event. No partial credit will be given to those attending only a portion of the conference.

Instructional Level: This event is appropriate for all audiences (introductory, intermediate and advanced).

CE Information Packet

The Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Psychiatry, 525 E68th St. New York, NY 10065, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0192. Weill Cornell Medicine is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Weill Cornell Medicine maintains responsibility for this program and its content. The New York Presbyterian Hospital Department of Social Work is recognized by New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers # SW 0155.

Please check back here for resources shared during the event. 

Separation and Connection in an Everchanging World: Understanding the Experiences of Parents and Babies

Please join us for the First Annual Perinatal-Infant Psychiatry Conference - Separation and Connection in an Everchanging World: Understanding the Experiences of Parents and Babies. This one day virtual event will take place on Saturday, May 6th, 2023 from 9:00am - 4:00pm. A recording of the event will be available upon request. 

The conference is free of charge and open to all mental health, obstetrics, and pediatric professionals and trainees interested in perinatal and infant mental health.

Featured Faculty

Soudabeh Givrad, M.D.  |  Lindsey Goldman, Ph.D.  |  Alyson Gorun, M.D. 

Georgina Hartzell, M.D.  |  Alison Hermann, M.D.  |  Tuyet-Mai Ha Hoang, Ph.D.

Susan Karabell, M.D.  |  Christine M. Salvatore, M.D.  | Hannah Strater, D.N.P.  

Leah Susser, M.D.  |  Victoria Wilkins, Ph.D.  |  Sydney Wu, M.D.