
Perinatal Mental Health - Non Accredited
Non-accredited training in perinatal mental health, from the transition to parenthood through birth trauma, depression and anxiety. Led by clinical psychologist Dr Emma Svanberg.
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What you’ll work through
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Introduction to the course
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Module 01 - Transition to Parenthood
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Module 02 - Perinatal Mental Health
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Module 03 - The Importance of Birth and Birth Trauma
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Module 04 - Perinatal Depression
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Module 05 - Perinatal Anxiety and OCD
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Module 06 - Psychosis, Bipolar and Complex Trauma
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Module 07 - Partners Becoming Parents
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Module 08 - Parent-Infant Relationships
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Module 09 - Looking After Ourselves
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Finishing the Course
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Podcast version
Pick up where you left off
Your next lesson is marked Up next in the course list below, and everything you have already finished carries a green tick.
Quick links
- Printable workbook Print and work along as you study
- Fillable workbook Type your answers straight in
- Get help Admin query? Course question? Find the right door
Your certificate
Pass all eight quizzes, one at the end of each of Modules 1 to 8. Your certificate of completion is then issued automatically. Please also fill in the short evaluation at the end of your course list.
This course is for professional development purposes. It does not qualify practitioners to diagnose, treat or prescribe. Always work within your professional scope and refer to clinical specialists where required.
What’s in the course
Introduction to the course
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1 Welcome and Introduction
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A warm welcome from Dr Emma Svanberg — why this course exists, who it's for, and everything you need to get started.
Module 01 - Transition to Parenthood
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2 01.1: Transition to Parenthood — Introduction
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Why the gap between what we expect parenthood to be and what it actually feels like is so clinically significant — and what this module covers.
- 3 01.2: Expectation vs Reality Enrol to watch
- 4 01.3: Pressures on Parents Enrol to watch
- 5 01.4: Myth Busting Enrol to watch
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6 01.5: Exercise
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A structured reflection on the gap between your own expectations of parenthood and your experience — and what this means for the families you work with.
- 7 01.6: Useful Theories in Transition to Parenthood Enrol to watch
- 8 Module 01 Quiz: Transition to Parenthood Knowledge check
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9 Module 01 Wrap and Sources
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The transition to parenthood brought together — the expectation gap, the pressures, the theories — plus the sources referenced throughout.
Module 02 - Perinatal Mental Health
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10 02.1: Perinatal Mental Health
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Why perinatal mental health matters, the scale of need in the UK, and what this module covers.
- 11 02.2: What do we mean by Perinatal Mental Health? Enrol to watch
- 12 02.3: Who is involved in Perinatal Mental Health? Enrol to view
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13 02.4: A word on stigma
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Why stigma is one of the biggest barriers to help-seeking in perinatal mental health — and what that means for how you work with families.
- 14 Quiz 4: Perinatal Mental Health Knowledge check
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15 Module 02 Wrap and Sources
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The perinatal mental health landscape brought together — scale, services and stigma — plus the sources referenced throughout.
Module 03 - The Importance of Birth and Birth Trauma
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16 03.1: What is Birth Trauma?
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What birth trauma is, how it differs from PTSD, why it is so often missed or misdiagnosed, and the framework that shapes how Emma and Make Birth Better approach it.
- 17 03.2: Why do some women and birthing people become traumatised? Enrol to watch
- 18 03.3: Psychological treatments for birth trauma Enrol to watch
- 19 Quiz 5: What is Birth Trauma Knowledge check
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20 Module 03 Wrap and Sources
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Birth trauma brought together — subjectivity, the diathesis-stress model and treatment routes — plus the sources referenced throughout.
Module 04 - Perinatal Depression
- 21 04.1: What is Perinatal Depression Enrol to watch
- 22 04.2: Antenatal depression Enrol to view
- 23 04.3: Baby blues Enrol to view
- 24 04.4: Factors that may give rise to postnatal depression Enrol to watch
- 25 04.5: Effects of postnatal depression on parent-infant relationships Enrol to view
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26 04.6: Postnatal depression and men
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Postnatal depression in fathers and partners — what the research shows, why it's so often missed, and what practitioners can do differently.
- 27 04.7: Psychological Treatments for Depression Enrol to view
- 28 Quiz 6: What is Perinatal Depression Knowledge check
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29 Module 04 Wrap and Sources
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Perinatal depression brought together — from baby blues to paternal depression and treatment — plus the sources referenced throughout.
Module 05 - Perinatal Anxiety and OCD
- 30 05.1: Perinatal Anxiety Enrol to view
- 31 05.2: Symptoms of Anxiety Enrol to view
- 32 05.3: Treatment for Anxiety Disorders Enrol to watch
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33 05.4: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
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What perinatal OCD actually looks like — including the intrusive thoughts that affect the vast majority of new parents and are almost never talked about.
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34 05.5: Treatment for OCD
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How perinatal OCD is treated, what ERP involves, and how practitioners can support families before, during, and after specialist referral.
- 35 Quiz 7: Perinatal Anxiety Knowledge check
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36 Module 05 Wrap and Sources
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Perinatal anxiety and OCD brought together — from normal worry to intrusive thoughts and ERP — plus the sources referenced throughout.
Module 06 - Psychosis, Bipolar and Complex Trauma
- 37 06.1: Other Mental Health Problems — Introduction Enrol to view
- 38 06.2: Other Mental Health Problems — Conditions in Detail Enrol to view
- 39 06.3: A word on complex trauma Enrol to watch
- 40 Quiz 8: Other mental health problems Knowledge check
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41 Module 06 Wrap and Sources
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Psychosis, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, suicide risk and complex trauma brought together, plus the sources referenced throughout.
Module 07 - Partners Becoming Parents
- 42 07.1: The Couple Relationship — Introduction Enrol to watch
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43 07.2: The Couple Relationship — Research and Evidence
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What the research tells us about how the couple relationship changes after a baby arrives — including why most couples struggle, what protects the ones who don't, and how this connects to mental health.
- 44 07.3: Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Model of Relationships Theory Enrol to view
- 45 07.4: The impact of couple conflict on children Enrol to view
- 46 07.5: What you can do to help Enrol to view
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47 07.6: Exercise
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A structured reflection on how you would support a couple navigating the transition to parenthood in your own practice.
- 48 Module 07 Quiz: Partners Becoming Parents Knowledge check
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49 Module 07 Wrap and Sources
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The couple relationship in the perinatal period brought together — decline, conflict, and what helps — plus the sources referenced throughout.
Module 08 - Parent-Infant Relationships
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50 08.1: Parent-Infant Relationships — Introduction
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Why the parent-infant relationship is central to perinatal mental health, and what this module covers.
- 51 08.2: The Parent-Infant Bond — Services and Resources Enrol to view
- 52 08.3: How does mental health affect the relationship with the baby? Enrol to watch
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53 08.4: Attachment Theory
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Attachment theory in the perinatal context — including reflective functioning, the intergenerational transmission of attachment, and what early intervention research shows is possible.
- 54 08.5: What can we do to help? Enrol to watch
- 55 Quiz 13: The impact on the relationship with the baby Knowledge check
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56 Module 08 Wrap and Sources
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The parent-infant relationship brought together — from fetal programming to attachment and intervention — plus the sources referenced throughout.
Module 09 - Looking After Ourselves
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57 09.1: Looking After Ourselves — Introduction
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Why looking after yourself as a practitioner is not optional — including what vicarious trauma is and how to recognise it in yourself.
- 58 09.2: Strategies and Practice Enrol to watch
Finishing the Course
- 59 Goodbye! Enrol to watch
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60 Feedback & Evaluation
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Complete the end of course feedback and evaluation form — it takes about a minute and releases your certificate of completion.
Podcast version
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61 Start here: the podcast version
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The whole course as audio, one episode per module, with your workbook and quizzes alongside.
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62 Episode 01: Transition to Parenthood
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Module 01 as audio: expectations vs reality, the pressures on new parents, myth busting and the theories of transition.
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63 Episode 02: Perinatal Mental Health
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Module 02 as audio: what perinatal mental health means, who is involved, and how stigma shapes help-seeking.
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64 Episode 03: Birth and Birth Trauma
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Module 03 as audio: what birth trauma is, why some people become traumatised, and the treatments that help.
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65 Episode 04: Perinatal Depression
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Module 04 as audio: perinatal and antenatal depression, baby blues, risk factors, fathers, and treatments.
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66 Episode 05: Perinatal Anxiety and OCD
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Module 05 as audio: perinatal anxiety, its symptoms and treatment, and OCD in new parenthood.
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67 Episode 06: Psychosis, Bipolar and Complex Trauma
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Module 06 as audio: eating disorders, postpartum psychosis, bipolar disorder, risk, and complex trauma.
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68 Episode 07: Partners Becoming Parents
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Module 07 as audio: the couple relationship after a baby, the VSA model, conflict and children, and how to help.
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69 Episode 08: Parent-Infant Relationships
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Module 08 as audio: mental health and bonding, attachment theory, and how to support the parent-infant relationship.
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70 Episode 09: Looking After Ourselves
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Module 09 as audio: vicarious trauma, containment, and practical strategies for your own wellbeing.
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