

SUPPORT GROUP FOR GRADUATE NICU FAMILIES
Having a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit can be an extremely isolating experience. This 6-week, closed therapy group will connect you with others with similar lived experiences. You will learn about common experiences during and after a NICU stay, including Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders, Trauma and Grief and develop strategies and tools for coping.
The group is facilitated by Christine, a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional and RSSW, currently working as a therapist in private practice with a focus on people in the perinatal period experiencing mental health issues and Kelley, a Registered Nurse & Psychotherapist with over 15 years’ experience working in the NICU, as well as education in Infant & Early Child Mental Health & Perinatal Mental Health.
The objectives of this group are:
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Normalize NICU experiences
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Understand what happened in the NICU
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Learn to trust yourself and your parenting abilities
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Recognize the signs & symptoms of a Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorder
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Develop tools to manage fear, anxiety, and depression
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Understand the signs and symptoms of trauma and grief and develop coping strategies
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Receive peer support from other families who have had similar lived experience
Eligibility Criteria:
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Baby must have been discharged from the NICU a minimum of 2 months ago
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This group is not suitable for bereaved parents (*case by case basis in incidence of a surviving multiple)
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This group is open to Ontario Residents as per College regulations.
Details:
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Group runs Thursdays at 10am for 1.5 hours online
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6 weeks starting October 5th, 2023
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Thanks to the very generous funding from The Canadian Premature Babies Foundation there is no cost to families who have had a baby in the NICU