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.

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The group is facilitated by Christine, a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional and RSSW, currently working as a counsellor 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.  

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The objectives of this group are:

• Normalize NICU experiences

• Understand what happened in the NICU

• Learn to trust yourself and your parenting abilities

• Recognize the signs & symptoms of a Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorder

• Develop tools to manage fear, anxiety, and depression

• Understand the signs and symptoms of trauma and grief and develop coping strategies

• Receive peer support from other families who have had similar lived experience

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Eligibility Criteria:

• Baby must have been discharged from the NICU a minimum of 2 months ago

• This group is not suitable for bereaved parents (*case by case basis in incidence of a surviving multiple)

• This group is open to Ontario Residents as per College regulations.

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Details:

• Group runs Tuesdays at 10am for 1.5 hours online

• 6 weeks starting April 2nd, 2024

• 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