Kendy Faye, MA, AMFT, Doula, Perinatal Educator, Researcher and Advocate, Survivor
Sacramento, 95812
We are in the midst of a preventable crisis of perinatal and infant mortality, disproportionately affecting Black and Indigenous birthing people nationwide. In California, this crisis is exacerbated by widening perinatal care deserts. For survivors, birth is often traumatic, leading to long-term symptoms at the psychological, physical, emotional, and spiritual levels. Traumatic birth experiences affect the birthing person, their partners, providers, and children. Mounting evidence supports that the health and wellness of a pregnant person is foundational to outcomes in trauma, anxiety, depression, attachment, and family systems. And yet, perinatal mental health remains a cost-prohibitive specialization for the majority of new clinicians working directly with community members who could most benefit from this care. Without perinatal mental health training, clinicians risk misdiagnosis, retraumatization, and perpetuating disparities that cost lives. Education and competency in perinatal mental health care are ethical and public health imperatives. Every clinician needs this knowledge to provide safe, effective care.
