At Wildflower, we believe that in order to thrive as a mother and be able to attune to her baby’s needs and feelings, the mother must be nurtured also. Our mainstream cultural narrative extols maternal independence and praises mothers that seem to juggle it all effortlessly, happily, and with little need for support. The reality is that mothers thrive when they are interdependent, that is, embedded in communities that recognize both the joys and the challenges of mothering, provide support and nurturance to the baby and the mother, and help the mother develop increased confidence in her role and skills as a parent.
Katie Caddell, LCSW is a clinical social worker and psychotherapist at Wildflower who is passionate about helping moms develop strong bonds with their babies. Katie regularly engages in advocacy and educational efforts to strengthen and empower the communities in which mothers are embedded. Katie was recently invited by the Public School District in Waukegan, Illinois to conduct a full day workshop on postpartum depression and other perinatal mood and anxiety disorders to a group of infant specialists who provide home services to infants and their families in the district.
Infant specialists are professional educators and advocates whose primary role is to support children and families through, among others, home visits. They are an important part of the community for many new mothers, and it is therefore critical that they have the pertinent knowledge and clinical skills to detect perinatal mood and anxiety disorders so they can provide needed supports and referrals. Katie was delighted to present on this subject to these dedicated professionals.
To learn more about the work of infant specialists, click here.
To learn about Baby Talk, an evidence-based educational curriculum that is frequently followed by infant specialists in their work with new parents, visit this website.
