Paternal Mental Health – Recognizing, Supporting, and Integrating Fathers’ Well-Being into Family Care

Description

Objectives -Identify common risk factors (e.g., financial stress, sleep disruption, role adjustment, partner mental health) and protective factors. -Recognize how paternal mental health affects maternal well-being, co-parenting, and child development. Description While maternal mental health has gained greater attention in recent years, paternal mental health remains under-recognized despite its significant impact on family functioning, child development, and partner well-being. Research shows that up to 1 in 10 fathers experience perinatal depression, anxiety, or adjustment difficulties, yet many go undiagnosed and untreated. Cultural norms, stigma, and healthcare systems that focus primarily on mothers often contribute to this invisibility. This presentation will highlight the importance of paternal mental health, review risk factors and protective factors, and provide practical strategies for screening, intervention, and family-centered care. Participants will leave with tools to integrate paternal mental health awareness into clinical and community practice. Bio: S Anandavalli (she, her, hers), PhD, NCC, LPC, CCTP, is an award-winning, nationally recognized trauma-informed mental health counselor and counselor educator. She is the owner and founder of Soulfulness Counseling, LLC, a private practice dedicated to serving women who have been exposed to early childhood trauma. An expert on minority women’s mental health needs, she has served as a consultant and speaker for several nonprofits and Oregon state government agencies. She is a leader and change agent within the counseling profession and has spearheaded several grant-funded research initiatives which have been published in top-tier peer-reviewed counseling and allied journals. You can learn more about her at www.soulfulnesscounseling.com. This is part of the Bite-Sized CE Series. Please review the Cancellation & Refund Policy: https://events.ce-cafe.com/cancellation-refund-policy/