FEBRUARY 2018 Dear Friend, Where did January and February go? Here at PANDA the months are flying by as we do everything we can to support expecting and new mums and dads and their families affected by perinatal anxiety, depression and postnatal psychosis. PANDA’s National Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Helpline continues to take calls from right across the country. We’ve been operating at our new extended hours almost eight months now which means better access for families to our expert counsellors. If you or someone you know is struggling with becoming a parent, please don't hesitate to call 1300 726 306. We’re also working as hard as ever on new ways to reach out to more communities to share information and resources about an illness that is still shrouded in mystery for many. I’m pleased to announce a new partnership between PANDA and the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service Victoria (FVPLS), an important new step for PANDA. It is an opportunity to learn together and improve PANDA's capacity to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Our ever-growing team of PANDA Community Champions continues to raise awareness both nationally and within their communities. You can view a TV news clip below featuring our fabulous Champion Clarissa. We’ve also included a story in this edition about Nicole, who developed postnatal anxiety and depression after the birth of her son. As always, we’re indebted to numerous individuals and organisations that provide financial assistance to help us do our work. Placement Solutions, one of our longest and most generous supporters, made a further contribution last month. To CEO Louise Dunham and her team, a heartfelt thank you. The same goes to our individual supporters who donate, including through their workplace. You can read a profile of one of our generous Workplace Givers, Marsha Jacobs, below. I also want to say thanks to you. Please know that your continued support is important to PANDA and the families we work with. Nicole's storyWhen my son was born I didn’t get the same happy butterflies I did when I had my daughter. Sleepless nights and stressful days made it even more difficult to bond with him, especially as l was also juggling the attention of my daughter, who was now 18 months old. I felt all I could do was focus on her and do the bare minimum for him. That’s all a newborn needs right? To be fed, changed and sleep. Even those basic needs consumed all of my time and energy. In the beginning I organised many catch ups with friends and family members, but this slowly stopped. It was easier to stay indoors, that way I could avoid the anxiety I would feel. I withdrew myself from friendships. It made me feel sick to my stomach having to put on a front or admit that I was not coping. I was the “supermum” right? I put all these feelings down to fatigue and exhaustion and that if I just got a “few decent nights' sleep” or time away from the children, I’d be able to recharge and get back to normal. But it wasn’t that simple. I started resenting both kids. I was snappy. And every single cry was like fingernails down a chalkboard. I felt sick. I felt tense. I felt angry. And I was starting to feel so out of control I did not know where my anger would lead. Some days I just didn’t want to wake up to it all. It came to a head when my son was about six months old. I visited a day spa for some pampering at the suggestion of my husband. It was something I loved before having children. But I had a panic attack during my massage and a panic attack during my facial. Rather than feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, I walked out of there more tense and exhausted than I was that morning. This was my lightbulb moment that things were really not right. I called PANDA the next day and had to leave a message. I felt gut-wrenchingly sick till the moment I got a call back. The counsellor made me feel like she had all the time in the world for me and understood everything that had been going on. It was not long till I felt the rawness of letting go and the tears started flowing. But talking about it made me feel a bit better. This is where my journey of acceptance and belief that I may have perinatal anxiety or depression began. Thank you Placement Solutions! Placement Solutions, a provider of high quality child care and household management services, has been a proud sponsor of PANDA for several years now. They made their annual significant donation recently. We are delighted and grateful to have Placement Solutions alongside us as a loyal and passionate supporter, and we’re excited by the opportunity to continue to work with them to support families vulnerable to perinatal anxiety and depression. Pictured: PANDA CEO Terri Smith and Placement Solutions CEO Louise Dunham. PANDA's Guide to Groups: how to set up and run groups for parentsPANDA doesn’t just operate a National Helpline. We provide a range of supports for new and expecting mums and dads across Australia who are struggling with the challenges of becoming a parent. We also recognise the importance of social and support groups for the emotional and mental wellbeing of new parents. We provide information and support to individuals and organisations looking to establish and facilitate groups for parents and their children. PANDA's Guide to Groups is a resource for health and community professionals who work with groups or are interested in setting up a group. This includes playgroup facilitators, Child and Family Health nurses, early childhood educators, counsellors, psychologists or social workers, or other individuals who see a need in their community for a group for parents and their children. The Guide includes tips and advice, sample forms, sample discussion topics and suggested activities. It also provides specialised information about addressing perinatal anxiety and depression within a group setting. The Guide is FREE and available via the PANDA website. Registering for the Guide also offers access to PANDA’s Online Practice Community, a network of group facilitators from across Australia. Workplace Giving: easy, convenient and making a real difference“I think about women all the time who are currently in the position I was in a few years ago. I know how isolating it can be, and donating is a way for me to cheer quietly for them.” Having recovered from postnatal anxiety and depression, Marsha Jacobs wanted to do what she could to help others going through a similar experience. So she started making a regular donation to PANDA directly from her salary. “Being a new parent is really hard, and perinatal anxiety and depression makes it even harder. PANDA helps spread the message that if you are struggling, it doesn’t have to be like this. And having a National Helpline that people can call when it suits them makes it as easy as possible for parents who may be struggling, or those concerned about a friend or family member, to reach out and get the help they need.” Marsha chose to donate through Workplace Giving because it was so convenient. “I filled out a one page form, let the payroll department know, and payments now automatically come out of my monthly salary. I don’t have to think about it.” Workplace Giving allows Marsha to donate from her pre-tax income, which means her donation costs her less, while PANDA receives the full benefit of every dollar. Regular donations like Marsha’s can make a big difference to PANDA, as it allows us to plan ahead and make sure our information, support and resources reach the people most in need. To become a Workplace Giver to PANDA, download our Workplace Giving form, complete and return to your Payroll/HR Manager. Thank you! (Photo kindly provided by Louise Beaumont) PANDA in the news
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