Women’s Health Psychology
For some women, adjustment to lifespan developmental changes or gender-specific health concerns can by quite challenging and may involve problems with mood functioning (e.g., depression, anxiety, or mood-related psychosis), psychological adjustment, pain management, adherence to medical regimen, etc. Psychological treatment is often warranted when a woman dealing with gendered health issues has problems coping with them or develops a secondary psychological disorder (e.g., perinatal depression or anxiety, symptoms of birth-trauma stress, grief subsequent to stillbirth and neonatal loss, or chronic pelvic pain).
Services available
Consultation is provided regarding diagnosis and treatment of (a) depression, or a mix of depression and anxiety symptoms, related to miscarriage or a medically-based or voluntary termination of pregnancy, (b) perinatal mood disorders (within pregnancy to the sixth-month postpartum timeframe), (c) mood symptoms or exacerbation of a pre-existing mood disorder related to miscarriage or birth-related posttraumatic stress disorder, (d) grief secondary to stillbirth or neonatal loss, and (e) mood symptoms and adjustment issues related to chronic pelvic pain (e.g., endometriosis, vulvodynia, vaginismus, dyspareunia, interstitial cystitis, etc.).
Evidence-based and integrative therapy is provided, drawn from psychodynamic, cognitive behaviour, interpersonal process, acceptance and commitment, mindfulness-based and psychoeducational treatment approaches. Psychological treatment is provided, primarily in an individual therapy format although group therapy format may be available on a limited basis based on sufficient number of appropriate individuals and their availability to attend a designated day and time.
Description of services and treatment
Research has shown that both individual and group therapy are effective treatments for women with psychological disorders that are secondary to the lifespan developmental and gender-specific health problems identified above. Psychological treatment service of 8-12 sessions is offered on an individual therapy basis and in the event of group therapy, treatment will involve a 10-week group format with 6-10 members per group.
Key Provider(s)
Dr. Carrie Lionberg, C. Psych.
Sites
Primary site: Women's Hospital - HSC
Telephone: 204-787-8237 or 204-787-5212
Availability
Groups may not be available in a given year. Individual format treatment may require a waiting time of 2 to 10 weeks for postpartum women, 1 to 3 months for pregnant women, and 6 to 8 months for women referred for psychological treatment regarding chronic pelvic pain. The Women's Health Psychology service does not provide crisis intervention or urgent care programming and operates as an outpatient, ambulatory care clinic. Virtual care (Telemedicine) options are available provided the individual has access to appropriate technology.
Referral process
Referrals from psychologists, physicians (family practitioners, obstetricians and gynecologists, psychiatrists), midwives, public health nurses, and nurse practitioners.
Links to other resources
Canadian Psychological Association fact sheets on the effectiveness of psychological treatments for chronic pain, mood disorders and postpartum depression: