Early Parenthood Support Workshop for 2SLGBTQ+ Parents

Early Parenthood Support Workshop for 2SLGBTQ+ Parents

When

8 February 2020    
1:00 pm PST - 3:00 pm PST
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Event Type

Join us for an afternoon of conversation and peer support where we explore the challenges of early parenthood for 2SLGBTQ+ parents and the gaps in postpartum support services for our families.

Many people experience mental health struggles after the birth or adoption of a child (or children), including depression and/or anxiety, but most don’t talk about these challenges or know where to turn for help. If this sounds familiar now or in the past, we invite you to join us:

  • Date: February 8, 2020
  • Time: 1:00PM-3:00PM
  • Where: Kiwassa Neighbourhood House, 2425 Oxford St, Vancouver
  • Free childminding available upon request

We hope to:

  • Create a low-key space for 2SLGBTQ+ folks to come together to connect and offer support to one another
  • Share our stories of struggle with mental health challenges after birth or adoption
  • Help to improve current support services by identifying gaps before and after birth or adoption
  • Start creating a network of support for our families

Facilitators: Clare Zeschky and Emily Garner, a queer mom with lived experience of Post-Partum Depression/Anxiety (PPD/A) and a trained support group facilitator who works in postpartum support services for families. She lives with her trans partner and 3 children in Vancouver.

Guiding principles:

  • We believe that PPD and PPA are multi-dimensional problems with social factors such as discrimination, isolation, poverty, lack of childcare, and the stressful nature of parenting playing important contributing roles.
  • We use a peer support model because it is healing for parents to share experiences, in confidence, and to receive non-judgemental support and understanding from other 2SLGBTQ+ parents with similar experiences.
  • We believe that parents are powerful and can help each other to change their situations, collectively and individually.

Hosted by: Pacific Post-Partum Support Services and the Women’s Health Research Cluster, and supported by the UBC Community Engagement – Partnership Recognition Fund.

Registration required, please RSVP to emily@postpartum.org