I’m going crazy. I am utterly alone. Maybe I just wasn’t meant to be a parent.
We felt that way, too.
We are Ohio moms and birthing persons who have survived prenatal/postpartum depression (PPD), anxiety, trauma, infertility, or loss, and we’ve been there.
We understand like no one else can.
We had thoughts that scared and shamed us. We blamed ourselves. We doubted ourselves. We felt weighed down by all the “shoulds” of pregnancy and parenthood.
Some of us had a hard time finding help. That’s why we started POEM, where we help people like you who are experiencing the most common complication of childbirth.
It’s okay to reach out for help. That’s why we’re here.
In 2013, MHAOhio merged services with Central Ohio’s top source for maternal mental health support, POEM (Perinatal Outreach and Encouragement for Moms). All POEM services are now under the umbrella of MHAOhio. Together, we provide peer support groups, education on pregnancy and postpartum depression (PPD) and related mood/anxiety disorders, and information and referrals to appropriate resources in the area. Through POEM, we provide support to hundreds of women in Ohio who may be referred by OB/GYNS, pediatricians, therapists, hospital systems and public health departments. We encounter each new mom and birthing person with compassion and empathy – because POEM is comprised of moms and birthing persons who have been there.
POEM was founded in 2005 by Tonya Fulwider, Amy Burt and Therese Roush, all survivors of pregnancy-postpartum depression. It was created to meet the specific needs of mothers and families dealing with mental and emotional complications in the transition to new parenthood. POEM serves as the Ohio coordinator of Postpartum Support International (PSI), an all-volunteer organization that is the world’s leading authority on maternal mental health. POEM provides support, information, and advocacy for mothers in Ohio at risk for, or experiencing, pregnancy and postpartum depression, adjustment difficulties, and other maternal mental health issues.
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Contact POEM
If you are looking for resources in your area or just need to talk to another mom or birthing person who understands, our mom-to-mom support line is available Monday-Friday during regular business hours.
