Mid West ARIES, in partnership with the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team, UMHL, is delighted to announce the launch of the “My Perinatal Self Care Workbook” by Nuala Kelly, Head of Service, Mental Health HSE Mid West Community Healthcare. Co-produced by women attending the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service in UMHL, together with members of the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team and Mid West ARIES, the main purpose of the workbook is to empower women to create a personalised self care plan to suit their own individual needs and personal recovery goals. Women attending the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service in UMHL will now have access to this important self care resource to support their mental health and wellbeing with copies distributed to all who attend.
Self care is a multi-faceted daily practice and as such is unique to every woman. In this workbook women explore the four basic wellness areas: Physical, Emotional, Social and Intellectual; building practical self care strategies along the way. Women’s voices are present throughout the workbook with messages of hope from women across all sections; a key theme requested during co-production.
At the launch, Nuala acknowledged the commitment of Mid-West ARIES and the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service in supporting women in the Mid-West region during this special time. She particularly emphasised the valuable contribution of the women with lived experience who accessed the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, and thanked them for their time and commitment in co-producing this workbook. In response, one of the women from the original co-production group said: “The workbook looks great. Well done. It's lovely to see the workshop we took part in, that was so helpful, in the workbook. Ye have done amazing work!”.
If you would like to know more or wish to share or use this workbook with your own network please contact Mike O’Neill, Manager, Mid West ARIES, email: michael.oneill8@hse.ie or tel. 085 876 8517. If you would like to know more about the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service please contact Pauline Walsh, Advanced Nurse Practitioner Perinatal Mental Health, email: pauline.walsh1@hse.ie.
Background:
In April 2023 Mid-West ARIES, in partnership with our Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team, based in University Maternity Hospital Limerick, delivered a recovery education workshop to a group of women attending the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service. This workshop entitled “Self Care, Building My Resilience” was a three hour, baby-friendly, interactive workshop focused on self-care and resilience, with the overarching theme of self-compassion. It was at this workshop that women asked for a practical resource to help them prioritise and engage in self-care during the perinatal period.
Pictured below: Left to Right: Margaret Keane, Education Training & Development Officer, Mid West ARIES; Mike O’Neill, Manager, Mid West ARIES, Nuala Kelly, Head of Service, Mental Health HSE Mid West Community Healthcare; and James Harrington, Interim Area Director of Mental Health Nursing, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare, representing the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team (Pauline Walsh, Advanced Nurse Practitioner Perinatal Mental Health absent on the day), at the launch of the Perinatal Self Care Workbook in St. Joseph’s Health Campus.
