Postpartum depression can bring terrifying feelings that many women carry in silence—overwhelming sadness, fear, shame, or thoughts they’re afraid to share with anyone. The pressure to feel happy or to be a “good mother” can make speaking up feel even harder. If this is your experience, you are not alone, and you do not have to face it alone. There are treatments, resources, and people who can help you feel better. You deserve to be heard, supported, and cared for.
In this episode of Health Starts With Her, host Dr. Tara Shirazian sits down with Dr. Maria Sarmiento, a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist at Northwell, and Teneisha Oliverre, a certified doula and project coordinator at NYU Langone Medical Center, for an honest conversation about postpartum depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and finding support during one of life’s most vulnerable transitions.
Teneisha shares her deeply personal experiences after two pregnancies, reflecting on isolation, shame, and the pressure to manage motherhood alone—and how therapy, community, and a stronger support system changed her second postpartum journey. Dr. Sarmiento brings a clinical perspective on recognizing symptoms, navigating treatment, and understanding the role of sleep and support.
This conversation explores the questions so many women and families are asking: • What can postpartum depression and anxiety look like? • How can hormonal changes and sleep deprivation affect the postpartum experience? • What are intrusive thoughts, and how can they relate to postpartum OCD? • Why do shame and stigma keep so many mothers from seeking help? • Where are the gaps in postpartum screening and follow-up care? • How can therapy, medication, and reproductive psychiatry support mothers? • What role can doulas, partners, families, and communities play? • What does it mean to ask for help—and accept it?
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Special Thanks to Our Sponsors Special thank you to the organizations helping support conversations about women’s health:
Supernus Pharmaceuticals / Biogen Supernus Pharmaceuticals and Biogen have partnered together to bring a treatment option to people experiencing postpartum depression. By combining expertise in brain health and biotechnology, we’re working with the healthcare community to help improve awareness and education of postpartum depression.
CHAPTERS 00:00 Opening: The realities of postpartum depression 00:25 Meet the host and guests 02:23 Understanding postpartum depression and anxiety 03:47 Tanisha’s first postpartum experience 08:54 Hormonal changes and risk factors 13:16 Intrusive thoughts and postpartum OCD 15:35 How doulas can support mothers 17:03 Gaps in postpartum care 20:57 Tanisha’s breakthrough: Therapy and support 22:48 Building a postpartum care team 25:07 What is a reproductive psychiatrist? 26:08 Hormonal shifts and questions about treatment 28:14 Breaking the stigma around seeking help 28:42 What every mother and community should know 32:35 Closing: Maternal mental health matters
Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicidal thoughts and intrusive thoughts involving harm. If you or someone you know needs crisis support in the U.S., call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If there is immediate danger, call 911.
Disclaimer: This video is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with your physician or qualified healthcare provider about any questions or concerns regarding your health.
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