Center for Perinatal Bonding and Support
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, like postpartum depression, are the most common complication of pregnancy, affecting nearly 20 percent of people during pregnancy and the postpartum year. You are not alone and help is available.
The Center for Perinatal Bonding and Support offers specialized, knowledgeable and timely care to prevent and treat perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and strengthen attachment. By offering compassionate, nonjudgmental, short-term care and consultations, we hope to reduce the shame and stigma that surrounds perinatal mental health. We believe meeting mental health needs in pregnancy and postpartum can have a positive, generational impact on families.
Being a new parent is hard. Possibly the hardest thing you’ll ever have to do. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, like postpartum depression, are the most common complication of pregnancy, affecting nearly 1 in 5 in pregnancy or through the postpartum year. If you feel anxious or depressed, or if something just doesn’t feel right, know that you’re not alone. Help is available.
The Day Program is an intensive program expressly designed to address perinatal mood and anxiety disorders that are significantly impacting daily life or attachment with baby.
- Individual and group therapy drawing from evidenced-based interventions including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy
- Discussions of pregnancy and birth experiences, relationships and identity
- Support with bonding with baby
- The opportunity to connect with others experiencing similar symptoms
- Activities like baby massage, yoga and art therapy
- Family meetings with partners or other supports
- Medication evaluation and management (if needed)
You are encouraged to bring your non-mobile baby. We have cribs, changing tables, bouncy chairs and a lactation room for private pumping or feeding if desired.
Insurance plans typically cover this program; following an intake with one of our psychiatrists, we will review your insurance benefits with you. Call to schedule an appointment to see if the program is a good fit for you.
The Day Program runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On your first day, you will meet with one of the therapists to develop a personalized plan of care to meet your individual needs. Most people attend the Day Program an average of two to three weeks.
The Day Program is a day treatment program for pregnant and postpartum birthing people. The intensive nature of the program allows us to provide the support and services needed to help you feel better as quickly as possible. The staff includes four perinatal therapists and two psychiatrists with a specialty in treating perinatal mood disorders.
1101 Madison, Suite 500 (5th floor)
Seattle, WA 98104
We are in the 1101 Madison Tower with pay parking available in the Marion & Minor Garage, located beneath the building with entrances on both Marion Street and Minor Avenue. For a full day, the rate is currently $18.00 per day. Routes that stop at or near 1101 Madison: 2, 10, 11, 12, 60. You can use the King County Metro Trip Planner to find the best route. Some people opt to have a support person drop them off and pick them up. Your support person is welcome to accompany you during your first-day 30-minute check-in.
Day Program hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00am - 3pm. Once you are in the program, we ask that you attend every day (unless you have an illness or important appointment). We do not meet on Fridays, weekends, or national holidays. You are invited and encouraged to bring your non-mobile baby. You will need to arrange childcare for children over 1.
On your first day, we ask that you come at 9 AM to make a treatment plan and get oriented to the space.
Each participant will make a treatment plan with a therapist on their first day. Participants “graduate” when they and the team agree that they have met their goals and are ready to step down to outpatient therapy. The average length of stay in the day program is 2-3 weeks but can vary based on needs.
A lot of people worry about caring for their baby in a new space. We have found that the babies tend to do well in this setting. We are also used to and comfortable with all the ways babies communicate with us! Babies are welcome to nap in arms, in a carrier, in a bouncy seat, or in a crib.
We offer a non-judgmental space where participants are welcome to feed their baby formula, breast milk, baby food, or some combination. Breast and bottle feeding are both welcome; some women opt to wear a cover while nursing while others do not. Some women pump in the room or choose to pump/feed in another space. We are happy to help you problem-solve any concerns you have about feeding your baby.
We provide lunch from a nearby take-out restaurant. There are sandwich, salad or soup options. Please advise us if you have special dietary needs.
While we sometimes make changes, this is a typical day's schedule:
Check-in Group: 9 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Attachment Group: 10:15 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Skills Group: 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Lunch (provided and served in the group room): 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Movement and Psychotherapy Group: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Reflection and Wrap Up Group: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
This program provides support for a range of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. While everyone has their own treatment goals, they will often find connections to and similarities with others in the group. We go over the symptoms of PMAD's, treatment options, and what recovery looks like. Upon completing the program, participants will have learned elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, mindfulness, and the Circle of Security Program.
- Diapers (plus a plastic bag to bring home dirty diapers)
- Baby wipes
- Pacifiers, if used
- Baby blanket or toys, if desired
- What you need to feed baby: formula, baby food, your own pump
- A stroller, wrap, carrier, or other way to carry your baby on short walks
In the kitchen area, we provide water, snacks, and a fridge. We encourage you to dress in comfortable clothes that can stretch. We will usually do some kind of light movement like walks or yoga.
Prior to starting the program, we will check your insurance benefits and find out what out-of-pocket expense you might be charged. Some insurance companies require a prior authorization which we will obtain for you. Once we have relayed this information to you and you have agreed, we will set up a first day for you to start.
This program is designed to meet the needs of pregnant and postpartum birthing parents. We do not allow partners to attend, however, they are invited to participate in a family session. A family session is a one-hour meeting with your support person/people to talk about what you are learning in day program and how you can continue this progress at home.
Patients that complete the day program will be offered short-term therapy as they continue to stabilize and transition back to home/work. This generally looks like weekly therapy for a month, followed by bi-weekly therapy for the next two months. Following this, patients are encouraged to transition to a community therapist. We are happy to help facilitate this process. Our team of psychiatrists will be available to follow patients up till one year postpartum before transitioning their medication management to their PCP or a community provider.
At the Center for Perinatal Bonding and Support, and our other sites of service, psychiatrists specialize in pregnancy and postpartum care, offering psychiatric consultations and medication management.
Many people worry about the effects of medications on their baby during pregnancy. Not all patients need medications, but sometimes they are recommended. Our providers have a particular interest in this area and can discuss with you the latest information about risks and benefits of medications in pregnancy and breastfeeding. The choice to take medications is yours. Our hope is that you can make an informed decision.