Perinatal Mental Health: Screening and Support for Doulas
You see your clients more often than almost anyone in their perinatal year. This class shows you what to do with what you notice.
Perinatal mental health for doulas means knowing how to screen, refer, and act fast when it matters, all within doula scope. Includes 1 CE contact hour.
- Scope
- Screening
- Referrals
- Red flags
Your class includes 1 live Q&A session with me on Zoom, to use within 12 months.
Perinatal mental health for doulas is bigger than postpartum depression
You see things your client’s provider doesn’t. You hear the comments their family brushes off. Most doulas were never taught what comes next:
- How do I offer a screening tool without it feeling awkward?
- What do I write down, and what do I leave out?
- When is this a referral, and when is it a same-day emergency?
- How do I make a referral my client will act on?
This class answers each one, all within doula scope. You won’t diagnose anything. You’ll notice, document, and connect.
14
At about four months postpartum, long after our work together had ended, a client sent me a text with one number in it: 14.
That was their score on the screening tool I had given them. I called, made the referral, and checked in the next week.
Later they told me they couldn’t have said the words “I think I’m depressed.” They knew that if they sent me that number, I would know what to do. This class is how you get ready for that text.
Notice, document, and connect. Conclusions are for clinicians.
For birth and postpartum doulas, new or experienced. Start any time and go at your own pace.
What you will learn in this class
The class is approved for 1 CE contact hour. By the end, you'll be able to:
- See the whole range
Recognize perinatal mental health disorders beyond postpartum depression, plus the risk and protective factors across the perinatal year.
- Use screening tools
Identify validated screening tools you can offer within doula scope: the EPDS-US, PHQ-2, PHQ-9, and GAD-7.
- Document cleanly
Write down what you observed, using observation instead of diagnostic language.
- Act on red flags
Spot the red flags that need same-day action and follow a clear crisis pathway.
- Refer so clients follow through
Offer a referral in words that make follow-through more likely, backed by a working local referral list.
Approved through DONA International, course number CEP002-018-W.
What the class covers
A recorded class you watch on your own schedule. You’ll start your own local referral list while you watch.
- Your scopeScreen and connect. Notice, document, and refer. Never diagnose.
- Beyond postpartum depressionBipolar disorder, perinatal OCD and anxiety, birth trauma, postpartum psychosis, substance use, and eating disorders.
- Timing and riskThe whole perinatal year, partners too, risk factors that stack, and why doula support is protective.
- What you notice, and red flagsChanges you see over time, and the red flags that mean you act the same day.
- ScreeningThe EPDS-US, PHQ-2, PHQ-9, and GAD-7, how to offer them, and how to document the same way every time.
- ReferralsBuild your local referral list, offer a referral your client will act on, and what to do when a client declines.
- Crisis, confidentiality, and youCrisis numbers to save, when confidentiality has to be broken, and support for yourself.
Yours to keep: a handout with documentation phrases and a reading list, plus case study workbooks to practice with.
CE certificate: finish the class and the short evaluation for your certificate for 1 CE contact hour.
You want to be ready before you need to be
Your training covered postpartum depression, and you want the rest of the picture.
You worry a referral will feel awkward or push your client away.
You want a plan for the day a client says something that scares you.
What you can do after this class
- Know your scopeScreen and connect, without diagnosing.
- Offer screeningBring it up in plain words at a first prenatal visit, in postpartum, or when something feels off.
- Document every timeWrite down the date, the tool, the score, and what you offered, the same way every time.
- Refer with confidenceOffer a referral your client is more likely to follow, from a list you trust.
- Be ready for a crisisHave crisis numbers in your phone before you ever need them.
$19. Includes live Q&A with me and 1 CE contact hour.
In their words
I liked that the information was presented in a thorough and clear manner - not making light of or catastrophizing perinatal mental health disorders
One thing I liked was the teaching on the language we as Doulas should use to make sure our clients don't feel Alienated and stigmatized when going through mental health woes.
How slow and intentional Robin spoke.
Want a head start?
Read my post, How to Add Perinatal Mental Health Screening to Your Doula Practice. Then bring your questions to a live Q&A with me.
Who's teaching this
Hi, I'm Robin Elise Weiss.
I hold the Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) from Postpartum Support International. I've trained more than 10,000 doulas and attended more than 1,500 births.
I’m not a therapist. I’m a doula, and this class teaches what a doula can do: notice, document, and connect your client to care.
PMH-C, PhD, MPH, MSHPE, LCCE, CLC, AdvCD/BDT(DONA)
As seen inNPR, Parents, People, The Bump, Verywell Health, The Washington Post, and Newsweek
What $19 covers
- Video
- A recorded class on perinatal mental health for doulas. Watch at your own pace.
- Live Q&A
- Live Q&A with Robin. Your class includes 1 live Q&A session with me on Zoom, to use within 12 months.
- Tools
- A handout with documentation phrases and a reading list, plus case study workbooks.
- CE hours
- 1 CE contact hour you can apply toward certification or recertification. Approved through DONA International, course number CEP002-018-W.
- Access
- Yours for as long as the course is available. Start any time.
Registration is nonrefundable because this is a digital course.
Trained with me? See the alumni page for your discount.
Questions
What does perinatal mental health for doulas cover?
It covers the range of perinatal mental health disorders beyond postpartum depression, validated screening tools, documentation without diagnostic language, red flags that need same-day action, referrals your client will act on, crisis resources, confidentiality, and self-care for you.
Is screening within a doula's scope?
Yes. Giving your client a validated screening tool to score, sharing the result, and connecting them to care are all within doula scope. Diagnosis is not. That belongs to a licensed clinician.
Which screening tools does the class cover?
The EPDS-US, PHQ-2, PHQ-9, and GAD-7.
I'm worried a referral will feel awkward. Will this help?
Yes. You'll get words to practice so making a referral feels natural, plus a way to give your client a choice without overwhelming them.
Is any of this live?
The class is a recording you watch on your own schedule. Your class also includes 1 live Q&A session with me on Zoom, to use within 12 months, so you can bring questions about your own clients.
Does this include CE hours?
Yes. Finish the class and the short evaluation, and you'll get a certificate for 1 CE contact hour you can apply toward certification or recertification. The class is approved through DONA International, course number CEP002-018-W.
How long do I have access?
As long as the course is available. Come back to it when you need a refresher.
Can I get a refund?
No. Registration is nonrefundable because this is a digital course.
Be ready for the day a client needs you to know what to do.
Ready to learn what to do next?
Screening, referrals, and red flags. 1 live Q&A with me. 1 CE contact hour. $19.