Grant allows affordable counseling for moms dealing with postpartum depression

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - In January 2019, CHRISTUS Fund awarded $75,000 to the Family & Youth Counseling agency to support its Healthy Mothers program. This program addresses the priority area of Mental Health that “has been designated as an area of concern for the Southwest Louisiana Region.”

As a result, Family & Youth will provide $10.00 counseling sessions to mothers dealing with postpartum depression.

Carey Blebins has experienced the depression first hand and says it’s not easy.

“I had an overwhelming urge at one point to just walk away from my baby, and not look back," Blebins said.

Caitlin Brown a Family & Youth counselor says this feeling is not uncommon and that 1 in 7 women experience the same feelings.

“It’s going to be much more intense more extreme forms of anger and irritability," Brown said. "More withdrawn, you’ll have difficulty caring for your baby, that fear that you are not a good mother.”

Brown says even though it’s common many women feel shame. That’s why affordable counseling is so important.

“That their a bad mother, or that they don’t love their child," Brown said. “Normal counseling sessions can be up to $90 to $150 so it’s great that we have this grant to provide to mothers.”

Blebins says counseling made all the difference.

“It took trying to talk about it and trying to explain it for me to even begin to feel better about myself," Blebins said.

If you’ve been experiencing feelings anxiety or depression, reach out to a primary care doctor and counselor to begin treatment.

If you’d like to make a counseling appointment call Family & Youth at (337) 436 -9533

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