Listen Now

It's Maternal Mental Health Week 2021! Maternal mental health is a cause near and dear to my heart. When I talk and write about maternal mental health, I end up focusing on postpartum depression. That's an important subject that needs attention, but maternal mental health does not end with the postpartum period. We deserve excellent mental health our entire lives, not just when we have a little baby at home.  In other news, between May 5 and May 9, 2021, my memoir Adventures With Postpartum Depression is free on Amazon. Happy downloading!  Show notes are available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. The music is "Carpe Diem" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

This week, I wanted to drop in and say, "Hello!" because the e-book of my memoir, Adventures With Postpartum Depression, is free now, December 8-12, on Amazon. It's my early Christmas gift for all the mamas struggling right now. And while I was saying hello, I thought I would give a pep talk for all the postpartum mamas because sometimes, you just need someone to tell you, "You can do this. Yeah, this is tough. But I believe in you." Because seriously, mamas, I do believe in you and I know how tough newborns are - and in 2020, sweet mercy, there's a whole extra dimension to the toughness. Show notes are available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. My memoir is available on Amazon. You can also follow me on IG @Courtney.Novak. Questions? Comments? Email CourtneyHenningNovak@gmail.com. I love you and please, please, please remember: You are not alone.

This episode is Episode 17 from my new podcast, Adventures With My Forties. But the things I had to say for that show are just as relevant - possibly more! - for mamas with a maternal mood disorder. I talk about the upcoming 2020 holidays. Spoiler alert: the holidays will be a bit different this year because hello, #pandemic. I am trying my best to lower/change my expectations so my family can still enjoy this time of year. I talk about the mindset I am trying to embrace so I do not drive myself crazy. (Or at least, crazier than usual.) Show notes are available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. While you are there, sign up for my newsletter! You can also follow me on IG @Courtney.Novak. The music is "Carpe Diem" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

This week, I am sharing Episode 10 from my new podcast, Adventures with My Forties, because I think it is also helpful for any parent. When I had PPD, my recovery focused on managing my worst symptoms like insomnia, anxiety and OCD rituals. But I was also struggling to find my footing as a new parent. In this episode, I talk about the "Jedi mind tricks" that help me thrive as a parent, before and now during the pandemic. Show notes are available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. The music is "Carpe Diem" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

I started a new podcast called Adventures With My Forties. It is now available on iTunes and the usual places for podcasts. For that show, I did an episode about my anxiety during the pandemic. (Spoiler alert: I'm back on Zoloft.) I am sharing that episode here because anxiety is often a big part of postpartum depression. Show notes are available at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. The music is "Carpe Diem" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Happy Mother's Day 2020! If you are listening to this episode during the week it airs, the Kindle version of my memoir Adventures With Postpartum Depression is FREE from Sunday, May 10 to Thursday, May 14, 2020. This is my Mother's Day gift to you! (Flowers would be tough.) The book is also now part of the Kindle Unlimited universe. And of course, it is always available on Amazon as a paperback or e-book. This week, I talk about motherhood during the Covid-19 pandemic and how sheltering-at-home has prompted me to take a closer look at my PPD experiences and beliefs about motherhood. Show notes will be available on my website CourtneyHenningNovak.com. I also announce new podcast episodes on IG @Courtney.Novak. Thank you for listening!

This is episode 81, formerly episode 8, featuring an interview with Alexia Johnstone. This was actually the first interview I ever did for the show! Unfortunately, some earlier episodes dropped off the feed due to storage issues, but I still had the original file. Hooray! I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed getting to talk to Alexia about her adventures with postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, pregnancy depression and postpartum OCD. Thank you, Alexia, for being my first ever guest! The intro music is "Cute" by Bensound.com. My old email address and website broke (sigh), but you can email me now at PPDadventures@gmail.com. My website is CourtneyHenningNovak.com. Thank you for listening.

Hi, everyone! I retired the show a year and a half ago but felt compelled to post a special episode during the Covid-19 crisis. I am currently sheltering at home with my husband Nathan, daughter Pippa (7 now!) and son Julian (4 years old). I wish I had some special advice for parents with newborns and babies during the pandemic, but mainly, I just want you to know that I see you, I see your extra stress, and I love you. My old website died, so I am writing now at CourtneyHenningNovak.com. You can also follow me on IG @CourtneyNovak and email me at PPDadventures@gmail.com. (Sorry, I can't access the old email either! #techfails.) Show intro music is "Cute" by Bensound.com. I know many of you are feeling extra isolated during the pandemic, but you are not alone and with help and support, you can and will make a full recovery.

This week, I give an update on the past couple months of my life and the changes I have been making as I enter a new phase of my life. I have fully recovered and healed from postpartum depression, and my intuition told me that it was time to cease my involvement with the peer-to-peer postpartum support group that I started. That was tough. And then, my intuition told me it was time to stop producing new episodes for this podcast. That was an even more difficult decision to embrace. But here I am, finally posting what I believe is the last episode for this show. New listeners: the old episodes are not going anywhere! The interviews and stories are just as relevant and authentic as they were when they were first recorded. Old listeners: follow my latest adventures on IG @Courtney.Novak. Show notes will be available at PPDadventures.com. Thank you for listening. It has been an honor to do this work. I know that sharing my story and the stories of other women was a critical part of my recovery.

This week, Emily Souder shares her personal and professional stories on the show. Emily is the mother of two littles, ages one and three, and she shares her personal postpartum adventures, including a traumatic birth experience. She is also a licensed clinical social worker answering the call to work with mothers during their transition to motherhood. We also talk about her book, Birth Story Brave, which is a resource to help you writer your personal birth story. Her latest book, Birth Story Held, is a guide for doctors, midwives and doulas who need to process their experiences with their clients. I loved talking to Emily and I'm so excited to share her interview on the show today. This will be the final interview of the 2018 season (there will be one more episode to finish up the year) but if you would like to be interviewed for the 2019 season, please email Courtney@PPDadventures.com. Show notes are available at PPDadventures.com. The intro music is "Cute" by Bensound.com. Thanks, Emily, for coming on the show!

This week, Brandon shares his story of what it is like to support his wife Tyra during her second round of postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. If you haven't listened to it already, Tyra shared her story in Episode 74. Thank you, Brandon, for your insights. Show notes will be available at PPDadventures.com. If you would like to share your story, email Courtney@PPDadventures.com. (There's just a few more weeks left of the 2018 season, but I'm still taking names for the 2019 season.) The intro music is "Cute" by Bensound.com. Thank you for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week.

Hello, Adventurers! Pippa started kindergarten yesterday, so today, I'm thinking about my goals for the 2018-2019 school year. I'm also trying to figure out how involved I want to be at my kids' schools and how much time I want to keep for myself and my self-care. As I mentioned during the episode, I've been blogging almost every day. Blog posts related to maternal mental health are at PPDadventures.com. Everything else is at my new website, CourtneyHenningNovak.com. That's my little new world to figure out my interests and passions as I navigate motherhood. Next week, we are back with an interview - Tyra's husband Brandon shares his experiences as the dad. If you would like to share your story on a future episode, email Courtney@PPDadventures.com. The intro music is "Cute" by Bensound.com. Thank you for listening and have a great week.

This week, I talk with Dyane Harwood, author of the memoir Birth of a New Brain: Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder. Dyane's memoir is amazing, and I keep thinking about all the issues she discusses, from the financial constraints of recovery to the difficulty of finding the right medication (and psychiatrist!) and so much more. This is a memoir about bipolar disorder, but I think it will inspire any mother who has suffered from a mood disorder. Thanks, Dyane, for coming on the show and writing such a beautiful book! Show notes will be available on PPDadventures.com. If you would like to share your story on a future episode, email Courtney@PPDadventures.com. The intro music is "Cute" by Bensound.com. Thank you for listening and I hope you have a lovely week. p.s. Go buy Dyane's book and read it asap! It's just too wonderful to miss!

This week, Tyra Fainstad shares her story of postpartum depression and anxiety. Tyra suffered from PPD and anxiety after the birth of her daughter who is now 2 years old. When she got pregnant with her son, she did everything she could to prepare for and prevent a second round of PPD. When her son was born a few months ago, things seemed to be going well. With her daughter, sleep and breastfeeding had been big triggers for Tyra's anxiety, but for the first month postpartum with her son, these were not issues. But when her son was about six weeks old, he developed a minor health issue that triggered her old anxiety. Tyra is now in the throes of a second round of PPD and PPA. As a physician, she knows she should be taking Zoloft; but as a woman with PPD and PPA, she is struggling to do the things that she rationally knows will help her get better. Thank you, Tyra, so much for sharing your experiences with maternal mental illness while you are still in the worst days of it. I know your story will help countless women in the darkness as well as their loved ones who can get frustrated when they don't know how to help. Show notes will be available at PPDadventures.com. If you would like to share your story on an upcoming episode, email Courtney@PPDadventures.com. The intro music is "Cute" by Bensound.com. Thank you for listening and I hope you have a lovely week.

This week, Rita shares her story of postpartum depression and anxiety. Rita had a history of depression before she got pregnant. She felt anxious during her entire pregnancy. After her son was born, postpartum depression hit her immediately. Since watching the documentary When the Bough Breaks, she has wanted to help others moms with a maternal mood disorder. Thank you, Rita, for sharing your story on the show! Show notes will be available at PPDadventures.com. If you would like to share your story on an upcoming episode, email Courtney@PPDadventures.com. The intro music is "Cute" by Bensound.com. Thank you for listening and have a great week.

For the next couple of weeks, I am sharing the audio version of my memoir, Adventures with Postpartum Depression. I don't have the time or resources to put together a fancy-schmancy formal audio version (yet!) so instead, I'm sharing it on the podcast. In this installment, I read Chapter 8: Insomnia and Chapter 9: My Breaking Point. By the end of Chapter 9, I have told my obstetrician about my symptoms and agreed to voluntarily admit myself to the hospital for psychiatric care. I hope to get this all done and shared by the end of June. If you can't wait to hear the rest of the book, head over to PPDadventures.com for your free copy of the ebook. Or head over to Amazon to get your ebook or paperback today to support my work. Thanks for listening!

For the next couple of weeks, I am sharing the audio version of my memoir, Adventures with Postpartum Depression. I don't have the time or resources to put together a fancy-schmancy formal audio version (yet!) so instead, I'm sharing it on the podcast. In this installment, I read Chapter 6: The First Six Weeks (which describes my descent in depression) and Chapter 7: Checking, Checking, Checking (which describes the development of my OCD rituals). I hope to get this all done and shared by the end of June. If you can't wait to hear the rest of the book, head over to PPDadventures.com for your free copy of the ebook. Or head over to Amazon to get your ebook or paperback today to support my work. Thanks for listening!

For the next couple of weeks, I am sharing the audio version of my memoir, Adventures with Postpartum Depression. I don't have the time or resources to put together a fancy-schmancy formal audio version (yet!) so instead, I'm sharing it on the podcast. In this installment, I read Chapter 4: Pregnancy, aka A Fancy Word for Hell and Chapter 5: In Which My Adventures With Postpartum Depression Begin (this covers labor and delivery). I hope to get this all done and shared by the end of June. If you can't wait to hear the rest of the book, head over to PPDadventures.com for your free copy of the ebook. Or head over to Amazon to get your ebook or paperback today to support my work. Thanks for listening!

For the next couple of weeks, I am sharing the audio version of my memoir, Adventures with Postpartum Depression. I don't have the time or resources to put together a fancy-schmancy formal audio version (yet!) so instead, I'm sharing it on the podcast. In this installment, I read The Prologue, Chapter One: The Girl with Hypchondria (some back story about why I was anxious going into motherhood), Chapter Two: Love and Marriage (a little more backstory that helps understand my particular PPD journey) and Chapter Three: Let's Make A Baby! (the process by which I decided I wanted to get pregnant). I hope to get this all done and shared by the end of June. If you can't wait to hear the rest of the book, head over to PPDadventures.com for your free copy of the ebook. Or head over to Amazon to get your ebook or paperback today to support my work. Thanks for listening!

The past few months, I have been working on improving my physical health. As strong as my mental health has been since I recovered from PPD, I know I will feel even better once I lose weight and reclaim my body. My thyroid is not working as well it should; my iron level is low; my cholesterol is way too high; but hey, my Vitamin D is tip-top. I'm also trying to shout less often at my children and slowly but surely making progress on that front. Later this summer, stay tuned for the podcast audio version of my memoir Adventures with Postpartum Depression, now available on Amazon. Email Courtney@PPDadventures.com if you would like to share your story on a future episode. Show notes will be available at PPDadventures.com. The intro music is "Cute" by Bensound.com. Thank you for listening and I hope you have a lovely week.