Fellowship Curriculum
You will learn how to combine the fields of reproductive and integrative psychiatry via a comprehensive curriculum focused on treatment tools.
Six comprehensive modules comprised of 35 full-length lectures, 15+ mini lectures, 6 live case discussions, a references guide, and a free e-book on how to start a private psychiatric practice.the latest evidence-based content.
Self-paced, on-demand curriculum from the comfort of your home or on-the-go.
All lectures and reference materials are easily accessible from your fellowship home portal.
Fellowship Introduction
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— Understand the definitions of reproductive and integrative psychiatry
— Be introduced to the three pillar approach of addressing reproductive mental health: biological/hormonal; psychological/spiritual; lifestyle (nutrition, activity, complementary treatments, ecotherapy, substances, and more)
— Review the different hormonally mediated conditions that impact mental health across the perinatal period, including depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD, bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis, eating disorders, and substance use
— Discuss hormonally medically conditions outside the perinatal period with mental health impact including PMDD and perimenopause
Practice utilizing case examples
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Learning Objectives:
Review the different hormonally mediated conditions that impact mental health across the perinatal period, including depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD, bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis, eating disorders, and substance use
Discuss hormonally medically conditions outside the perinatal period with mental health impact including PMDD and perimenopause
Practice utilizing case examples
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Learning Objectives:
Review the common symptoms of perimenopause
Discuss the menopausal transition as a clinical diagnosis supported by laboratory findings
Examine the hormonal shifts commonly seen during perimenopause
Overview of treatment tools, including BHRT
Module 1: Botanicals/Nutraceuticals
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Learning objectives:
Become familiar with the role of diagnosis in symptom management
Discuss ways to ensure nutraceuticals recommended are reputable
Learn about magnesium, including benefits, dosing and titration, reproductive safety data, and discuss a case of utilizing magnesium to aid with benzodiazepine taper in a complex patient
Discuss L-theanine, Lemon balm, and Ashwaganda, including benefits, dosing and reproductive safety data
Share the various uses of inositol in women’s mental health, including anxiety and fertility support
Review the utility and reproductive safety of anti-anxiety supplements many patients often ask about, including oral lavender, GABA, and others
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Learning objectives:
Discuss the benefits, safety, and dosing for Omega-3 fish oil, and the role of inflammation as an underlying etiology for depression
Discuss the use of SAM-e (s-adenosyl-methionine) in the treatment of depression, including review of its biochemistry and reproductive safety data
Review the relationship between the folate and methionine cycles and discuss the use of folate as an augmentation strategy for depression, including the patient population in whom it is most helpful
Review the utility and reproductive safety of anti-anxiety supplements many patients often ask about, including St. John's Wort and Rhodiolacription
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Learning objectives:
Describe the cycles, stages, and changes in sleep across the reproductive lifespan, including premenstrually, during pregnancy, postpartum, and with perimenopause
Discuss melatonin as a sleep aid, including its reproductive safety data and the newer literature on micro-dosing
Describe the utility of magnesium to improve sleep quality and illustrate its use with case examples
Review the utility and reproductive safety of sleep supplements many patients often ask about, such as valerian and passion flowercription
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Learning objectives:
Discuss the role of hormonal changes on attention & cognition
Share a framework for how to assess cognitive changes in perinatal patients
Review the value of Omega-3 fish oil for cognition
Review the data for Rhodiola rosea for cognitionItem description
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Learning objectives:
Hormonally mediated conditions unrelated to pregnancy/postpartum
Review the definition and epidemiology of PMDD
Discuss the role of Vitex in treating PMDD
Discuss the data in support of the use of magnesium, calcium, and Vitamin B6 for managing symptoms premenstrually
Share the data on the newest nutraceutical for PMDD – oxaloacetate
Discuss common symptoms of perimenopause and their impact on psychological well-being
Review the nutraceutical options commonly used in perimenopause and non-biological treatment options in perimenopause
Module 2: Interventions/Devices
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Learning objectives:
Review the literature on physical exercise for mood symptoms
Discuss the available data on exercise in premenstrual conditions
Learn the relationship between exercise and perimenopausal symptoms
Become familiar with the literature on exercise in perinatal mood conditions
Share a prescription for exercise
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Learning objectives:
Describe the origins of this therapy and mechanism of action
Review the data in perinatal depression
Discuss potential negative side effects, including the risks in bipolar illness
Share the appropriate dosing and directions
Illustrate utility using a case example of a patient with seasonal affective disorder
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Learning objectives:
Understand the underlying theory behind ecotherapy
Explore the science behind nature healing practices Explain the main objective of a nature healing practice
Clarify the difference between Level One thinking and Level Two thinking
Using a case example of a postpartum woman with high anxiety, illustrate a program of ecotherapy practices
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Learning objectives:
Discuss the role of acupuncture to help with hormonal regulation in a fertility journey;
Share acupuncture as an effective treatment for perinatal mood disorders and other perinatal challenges and as an effective treatment for postpartum symptoms;
Become familiar with how to refer and financial implications (such as obtaining insurance coverage)
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Learning Objectives:
Learn about the relationship between pelvic floor challenges - pain, incontinence - and mental health symptoms
Review the data on pelvic floor interventions and improvement in symptoms
Illustrate using a case example
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Learning objectives:
Describe the different types of massage therapy
Review the benefits, mechanisms, and neurobiology of massage therapy
Discuss the data on the use of massage for management of mental health symptoms
Discuss the use of massage for perinatal and postpartum populations
Share the data on aromatherapy with massage, particularly focusing on lavender and Silexan
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Learning objectives:
Learn the different types of breathing techniques for anxiety and nervous system regulation
Review the data on using breath work for management of anxiety in pregnancy and postpartum
Define mindfulness and review the data on the role of mindfulness in perinatal and postpartum mental health
Discuss practical ways to utilize mindfulness-based practices with patients
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Learning objectives:
Discuss the importance and utility of tracking tools in diagnosis and assessment of mental health
Share options for tracking menstrual cycles, sleep, blood sugar, nutrition & food, and more
Review available data on the utility of tracking tools
Discuss the definitions, mechanisms, and benefits of journaling and gratitude journals
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Learning Objectives:
Understand the fundamentals of yoga
Discover the effects of yoga on the brain and nervous system
Learn about the relationship between yoga practices and mental health
Discuss the research behind the use of yoga for treating women’s mental health conditions such as PPD/PPA
Review helpful yoga practices for mental health
Module 3: Nutrition
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Learning objectives:
Define nutritional psychiatry, including the Mediterranean and anti-inflammatory diets
Discuss the data on the use of MD and depression
Illustrate how to implement the anti-inflammatory diet in real life situations
Discuss the role of anti-inflammatory supplements such as curcumin on mood and their reproductive safety
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Learning objectives:
Discuss the role of sugar in depression, anxiety, and other mental health symptoms across the reproductive lifespan
Review the impact of products such as soy and dairy, particularly during the luteal phase
Discuss the research on phytoestrogens
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Learning objectives:
Identify challenges women face in the perinatal period for women recovering from body image distress and disordered eating
Introduce research on what helps with body image distress in pregnant/postpartum moms and learn common eating disorder/body image cognitive distortions
Define what “diet culture” and “health at every size” are
Provide intervention resources for assisting with healing disordered eating and body image distress during the perinatal period.
Module 4: Support Systems
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Learning objectives:
Review the sleep changes that occur in the context of pregnancy, postpartum and other hormonal transitions
Learn about sleep hygiene techniques to implement with patients
Discuss the data on the gold standard treatment for insomnia - CBTi - in pregnancy and perimenopause
Share helpful sleep tracking options
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Learning objectives:
Discuss the etiologies of low energy in the context of hormonal changes and other mental health symptoms
Describe the role of supplements such as rhodiola and ginseng for energy
Review the role of exercise, yoga, hydration, and nutrition in management of energy
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Learning objectives:
Review the data on the relationship between depression, anxiety and social support
Discuss the negative consequences of social media on mental health and body image and as a lack of support
Discuss the value of doula support in mitigating symptoms of postpartum depression
Reflect on the difference between peer support and professional support and how to choose
Review the data on IPV in pregnancy, as it is one of the most dangerous in a woman's life
Define and discuss spirituality
Share the 5-components of planning for postpartum
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Learning objectives:
Relationship between PMADS and breastfeeding
Clinical presentations of PMADs in breastfeeding mothers
Management of common breastfeeding challenges
Sleep, feeding schedules and back to work
Breastfeeding Grief & Trauma
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Learning Objectives:
Recognize disparities in mortality, morbidity, and PMADs for Black birthing people
Acknowledge how racism affects inflammation and birth outcomes in Black birthing people
Describe three ways to apply an integrative approach to the perinatal mental health of Black birthing people
Module 5: Integrating with Traditional Treatments
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Learning objectives:
Share a case of using maca for SSRI induced sexual side effects
Discuss a case of magnesium for benzo taper
Examine a case of utilizing amino acids for SSRI taper
Learn how to appropriately check interactions between supplements and medications
Discuss the situations when hormonal medications lead to mental health symptoms: OCPs, IUD
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Learning objectives:
Review the most commonly utilized psychotherapy approaches
Discuss the data on psychotherapy for management of PMADs
Discuss the data on psychotherapy for PMDD and perimenopause
Share a framework for how to recommend a psychotherapy style
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Learning objectives:
Share various examples of interventions about which patients often inquire and discuss how to navigate these conversations given limited available data. Topics will include blueberry extract for PPD prevention, ganglion block for PP PTSD, and more
Discuss the use and limitations of genetic and other types of laboratory testing
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Learning objectives:
Discuss the use of ketamine in pregnancy
Review the data on lactation safety and ketamine
Describe the role of brexanolone in perinatal mood disorders
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** Lecture content being updated **
Learning objectives to be posted prior to start of next cohort.
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** Lecture content being updated **
Learning objectives to be posted prior to start of next cohort.
Module 6: Relationships & Networks
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** Lecture content being updated **
Learning objectives to be posted prior to start of next cohort.
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** Lecture content being updated **
Learning objectives to be posted prior to start of next cohort.
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** Lecture content being updated **
Learning objectives to be posted prior to start of next cohort.
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** Lecture content being updated **
Learning objectives to be posted prior to start of next cohort.
Closing
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Learning objectives:
Learn strategies to grow your practice and market your newfound knowledge of this curriculum
Synthesize the case examples used throughout the curriculum
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A 65 question multiple choice exam to test your knowledge. Passing score of 80% will receive our Certificate of Completion.