Role with PSI:

My board role as the Coordinator Chairperson is to keep the board informed of the needs, projects, and achievements of our coordinators, and to communicate board policies to the coordinators. The PSI coordinators provide support, information, and local resources to women and families that contact PSI, and are often the catalyzing force in their communities for networks of providers and educators. They are the active link between a distressed family and the resources that can help them. My job in the operation of PSI is to find new coordinators, help them get started, and to offer support or resources as they fulfill their invaluable role as PSI volunteers. I am also responsible for receiving, exploring, and acting on any complaints regarding our coordinators.

Current Projects:

My goal as the Coordinator Chairperson is to maintain and support our current base of informed volunteers and to increase their numbers through PSI worldwide. We are currently helping to develop support and resource networks in places such as Iran, India, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Trinidad, and in each of the US states. My projects include new coordinator orientation and development, developing and collecting a report log of coordinator hours and tasks, facilitating the translation of PSI materials into other languages, mentoring those who want to start support services in their communities, assisting in updating the PSI Support Pages on the website, and having a regular bedtime. I am also serving on the Education Committee and the Conference Committee.

Bio:

I live and work in Portland, Oregon with my husband and two children. I have a BA in Psychobiology from Oberlin College and a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology from International College. Since 1987 I have had a private counseling practice with a specialty in depression, anxiety, and creative process and performance. In 1994, I added a special focus in perinatal mood disorders and since then have provided counseling to individuals and couples and training to professionals in PMDs and recovery. I was the founding director and am now the Clinical Consultant for the Baby Blues Connection, a mom-to-mom support organization that I helped form in 1994. I work with local providers, schools, and hospitals to develop and provide PMD training curriculum. I provide consultation and training for others who are developing their own perinatal support services, and I love to help them formulate the particular model of support that can be sustainable in their local community. I am extremely proud to be part of PSI and to work with such courageous and passionate people around the world.