Session 3: Introducing Coping Strategies
SMART goal: By the end of the eight-hour session, the group will be able to identify at least three new coping skills to alleviate maternal depression.
Objective 1: Introduce multiple coping skills with role plays
Objective 2: Hold group discussion throughout the session about how group members plan to use coping skills outside of the group
Agenda: 50-minute session with a 10-minute break
Ice breaker~ 5 minutes
Coping strategy educational~ 15 minutes
Discussion about coping strategies~25 minutes
Sticky note activity~ 5 minutes
Lesson plan:
Ice breaker:
Ask the participants where they would like to be in 10 years. Go around the room and allow each individual to answer.
Coping strategy educational:
During this session, we will be discussing coping strategies for maternal depression. The next three sessions will be about specific strategies related to coping with maternal depression, which is problem-focused, attachment-focused, and communication-focused.
(To begin, ask participants to define coping/coping strategies in their own words.)
Coping can be defined as a way of dealing with a problem or difficulty; it is also how one overcomes an obstacle or adapts to stress.
Discussion question: Can you think of a time when you were under a lot of stress and you did something to alleviate those emotions?
Keep in mind that not all coping strategies are good; substance use, denial, self-blame, self-isolation or withdrawing from others are ways in which people cope with negative emotions that increase their risk of worsening/experiencing more adverse symptoms (Gutiérrez-Zotes et al., 2016).
Healthy coping strategies for depressive symptoms include seeking social support, participating in religion and spiritual practices, taking care of your physical well-being, and giving yourself time to do what you love and enjoy. All of these are examples of self-care, which is a crucial discipline for parents because they must take care of themselves in order to ensure that they are functional and capable of caring for a fully dependent human.
(Ask participants to define self-care in their own words.)
Self-care is an essential part of being a mother. Being a mother is a demanding, full-time job, which makes it more difficult to fit in time for oneself. The high level of demand that comes with being a mother is a cause for the increased need for self-care. Self-care includes monitoring one’s physical and emotional well-being by taking care of one’s hygiene, getting physical exercise and adequate sleep, talking with family and friends, and setting boundaries (Barkin & Wisner, 2013). Boundaries are important for mothers to put in place for themselves in order to manage their daily tasks without becoming overwhelmed or having to make sacrifices that deplete them. Mothers will often omit meals and sleep in order to keep up with the demands of motherhood. This lack of nourishment and rejuvenation is harmful to the mother’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
Other areas of self-care include religious and spiritual practices as a means of coping (Azale et al., 2018). Having faith or belief in a higher power has proven to be a protective factor for many individuals experiencing depressive symptoms (Azale et al., 2018). Furthermore, having healthy relationships and a supportive social network is important for the mental and emotional well-being of mothers. Mothers with depressive symptoms often isolate and/or refuse help from others because they may feel ashamed to ask for help and that they should be able to take on all of the responsibilities of a mother at all times. However, mothers are encouraged to spend time with others and receive help with the care of their infant (Azale et al., 2018). It is important that mothers know that they are not alone and they should feel as though they have and deserve the support that they need.
Discussion about coping strategies:
- Have you used unhealthy coping strategies? How did this impact your mood?
2. What are some healthy coping strategies that you can identify in your life that you currently use? How do you find these helpful?
3. What does self-care look like for you? How often do you engage in self-care?
4. When do you feel most inclined to engage in self-care?
5. n what ways can you set healthy boundaries for yourself in order to meet your needs and the needs of your child/household?
Sticky note activity:
Each participant should write questions they have about maternal depression on a sticky note and place it in the designated bucket/bowl/hat.
Materials:
Sticky notepad, writing utensils.
References:
zale, T., Fekadu, A., Medhin, G., & Hanlon, C. (2018). Coping strategies of women with postpartum depression symptoms in rural Ethiopia: a cross-sectional community study. BMC Psychiatry, 18, 1. https://doi-org.proxy.longwood.edu/10.1186/s12888-018-1624-z
Barkin, J., & Wisner, K. (2013, February 15). The role of maternal self-care in new motherhood. Science Direct. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0266613812001817
Gutiérrez-Zotes, A., Labad, J., Martín-Santos, R., García-Esteve, L., Gelabert, E., Jover, M., Guillamat, R., Mayoral, F., Gornemann, I., Canellas, F., Gratacós, M., Guitart, M., Roca, M., Costas, J., Ivorra, J., Navinés, R., de Diego-Otero, Y., Vilella, E., & Sanjuan, J. (2016). Coping strategies for postpartum depression: a multi-centric study of 1626 women. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 19(3), 455–461. https://doi-org.proxy.longwood.edu/10.1007/s00737-015-0581-5