Mental Health Services

Are you, or someone you know, feeling overwhelmed, worried or sad either during pregnancy or soon after the birth of a baby? If so, this could be perinatal mood disorder (PMD). PMD is very common – one in five women and one in ten men experience it as new parents. However help is at hand because Karitane has a great wealth of experience helping families in this situation. 

A referral to Karitane’s perinatal and infant mental health service is the start of your journey to recovery. Here you will feel welcome, supported and able to share your feelings with our team. Our focus is working with your family to enhance relationships in a caring family environment. This generally involves working with one of our clinicians one on one, with your infant and also with your partner, as well as with our team. Our team are qualified in perinatal mental health, have lots of experience and want to help families like yours.

Our interventions assist parents to understand what has contributed to their low mood or anxiety or other mental health concerns and support you to adapt to your role as a parent. For example exploring unrealistic expectations of parenthood, rigid and controlling thinking, impacts of a history of childhood trauma or grief and loss.  As a parent-infant service all of our interventions keep the baby in mind and aim to strengthen your relationship with your child

Our programs
The following programs are provided at Karitane’s perinatal and infant mental health service (Carramar or Camden):

• Individual and family supportive therapy
• Sessional psychiatric services, including prescription and monitoring of medications if required
• Day stay with our child and family health nurse
• Parentcraft & child development information
• Parent-infant therapy and groups
• Music therapy groups

Day stay
At Karitane’s perinatal and infant mental health service you have access to our day stay facility, which provides support and education for sleep and settling, feeding, infant management and nutrition.

Therapeutic support groups
Complement your individual therapy with a group to suit your needs including:

• Circle of security groups (COS)
• Pre- therapy groups
• Music groups 
• Baby massage groups 

Our groups help to assist with improving your positive interaction with your child while you build on your social networks in a supportive and nurturing environment. 

What to expect

When we allocate your referral, we’ll give you a call, talk about how you are and arrange a time for you to come and see us.

When you come in, first we’ll make you feel at home and introduce you to the facilities. Then one of our team will meet with you to understand your needs and work out which services are most appropriate.

From this point on you’ll be invited to come regularly, usually once a week. When you visit will depend on the services you wish to access. Over the next few weeks or months, however long it takes, the team will support you until you feel ready to move on from our care. Our staff include registered nurses, clinical psychologists, social workers and psychiatrists with specialist qualifications in perinatal and infant mental health.

How to start the process 

Check that you meet the following criteria:

• Live in the South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD)
• You are either pregnant or have a child aged up to 12 months.

In this new normal access for parents remains easier than ever, parents can self-refer on-line here. A referral from a health professional, such as your doctor or a child and family health nurse is also accepted, to find your local child and family health centre, contact HealthDirect on 1800 022 222.

We are a COVID safe organisation and the safety and wellbeing of children and their families is always our highest priority. Our COVID-19 update is here.

Opening hours

8:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

Cost

Karitane perinatal mental health service is a free health service to the community.

What parents say

• “Thank you so much for turning the light on and bringing me out of the darkness"
• “Thank you all so much for your support during my time at Jade House this year. I have felt very welcomed…I want to thank everyone for their care and support during a tough time. I couldn’t have asked for more understanding and I was very touched"
• “Thank you so much for all of your support, advice and reassurance over the last 9 or so months"

Locations

Our mental health services are located at Carramar and Camden.

138-150 The Horsley Drive, Carramar, NSW 2163

61 Menangle Rd, Camden, NSW 2570