Dropping the Baby and Other Scary Thoughts

Karen Kleiman, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and internationally recognized expert on maternal mental health. With over 30 years of experience in the field, she is the author of several books on postpartum depression and anxiety and is the founder of The Postpartum Stress Center, a treatment and training facility for prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety disorders.Amy Wenzel, PhD, ABPP, is the owner and director of the Main Line Center for Evidence-Based Psychotherapy, faculty at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and a trainer-consultant for the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. She is the author and editor of many books on topics such as cognitive therapy, cognitive research methods, and close relationships, and also sits on the editorial board of Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.Hilary Waller, LPC, is the director of programming at The Postpartum Stress Center. She provides continuing education for maternal health care providers in the identification and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and leads advanced trainings for professionals from around the country. Abby Adler Mandel, PhD, is an assistant professor in psychology at the Catholic University of America and adjunct faculty at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Her areas of research and clinical expertise include depression, anxiety, suicide prevention, and cognitive behavior therapy.

"This wonderfully written and informative book will undoubtedly provide new parents with much needed information and reassurance." – Nichole Fairbrother, PhD, RPsych, clinical associate professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia"In Dropping the Baby and Other Scary Thoughts, Karen Kleiman and Amy Wenzel shine a light on something that virtually all new parents experience but are afraid to talk about: unwanted thoughts. Their revised edition does an even more thorough job of explaining this fascinating (yet scary) reality, and what you can do if scary thoughts have become a problem. This is simply a must read for all new parents." – Jonathan S. Abramowitz, PhD, professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; author of Getting Over OCD: A 10-Step Guide for Taking Back Your Life"Karen Kleiman and Amy Wenzel, both distinguished clinicians in the field of perinatal mental health, have teamed up with their esteemed colleagues, to address a common but frightening experience for new parents. The newly revised edition, useful to both parents and clinicians, provides clear explanation of this experience and offers practical solutions and resources. This authorship team is to be highly commended for enlightening readers about what is a common experience for many new parents, yet has remained a taboo topic." – Lisa S. Segre, PhD, president, International Marce Society for Perinatal Mental Health

• Part I. 1. A Mother’s Anxiety 2. A Closer Look 3. Why Am I Having Scary Thoughts? Part II. 4. How Do You Know if You Need Help? 5. Barriers to Relief 6. Screening for Scary Thoughts Part III. 7. Things You Can Do to Feel Better 8. Can You Really Change How You Think? 9. Working Toward Acceptance 10. Professional Treatment Options 11. How Others Can Help 12. Recognizing the Needs of Diverse Parents and Families 13. Your Personal Treatment Plan 14. Living With Uncertainty