Recorded workshops for Possums parents

Who can view the Recorded workshops for Possums parents?

Any mother, parent, or carer who has already used The Possums Sleep Program or the Possums programs is welcome to access these pre-recorded online workshops. The two days of workshops were run with a group of Possums mothers who wanted to take a deeper dive into the Possums programs, with a view to supporting other parents. Having some familiarity with the Possums programs is important so that you can get the most out of these workshops.

The workshops are a lovely collection of videos (about 8 hours in total), including both parent education sessions and questions by and discussions with the participants.

• Day 1 is delivered by Dr Pamela Douglas, taking a closer look at all domains in the Possums programs for parents who are interested in offering support to other parents.

• Day 2 is delivered by Ms Anya Snyder, mental health nurse practitioner, and focuses on taking care of your own mental and emotional well-being when you're caring for a baby or toddler.

What content is covered?

The videos, through by presentation, questions, and discussions, address

• The Possums 5-domain approach to the baby who cries a lot in the first months of life (Dr Pamela Douglas)

• The Possums Sleep Program (Dr Pamela Douglas)

• Baby's sensory motor needs (Dr Pamela Douglas)

• Breastfeeding including the gestalt method of fit and hold in breastfeeding (Dr Pamela Douglas)

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Self-Compassion for perinatal emotional wellbeing and mental health (Ms Anya Snyda, mental health nurse practitioner, Mater Emotional Health Unit, Brisbane, Australia).

The questions asked by the mothers in these videos are deep and impassioned, laying open the heartache and joy of caring for a baby or toddler - at a time when the advice parents receive is often highly conflicted and confusing.

Who are these pre-recorded workshops for?

You might be specially interested in this collection of videos if

• You are a mother or parent who is passionate about networking and being there as a caring and supportive presence for other mothers or parents in the perinatal period

• You've found that the Possums programs made a big difference in your life with your baby or toddler, and want to be able to share more about it with other parents and friends

• You want to take your knowledge of the Possums programs to a deeper level for your own sake and for the sake of your family

• You want a deeper dive into how best to care for your own emotional and mental wellbeing, as you live a rich and satisfying life with your baby or toddler, in community with other parents.

We welcome your participation in this self-paced learning opportunity. We do recommend that you have first been a subscriber for at least one month to The Possums Baby and Toddler Sleep Program, first.

What do you get when you join Recorded workshops for Possums parents?

• Once you register, you'll receive a month's access to the self-paced pre-recorded online content.

• There is also a continuous four hour recording which you can listen to the first day's recordings, and a continous 3.5 hour recording of the second day's recordings, if you prefer that to watching multiple short videos on each topic.

• You will then be able to renew your monthly subscription at the same cost, for as long as you want access. Please note: re-subscription will occur automatically and you will need to opt out if you are not wanting more time.

Acknowledgements

These two education and discussion days were funded by the Brisbane South Primary Health Network, as part of their perinatal mental health initiatives 2017-2019, in collaboration with the charity Possums for Mothers and Babies (2013-2023, now closed). The project was coordinated by Ms Deb Spink, perinatal mental health advocate. The videography was by Bryan Crawford of Longbow Productions. Pam and The NDC Institute very gratefully acknowledge the generosity of the Possums parent mentors who participated in these videos.