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The Overlooked Realities of Motherhood

By yalepodcasts | April 15, 2026

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I can’t overstate the importance of today’s episode. This conversation will literally change lives. Today, we shine the spotlight brightly on maternal mental health. Far too many moms have said, “I wasn’t familiar with postpartum mood or anxiety disorders, until I experienced them.” Family members and friends have said, “I had no idea what they were going through.” It doesn’t need to stay that way! If you’ve lived through perinatal mental health challenges, or you know someone who has, you know just how important this conversation is. In this empowering discussion, I’m joined by author and national advocate Teresa M. Twomey, social worker and parent educator Jennifer Vendetti, and social worker and perinatal mental health clinician Dr. Natasha Welz.
Come and learn critical information that each of us should be familiar with. If there are women in your life who are expecting, who’ve recently had children, or who hope to have children, this episode is for you. And this is certainly relevant if you’re an expectant mom yourself. You’ll hear moving stories and reflections of lives impacted by transformative programs, and by the power of authentic and intentional relationships. My guests share practical tips to help each of us recognize the signs of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. We address myths and misconceptions, and the importance of normalizing the fact that postpartum mental health challenges can and do occur. We also talk through the ways moms can navigate and thrive with effective support, care, and intervention. This is a truly life-giving conversation. Listen in and share it with others! You’ll be glad you did.

Additional Resources

Postpartum Support International www.postpartum.net

CT Chapter of Postpartum Support International www.psictchapter.com

New Mom Health https://newmomhealth.com/

UConn Health Parenting https://health.uconn.edu/parenting-program/

ACCESS Mental Health for Moms https://www.accessmhct.com/moms/

Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance www.mmhla.org

What is Postpartum Psychosis? Bushnell Park TedX Talk by Teresa M. Twomey
https://youtu.be/W7gyRpTkSP0?si=KjSZ4JDvF2_7SpY5

Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health https://policycentermmh.org/

CT Office of Early Childhood Home Visiting System https://www.ctoec.org/home-visiting/

CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
https://portal.ct.gov/dmhas/programs-and-services/women/womens-and-childrens-programs

Hope after Loss https://www.hopeafterloss.org/

The Addy Hour is recorded at the Yale Teaching Studios, with engineering support from Ryan McEvoy, edited by Orlando Suazo, and hosted by Dr. Nii Addy. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and follow our podcast page, to help us grow this podcast and our community.

A Day In the Life of a Former Maximum-Security Psychiatric Hospital Director

By yalepodcasts | February 18, 2026

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Tune in this week for a rare opportunity to step into the world of a mental health institution leader. You’ll hear powerful reflections from Dr. Charles Dike, previous medical director of a maximum-security psychiatric hospital and current CEO of a state mental health center. He’ll bring you into his day-to-day experience as a forensic psychiatrist, and the realities of leading in a challenging, rewarding and at times intense environment. Dr. Dike readily acknowledges the importance of collaboration when working through turbulence and when trying to make a positive impact in people’s lives. With clarity and conviction, he describes the necessity of holding on to every single person’s humanity, even while acknowledging harms done by and experienced by some of those he serves. We’ll also hear about Dr. Dike’s principles for motivating others and promoting team growth, and his priority of building a culture of care amongst patients, families, staff, and community. You’ll hear about his out-of-the-box approaches, and the ways he leads as a coach. Join in to hear from this truly transformative leader, who leads with passion, humility, and strength alongside a remarkable openness to guidance and correction.