Paige BellenbaumPaige Bellenbaum, LMSW started her social work career working at a homeless shelter in San Francisco, where she created a housing and aftercare program for families transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. She then moved to New York City in 2000 to get her Masters of Social Work at Columbia University. After she graduated, she worked for an organization called the Center for Family Life located in Sunset Park Brooklyn as a Community Developer, then moved on to Habitat for Humanity – New York City for 6 years as the Director of Advocacy and Community Outreach. While at Habitat, she had her first child – Max. After Max was born, Paige suffered from severe postpartum depression and anxiety. Once she began to recover, she became committed to fighting for education, screening and treatment for postpartum depression so that women would not have to suffer silently. She drafted legislation in New York State that was championed by State Senator Liz Krueger, mandating education and strongly encouraging screening of all new and expecting mothers that was signed into law in 2014. In 2016, Paige left her 6 year post as Director of Community Programs at Settlement Housing Fund where she oversaw a portfolio of programs ranging from a homeless shelter for families, transitional housing, a state of the art computer lab, and an alternative to incarceration program for young adults. She joined forces with Reproductive Psychiatrist, Dr. Catherine Birndorf, to open The Motherhood Center of New York. The Motherhood Center is the first of its kind program in New York that provides treatment and support to pregnant and postpartum women suffering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), otherwise referred to as postpartum depression. PMADs include perinatal depression, GAD, PTSD, OCD, Bipolar and Psychosis. We provide multiple levels of care for women depending on the acuity of their symptoms including a day program, outpatient therapy, medication management, and support groups. The Day Program is a unique intermediate level of care for up to 16 women that are having a very difficult time caring for themselves and/or their baby. We have an on-site nursery, and moms are with us 5 hours a day, 5 days a week. During the day, new and expecting moms participate in therapeutic support groups with a focus on CBT, IPT, DBT and Dyadic Therapy, as well as expressive therapies including yoga, mindfulness, medication, and art therapy. Every patient is followed by an individual therapist and reproductive psychiatrist, and family/couples therapy is a standard component of care. The Motherhood Center also offers outpatient therapy and medication management to pregnant and postpartum women who are experiencing more moderate PMAD symptoms, as well as PMAD support groups during the day and evening. |