Welcome to the seventh quarterly update of the TABS website!

This page briefly describes and provides links to the updates located elsewhere in this site, and replaces the Newsletters we produced until a year ago.

Included are three things that we would particularly like to bring to your attention:

• Update from Professor Cheryl Beck about her new study.
• The Presentation on PTSD at the Midwives Conference on 15 September 2004.
• We are always wanting to expand our list of counsellors within New Zealand. We would especially like to hear from people outside Auckland who can offer appropriate help.

We are delighted to notify you of the updates to our website listed below. We make contact with a wide range of groups to promote our message about PTSD being a valid and viable explanation for some maternal mental and emotional health issues. We are very grateful when they mention us on their websites, and we pay them the same courtesy. Many of our links arise from contacts such as these, as well as from other groups who discover and approach us independently.

Thank you for your continued interest in our website. As at 6.21 am NZT on 30 November 2004, our site had received 18,511 visits in the previous twelve months, an additional 5,205 since our last update at 1 September 2004.

Thank you for your continued support and your responses. We are aware that many people who receive our information do not contact us. That is fine, though of course we do like to hear from people - but our main concern is for PTSD sufferers to receive help of whatever kind is appropriate through the information that we are providing.

Thank you again for visiting this site - we hope you will one or more of our updates helpful.

Sue, on behalf of the TABS Committee

TABS Presentation to Biennial Midwives Conference pre-Conference Workshop - 15 September 2004

On 15 September 2004, Sue and Ralph Watson, members of the TABS Committee, together with Nimisha Waller from AUT, addressed a pre-conference workshop on some aspects of PTSD and Childbirth.

Sue introduced TABS and the relevance of PTSD to post-partum mental health. After that was a treatment of men's perspectives on women's PTSD after childbirth. This featured a brief presentation by Ralph, followed by a video of Rob, another 'TABS father', speaking about his experience with the events leading up to and the aftermath of PTSD. Next Nimisha Waller presented some more clinical information about the mechanics of PTSD, and its differences from Post Natal/Partum Depression.

During the workshop, we responded to a number of thoughtful questions and comments, while another TABS mother present spoke off-the-cuff about her own experience, and what TABS has meant to her.

New Zealand Counsellors wanted

To meet the demand in New Zealand for counsellors who are skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD, TABS wishes to maintain a list of appropriately skilled and qualified practitioners.

TABS is prepared to list such people in return for a fee - that will go towards the maintenance and updating of this website.

If you would like such a listing, please log your request by completing and forwarding the attached form.

Links

• New Zealand

• Breastfeeding help and support: La Leche League New Zealand provides information, support and encouragement to women who want to breastfeed their babies. Monthly group meetings, telephone counselling, information leaflets and lending libraries. Around 50 Groups throughout New Zealand.
  Visit the website for local contacts, or call Auckland 09 8460752, Hamilton 086 806259, Christchurch 03 3388447.
  National Office:
  LLLNZ, PO Box 1270, Wellington
  Ph/Fax: 04 4710690
  Email: lllnz@clear.net.nz
   
  
• coffeegroup.org is a Virtual Support Network provided for New Zealand mothers. It aims to provide "Not only a one-stop-shop for information about pregnancy, childbirth, and those early years, but also a forum where people can share their stories, discuss their issues, and hopefully form new friendships."

• Australia

• parentsupportonline.com offers resources to help new parents with their new responsibilities.

• United Kingdom

• The Birth Trauma Association have published their first newsletter. Find out more at this group's site.

The Way Ahead

• Naturo Pharm have contributed an article about homoeopathy.

Upcoming New Zealand events

• The Brainwave Trust is one of two groups organising the Brain Development Seminars 2005, at which Dr Bruce Perry will be speaking.
  "This presentation will review clinical work and research in the area of abuse and neglect which can help us understand attachment. An overview will be provided that suggests new directions for clinical practice, programme development and policy. Dr Perry will present a neurodevelopmental rationale outlining a plausible mechanism by which non-conventional interventions with traumatised and maltreated children are effective."
  For more details, see the Upcoming NZ events page.
   
  
• SANDS National Conference (Stillbirth and Newborn Death Support) - October 2005: more details are now available.
   
• Home Birth Aotearoa are holding their Biennial Conference in Invercargill on 22-23 October 2005.
  The keynote speaker will be Maggie Banks.
  For more details, see the Upcoming NZ events page.

Select here a previous update (items added to other pages now removed from “Update” pages):