ABSTRACT
Therapeutic styles are as varied as the temperament of each therapist, and although standardized skill building for psychotherapists in any field would be ideal, it is simply unattainable due to the nature of this work and the personalities involved. Beginning practitioners might rely on external validation for feelings of expertise, either from a supervisor, a colleague, a mentor, or professor or positive outcomes, for example. Stating one's expertise should not be a declaration of one's years of preparation or one's success in treating perinatal disorders. It should not be a recitation of one's knowledge or education in this field of study. Voice tone is considered an important channel of communication. In conjunction with the power of an expert position comes permission not to have the answers. One of the most efficient and effective ways to counterbalance distress in this setting, especially distress that is anchored in misinformation, is to provide good, reliable information on postpartum depression and anxiety.
