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It is astounding to note that 1 in 10 dads will experience a perinatal mental health condition, and research shows that dads also face hormonal changes. This Monday, June 17, 2024, is International Father\u2019s Mental Health Day, and we want to bring fathers\u2019 mental health to the forefront in today\u2019s episode. When a mom goes through a perinatal mental health disorder, her partner is 50% more likely to also struggle. This is an important topic to discuss regarding the entire family system. Especially on social media, dads\u2019 experiences are pushed aside and discounted because they don\u2019t physically go through pregnancy and birth as a mother does, but we want to shed light on and give a voice to dads and the important part they play in the entire perinatal process. I\u2019m grateful that my guest is sharing his story of becoming a new\xa0father. Join us to hear Tony\u2019s story!\nTony Pacitti, a writer, navigated pandemic parenthood to welcome his twin sons in 2020. He shares how he coped with the initial shock of his wife\u2019s postpartum psychosis and psychiatric care, the emotions he encountered, and the complexities of writing and talking about this topic from a father\u2019s perspective. Tony writes regularly about this topic and has been featured on numerous podcasts to share his story and bring awareness to a father\u2019s perspective of perinatal mental health conditions. You can find out more about Tony\u2019s life and work at his website.\n\nShow Highlights:\n\nHighlights of Tony\u2019s story: twins born in 2020 during the pandemic and his wife\u2019s psychotic episodes that began a few days later with paranoia, confusion, and hallucinations\n\nThe shock, heartbreak, and fright Tony felt at seeing his wife\u2019s psychosis play out in the hospital\n\nThe response and efforts of the medical staff to help his wife\u2014even though no one ever used the term \u201cpostpartum psychosis\u201d\n\nAfter his wife and sons were home, she showed signs of depression and confessed to being suicidal.\n\nThe dual realities in what he and others were seeing and what his wife was seeing about the twins\u2019 health and wellness\n\nThe back-and-forth experience of day treatment, short-term hospitalizations, and continued symptoms until she went for a long-term stay of more than a month\n\nTony\u2019s support system of his parents, therapist, PSI, and friends who helped out with the twins\u2019 care\n\nThe treatment (ECT: electroconvulsive therapy) and medications that finally worked and allowed his wife to come home\n\nAn update on Tony\u2019s wife now: the healthy and improved version, \u201cSondra 3.0\u201d\n\nThe truth about perinatal mental health conditions: the entire family system is greatly affected\n\nTony\u2019s need to document their experience and acknowledge what they went through\n\n\nResources:\nConnect with Tony Pacitti: Website\nClick here to find resources about International Father\u2019s Mental Health Day.\nPlease find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to better support people for whom they provide services.\xa0\nYou can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms\nVisit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.\xa0\xa0\nVisit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!