Navigation of Services for Patients
Welcome to the Reproductive Life Stages Program (RLS). This specialized program in the Department of Psychiatry at Women’s College Hospital provides assessment and short-term treatment for women experiencing new or recurrent mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, mania and psychosis during the reproductive life stages (such as menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum and the menopausal transition).
Examples of conditions for which we provide assessment and care are
- mood and anxiety difficulties linked to pre-menstrual syndrome, depression and anxiety while planning or during a pregnancy;
- postpartum depression, anxiety and psychosis; and
- peri-menopausal mental health issues.
As well, the program has two child psychiatrists on staff and a social worker specializing in parenting who provide care to children of mothers with mental health issues, and one addiction psychiatrist on staff who provides consultation to our program for women who have addictions in addition to their mental health difficulties.
The program’s interdisciplinary team of psychiatrists, mental health social workers and nurses offer the following services (participation is determined through assessment and treatment plan)
- Psychiatric assessment and recommendations
- Psychotherapy (individual and group) and medication follow-up
- Parenting support
- Online mental health services
- Child psychiatry
- Addictions consultation
At any given time, our team also includes social work and medical students, post-graduate medical trainees in psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, and family medicine, as well as clinical fellows from Canada and around the world.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is held by the team of psychiatrists, mental health social workers and nurses in the Reproductive Life Stages team. Consultation happens within the team to ensure best practices. Circle of care also includes patient’s referral source(s).
The entry point to the Reproductive Life Stages Program (RLS) is a telephone intake assessment, provided by our triage nurse.
Next you will be invited to make an appointment for a comprehensive psychiatric assessment with one of the RLS psychiatrists.
A consultation note will be sent back to your referral source (GP, OB, Midwife or other primary care provider) describing your symptoms, diagnosis and the treatment offered to you by the RLS program.
Depending on the treatment plan determined by you and your psychiatrist,
you may be offered one or more of the following services.
Follow up appointment with an RLS psychiatrist for ongoing assessment and/or mental health treatment.
Referral to individual, group or couples psychotherapy* provided by RLS mental health therapists.
Follow up care with your Primary Provider. Based on consultation
recommendations.
*If referred for psychotherapy, you will receive a phone call from one of the mental health therapists
to book a therapy intake appointment – the frequency of sessions, goals and plans for psychotherapy
will be determined jointly by you and your therapist.
You may continue to meet with both your psychiatrist and mental health therapist over the course of your experience at the Reproductive Life Stages Program, according to the treatment plan including some or all of: education, medication, and psychotherapy.