Beyond the Political: Understanding Abortion and Mental Health
Presented by Dr. Laura M. Schmuldt
This program was recorded on Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Access provided upon registration on “My Courses” page
With the recent Supreme Court decision removing abortion as a protected right and turning it to state legislatures, the topic of abortion is, at once, both ascendant in discourse and a topic of angst for many. Numerous women who have experienced abortion or contemplated it find that mental health concerns transcend the passionate debate between the two sides.
This session will explore the relationship between mental health and abortion, paying particular attention to the role stigma plays in mental health sequela. Tips for working with both men and women prior to and following an abortion will be discussed.
Access provided upon registration on “My Courses” page
This program, when attended in its entirety, offers 1.0 CEs for Psychologists, 1.0 IL CEUS for Counselors and Social Workers, or 1.0 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSW, and LMFTs.
With the recent Supreme Court decision removing abortion as a protected right and turning it to state legislatures, the topic of abortion is, at once, both ascendant in discourse and a topic of angst for many. Numerous women who have experienced abortion or contemplated it find that mental health concerns transcend the passionate debate between the two sides.
This session will explore the relationship between mental health and abortion, paying particular attention to the role stigma plays in mental health sequela. Tips for working with both men and women prior to and following an abortion will be discussed.
After attending this intermediate-level program, participants will be able to:
- Describe the impact of stigma prior to abortion as it relates to mental health factors following abortion.
This program meets APA’s continuing education Standard 1.1: Program content focuses on application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that have overall consistent and credible empirical support in the contemporary peer reviewed scientific literature beyond those publications and other types of communications devoted primarily to the promotion of the approach.
This program meets APA’s continuing education Goal 3: Program will allow psychologists to maintain, develop, and increase competencies in order to improve services to the public and enhance contributions to the profession.
General Admission: $30
Refund Policy: 100% of tuition is refundable up to 48 hours before the program. Within 48 hours of the program, and at any point in Homestudy format, tuition is nonrefundable.
Laura M. Schmuldt, Ph.D.
Dr. Laura M. Schmuldt is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling at the University of the Cumberlands and a trauma therapist at a substance abuse facility. Her research on the topic of abortion and mental health has resulted in numerous presentations at the state and national levels.
Beynon-Jones, S. M. (2017). Untroubling abortion: A discourse analysis of women’s accounts. Feminism & Psychology, 27(2), 225-242. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0959353517696515
Gomez, A. (2018). Abortion and subsequent depressive symptoms: An analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Psychological Medicine, 48(2), 294-304. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291717001684
Reardon, D. C. (2012). Lack of pregnancy loss history mars depression study. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 2(126), 155-155. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2012.01880.x
Reardon, D. C. (2015a). Postpartum mental health study flawed by fetal loss omission. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 33(4), 318-319. https://doi.org/10.3109/02813432.2015.1111710
Reardon, D. C. (2018). The abortion and mental health controversy: A comprehensive literature review of common ground agreements, disagreements, actionable recommendations, and research opportunities. SAGE Open Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312118807624
Steinberg, J. R., Tschann, J. M., Furgerson, D., & Harper, C. C. (2016). Psychosocial factors and pre-abortion psychological health: The significance of stigma. Social science & medicine, 150, 67-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.12.007
Target Audience: All mental health disciplines.
Psychologists. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.0 continuing education credits. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in its continuing education activities. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is also committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles for Psychologists. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods.
Counselors/Clinical Counselors. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.0 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for counselors and clinical counselors. License Number: 197.000159
Social Workers. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.0 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for social workers. License Number: 159.001036
MFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs. Course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. If you are licensed outside of California please check with your local licensing agency to to determine if they will accept these CEUs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to offer continuing education programming for MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is an accredited or approved postsecondary institution that meets the requirements set forth in Sections 4980.54(f)(1), 4989.34, 4996.22(d)(1), or 4999.76(d) of the Code.
Non-Psychologists. Most licensing boards accept Continuing Education Credits sponsored by the American Psychological Association but non-psychologists are recommended to consult with their specific state-licensing board to ensure that APA-sponsored CE is acceptable.
*Participants must attend 100% of the program in order to obtain a Certificate of Attendance.
If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address questions, concerns and any complaints to [email protected]. There is no commercial support for this program nor are there any relationships between the CE Sponsor, presenting organization, presenter, program content, research, grants, or other funding that could reasonably be construed as conflicts of interest.