Antidepressants and Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy
Close Encounters With Oxytocin
Release Date: 06/14/2025
Therapeutic Parenting
Close Encounters With Oxytocin
Adopted children have often experienced severe and complex levels of trauma and loss early on in life. This can include a combination of neglect, abuse, a chaotic and dysfunctional family system and multiple caregivers; all of which can have a significant impact on their emotional and mental health, and lead to complex and challenging behavioural problems. In this talk, therapist and trainer Graham Kennedy (an adoptive father himself) discusses the principles of Therapeutic Parenting, an attachment and trauma focused approach designed to help adopted children develop a sense of safety and...
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Spirit into Form
Close Encounters With Oxytocin
In this talk, Prenatal and Birth Therapist Cherionna Menzam-Sills introduces her book ‘ Spirit into Form ’. SPIRIT INTO FORM invites you to explore with mindful, embodied awareness your earliest experiences in this life with curiosity, compassion and creativity. It guides you through developmental milestones, starting with pre-conception, through conception, coming into physical form as an embryo, negotiating the birth canal and hopefully being welcomed at birth. More than a traditional book on embryology, Spirit into Form includes psychological and spiritual aspects and the original...
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Antidepressants and Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy
Close Encounters With Oxytocin
Around 15% of pregnant women in the USA (8%-13% in the UK) may have taken antidepressants at some point during their pregnancy. However, the use of these medications remains a controversial topic, with conflicting research highlighting both their potential benefits and risks. In this talk, Prof. David Healy examines the possible risks antidepressants—particularly SSRIs—pose to fetal development and explore alternative approaches to supporting women struggling with depression or at risk for postnatal depression. Additionally, Professor Healy addresses the often-overlooked dangers associated...
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Infant Colic and the Microbiome-Gut-Brain
Close Encounters With Oxytocin
Infant colic is common in newborns yet there is no single effective method to provide relief. New evidence shows that the microbiome-gut-brain (MGB) axis may be involved. This suggests that the root causes of colic are many and so are the choice of treatments. Belén Vázquez first experienced the effects of the MGB when her 6 years old boy recovered from learning difficulties and hyperactivity in just two weeks of a gluten-free diet. This transformative event 15 years ago set her on a holistic path that has led to a lifetime of learning. In this talk, Belén shares current evidence of...
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Close Encounters With Oxytocin
Close Encounters With Oxytocin
Oxytocin, commonly known as the ‘love hormone’, plays an important role in sexuality, childbirth and lactation as well as bonding behaviour and general well-being. It is also released through touch and during bodywork sessions such as massage. Research into oxytocin is still ongoing as many of its aspects are still only partially scientifically explicable. Prof. Sue Carter, US based biologist and behavioural neurobiologist, has been working in the field of oxytocin for decades. More recently she has been examining the role of oxytocin and vasopressin in mental disorders such as autism,...
info_outlineAround 15% of pregnant women in the USA (8%-13% in the UK) may have taken antidepressants at some point during their pregnancy. However, the use of these medications remains a controversial topic, with conflicting research highlighting both their potential benefits and risks. In this talk, Prof. David Healy examines the possible risks antidepressants—particularly SSRIs—pose to fetal development and explore alternative approaches to supporting women struggling with depression or at risk for postnatal depression.
Additionally, Professor Healy addresses the often-overlooked dangers associated with acetaminophen (paracetamol) use during pregnancy and its potential impact on infants. Given the widespread use of acetaminophen-based medications like Tylenol and Calpol, particularly in babies, understanding the potential consequences of pre- ande postnatal exposure is crucial for clinicians providing guidance to expectant mothers. This session sheds light on critical issues that can influence both maternal and infant health outcomes.