Track: Women's Mental Health

Psychology 2025

Gender Differences in Mental Health:
  1. Overview of how mental health conditions manifest differently in women compared to men (e.g., depression, anxiety, eating disorders, PTSD)
  2. The impact of hormonal fluctuations on mood and behavior, such as during menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause
  3. The role of biological, social, and cultural factors in shaping women’s mental health experiences
Depression and Anxiety in Women:
    1. The higher prevalence of depression and anxiety in women: Risk factors and contributing factors (e.g., hormonal changes, societal roles, caregiving responsibilities)
    2. Gendered experiences of depression: Understanding the unique symptoms, coping mechanisms, and treatment responses
    3. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other interventions tailored to women for treating depression and anxiety
Reproductive Mental Health:
    1. Perinatal mental health: Addressing postpartum depression, anxiety, and the mental health challenges of pregnancy
    2. The role of reproductive health issues such as miscarriage, infertility, and menopause in women’s mental health
    3. Treatment approaches for reproductive-related mental health concerns, including psychotherapies and pharmacological options
Trauma and its Impact on Women’s Mental Health:
    1. The prevalence and impact of trauma in women: Sexual violence, domestic abuse, and childhood trauma
    2. Trauma-informed care and its importance in supporting women with PTSD, dissociation, and complex trauma
    3. Therapeutic interventions such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and trauma-focused CBT for women
Eating Disorders and Body Image:
    1. The relationship between body image, societal expectations, and mental health in women
    2. Understanding the high rates of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating in women
    3. Treatment approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) for eating disorders, family therapy, and nutritional support
The Role of Social and Cultural Factors:
    1. The impact of gender roles, social expectations, and workplace dynamics on women’s mental health
    2. Exploring the effects of discrimination, gender inequality, and sexual harassment on mental well-being
    3. The importance of social support, community, and advocacy in empowering women and improving mental health outcomes
Mental Health and the Midlife Transition:
    1. Understanding the mental health challenges associated with perimenopause and menopause, including anxiety, depression, and cognitive changes
    2. The intersection of aging, reproductive health, and mental well-being in women
    3. Strategies for supporting women through midlife transitions, including therapeutic approaches, lifestyle changes, and support networks
Women’s Mental Health and Caregiving Roles:
    1. The impact of caregiving on mental health, particularly for women who serve as primary caregivers for children, spouses, or aging parents
    2. Caregiver stress, burnout, and the psychological toll of caregiving responsibilities
    3. Coping strategies and interventions for supporting women caregivers, including self-care practices, stress management, and respite care
Empowerment and Mental Health Resilience:
    1. Building mental health resilience in women through empowerment, self-efficacy, and coping skills
    2. The role of mindfulness, meditation, and self-compassion in enhancing well-being
    3. Promoting healthy relationships, boundary-setting, and personal growth as tools for women’s mental health
Multidisciplinary Approaches to Women's Mental Health Care:
    1. The importance of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to women’s mental health, involving medical professionals, mental health specialists, and community support
    2. Integrating physical and mental health care for women, especially in addressing the interconnections between chronic health conditions and mental health
    3. Tailoring mental health treatments to meet the specific needs of diverse populations of women (e.g., ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals)
Learning Objectives:
  1. Gain a deeper understanding of the unique mental health challenges faced by women across the lifespan and the gendered factors influencing mental health outcomes.
  2. Learn evidence-based strategies and therapeutic approaches for supporting women with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and eating disorders.
  3. Explore the role of social, cultural, and reproductive factors in shaping women’s mental health and identify effective interventions for women in different life stages.
  4. Understand the importance of a multidisciplinary and integrative approach to supporting women’s mental health.