Media Release: Celebrating Mental Health Month with PANDSI Fest 2019

Celebrating Mental Health Month with PANDSI Fest 2019

Perinatal Wellbeing Centre is holding the community festival PANDSI Fest on 14 October in Canberra to celebrate Mental Health Month. The event will be a day of festivities, games, food and drink and a range of activities for kids and adults.

PANDSI Fest 2019 will be officially opened by ACT Minister for Mental Health Shane Rattenbury.

The theme of Mental Health Month this year is ‘Share the Journey’, focusing on the importance of connecting with others for maintaining health and wellbeing.

Perinatal Wellbeing Centre CEO Dr Yvonne Luxford commented, “One of the most important things we can do to protect our mental health is spending quality time with friends, family and other members of the community.”

“PANDSI Fest is a day to celebrate wellbeing and connect with each other in a fun and relaxed community atmosphere – there will be something for everyone to enjoy.”

PANDSI Fest will include the following activities for parents and kids: exercise groups held by MEGA (Mums Exercise Group Australia), pot decorating and seed planting with Bunnings, face painting, DIY self-care beauty scrubs, a playspace with Playgroups ACT, a jumping castle, a barbeque, and plenty of food and drink. There will also be a mini Cake Off with cupcake decorating for those with creative skills!

“Being a new parent can be very isolating because our existing relationships with others often change as we adjust to the new lifestyle a baby brings – keeping up social connections can be really challenging,” Dr Luxford said.

“In fact, one of the things that parents experiencing perinatal mental health issues often find really useful is simply sharing their experiences; whether they are chatting with one of our experienced mental health professionals or connecting with other mums and dads,” she said.

Perinatal Wellbeing Centre was formerly known as PANDSI and has been providing perinatal mental health support services to parents for thirty years.

PANDSI Fest Details: Monday 14 October 2019, 10:00am-12:30pm, Arawang Preschool Grounds behind Perinatal Wellbeing Centre, Minns Place, Weston, ACT.

For further comment:

Perinatal Wellbeing Centre: 02 6287 3961

Download the media release here.

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How we help you

Perinatal Wellbeing Centre programs are designed to provide the support you need at every stage.
What we do

Perinatal Wellbeing Centre is a community based non-government organisation providing support to families in the Australian Capital Territory. Primarily funded by ACT Health, it is staffed by experienced perinatal mental health workers and administration staff.
Support groups

Perinatal Wellbeing Centre provides support groups aimed at connecting you with others who are having similar experiences. Groups provide an opportunity to share mutual support, as well as looking at strategies to aid in recovery.
Donate today

Please show your support for parents and families experiencing perinatal mental health challenges by making a tax deductible donation to Perinatal Wellbeing Centre.
Self care strategies for parents and caregivers

Caring for a small child can be rewarding, exciting, surprising and frustrating. It can also sometimes be stressful, exhausting and worrying. Check out our list of self care ideas, and think about how these ideas might fit into your routine.
Perinatal anxiety

1 in 4 people will experience anxiety in their lifetime and for women it is more likely to occur during pregnancy or in the year following birth. As many as 1 in 5 women will experience perinatal anxiety. Certain factors, such as mental health history, complicated pregnancy or birth, or having an unwell or unsettled baby can increase the likelihood of developing perinatal anxiety.
The Cost of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety in Australia

Perinatal depression and anxiety costs $877 million a year in Australia, and that is just the beginning. Our new report 'The Cost of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety in Australia' highlights key findings on the economic costs of PNDA.
Perinatal depression

Depression occurs in up to 1 in 10 women during pregnancy, and in up to 1 in 7 women after the birth of a baby. Men are also affected by postnatal depression. Certain factors, such as mental health history, complicated pregnancy or birth, or having an unwell or unsettled baby can increase the likelihood of developing perinatal depression.
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Perinatal Wellbeing Centre is governed by a volunteer Board and complies with the regulations of the ACT Associations Incorporation Act (1991). The Board is responsible for the overall performance of the organisation, providing strategic direction and overseeing all operations of the Perinatal Wellbeing Centre.
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Clients can receive fortnightly or monthly telephone support calls with our team of perinatal mental health workers.