Social & Peer Networks in the Community

Connect with PSI support coordinators for the region of Newfoundland and Labrador, Sarah Jones and Emma Duke, to help navigate local resources that best suit your need.

Community agency led by people who live with mental illness/mental health issues. Lifewise offers one on one peer support, group peer support and public education and training.

Canadian Mental Health Association of NL is a provincial group of the Canadian Mental Health Association. They have offices in St. John’s, Grand Falls-Windsor, and Stephenville. They help provide many services and supports that support and improve mental health and community togetherness, build strength, and support recovery from mental illness.

Mental Health Services provide promotion, education and prevention services, consultation, assessment and counseling services to children, adults, families, groups and communities for mental health/mental illness-related issues. Mental Health Services accepts self referrals or referrals from other agencies.

A free social networking app for parents. Provides a safe space for parents, expectant parents, and those trying to conceive to build friendships, ask questions and find support. Peanut connects you to others nearby who are at a similar stage in life, and provides access to a community of parents who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Whether it’s understanding IVF, adoption, pregnancy, first years and beyond, Peanut is a place to connect.

Started in 2017 by two sisters with the aim to provide a safe platform for parents to share their postpartum depression stories. The blog contains topics on Postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, COVID-19 resources, pregnancy and birth, breastfeeding, sleep deprivation and general lifestyle topics.

Eastern Health (NL) offers a series of resources for perinatal bereavement. Resources available include: a series of informational and support videos with NL parents who have experienced the loss of a baby; Walk to Remember; Baby Burial and Committal of Ashes; grief counseling (outpatient counseling for individuals or couples through Pastoral Care and Bereavement services, or a psychologist through Children’s and Women’s Health).

The Momma Moments Program is a referral based, peer-to-peer support and strengths-based group for young parents or pregnant persons (16-29). It provides parents or pregnant persons and their children with wrap-around support to navigate the challenges of parenthood, which they often face in addition to social isolation, financial demands, and limited social and family support. ​

Baby Friendly NL are a team with healthcare providers and members throughout NL. They aim to increase the number of persons who start breastfeeding, and the length of time that persons breastfeed in NL. They offer many resources (online and in-personon breastfeeding support for parents, as well as healthcare providers, and community members.

Eastern Health has many mental health and addiction services available for adults. These services can include individual, family and group counseling; addictions support; inpatient treatment; housing options; case management; crisis response; and urgent or emergent care. There are also programs that focus on mental health promotion, prevention and receiving help early on.

Saskatchewan Maternal Health is a program that helps parents, individuals, and healthcare providers building mental health services for pregnant and parenting persons in Saskatchewan. The program focuses on improving awareness, assisting in developing support services, and recommending policy updates for persons who suffer from depression and or anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum. Several resources are provided on their website.

WELCOME! We help people struggling with a Perinatal mood and anxiety disorder, connect to supports as soon as possible that are either low-cost or free. The Perinatal period includes trying to conceive a baby, being pregnant and welcoming a baby into your family.

Experiencing the loss of a pregnancy, infant, or child brings unimaginable pain and grief, and can make you feel alone and lost. We want you to know that there are good resources for your loss and grief that provide non-judgmental support, information, and connection with others. Look for supports in your area or email us at support@postpartum.net.n the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors.

Western Health (NL) has a webpage on its site that provides information and supports for grief and bereavement. On the webpage there is information on what grief is, as well as a list of phone numbers for: a Bereavement Support Group; Mental Health & Addiction Services; Pastoral Care Services.

The Parent-Child Mother Goose Program® is a group experience for families with babies and young children. The program focuses on introducing participants to the pleasure and power of using rhymes, songs and stories in their everyday lives. The Parent-Child Mother Goose Program® is a preventative, early intervention program that nurtures the attachment between parent and child. 

Looking for personalized holistic care in the comfort of your home? Seeking qualified breastfeeding support? On the hunt for prenatal classes on your schedule? Desperately trying to find sleep for your family? You found it!

They provide health promotion and prevention services, and outpatient counseling and assessment services to individuals of all ages. They have inpatient treatments for adults experiencing an acute mental health crisis. They also have NL’s only provincial treatment center for youth experiencing substance use issues. They provide referrals to other agencies and community groups across the province as needed.

Tools and Resources to Identify and Support Women with Perinatal Depression and Anxiety is an online course and suite of practice support resources for public health nurses (and other health and social service providers who work with perinatal individuals and families). The course and resources aim to build capacity to provide responsive support services for individuals and families experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety.

Created by a parent who was diagnosed with postpartum depression in 2016, the website contains information on Postpartum Depression, information for support persons, additional resources, and treatment options.

A charity that supports parents who suffer birth trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after birth. Contains information on birth trauma, support resources, birth stories, suggested readings/books, peer support contacts and more. Also contains resources for professionals.