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About Us

Our History

Pacific Post Partum Support Society is a small, non-profit charitable organization that has been providing mental health and emotional support to new parents and families since 1971. The program started as a grass roots initiative when a small group of mothers began meeting at the Vancouver Crisis Line office to share their experiences and support each other.

At the time, our peer support model of care was a new approach to addressing the issues of postpartum depression, and is one that has since influenced changes in postpartum support. Over the years, our programs have expanded and shifted based on the needs of the communities we serve.

PPPSS Today

Today, we support anyone who is experiencing isolation, distress, or a PMAD in the perinatal period or is supporting someone who is. This includes pregnant people, new parents, mothers, fathers, partners, non-gestational parents, surrogates, adoptive parents, foster parents, and people who have experienced perinatal or infant loss. We receive over 6000 calls to our support line per year, and that number continues to grow. If you are pregnant, have a child under the age of 3, have recently been pregnant, or have experienced loss, we are available to support you.

Our Mission

Our mission is to end the isolation and distress experienced by many parents and families with the profound life change that accompanies the birth or adoption of a child.

Statement of Beliefs

We believe that postpartum depression or anxiety is a multi-dimensional problem, with social factors such as discrimination and oppression, isolation, lack of child-care, and the stressful nature of mothering/parenting playing important contributing roles.

We believe that through mutual aid and emotional support, women and parents are empowered to engineer their own recovery and to learn skills of self-care which encourage healthy life choices for themselves and their families.

We believe that it is healing for a woman/parent with postpartum depression and/or anxiety to share their experiences, in confidence, and to receive non-judgmental support and understanding from those who have resolved, or who are in the process of resolving, their own depression.

Our Staff

Our staff are passionate, dedicated, and committed to supporting new parents and families in the perinatal period. All of our staff are parents, and many have experienced a tough adjustment to parenthood. You can learn more about our staff here

Our Board

We have a volunteer Board of Directors. Our board is an active part of our Society and is made up of people who have a keen interest in perinatal mental health and are committed to supporting our mission. If you are interested in joining our board, see our Support PPPSS page. You can learn more about our board members here.

Our Volunteers

Without our volunteers we wouldn’t be able to do the work that we do. Volunteers offer their strengths, skills, and time to support us in many areas of our work. To learn more, check out our volunteer page.

Our Partners

Our partners and funders are instrumental in supporting us to realize our mission. We have ongoing partnerships with various organizations, including BC Reproductive Mental Health programs, community family drop-in centers, community public health nurses, general practitioners, registered clinical counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists, BC Midwives, and Postpartum Doulas.

Our funding support comes from a wide variety of sources, including government agencies, foundations, corporations, and individual donors/members. We are grateful for this ongoing support and thank each of our donors for their contribution to our Society. If you are interested in partnering with us or supporting us financially, see our For Care Providers and Support PPPSS pages.

Our Staff

Our staff members are the life of PPPSS. They are passionate and dedicated, and believe new parents and families should receive the support they deserve.

Shealagh Davis (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Linda King (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Kerry O’Donohue (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Rita Shergill (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Anna Chambers (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Andrea Paterson (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Leah Burns (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Clare Zeschky (she/her)

PROGRAM MANAGER
AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Emily Garner (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Kate McKay (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Heather Allyn (she/her)

COUNSELLOR AND GROUP FACILITATOR

Board Bios

Support PPPSS

As a nonprofit and registered charity, we rely on funding from government, community grants, and private donations. Thank you for supporting us so we can continue offering support to new parents and families.

Sheila Duffy (she/her)

Director

Sheila first became involved with PPPSS as a result of her personal experience. She attended a support group after the birth of her second child and found it to be an integral part of her healing journey. For over 20 years, she has been providing phone support, group facilitation, and counselling at PPPSS. Sheila is passionate about her work and attributes her personal and professional growth to working with the various people who have accessed PPPSS’s services. She brings a sense of balance to the organization, and inspires goodwill and positivity among the staff. Sheila is proud of PPPSS for maintaining its core values and beliefs while it continues to grow.

Shealagh Davis (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Shealagh first made contact with PPPSS when she was struggling in silence as a new mother. After seeing a brochure, she called in and ended up speaking with Sheila.That one phone call made a huge impact in her recovery and gave her insight into her condition. This inspired her to join PPPSS in 1998 as a counsellor and group facilitator. She is also a registered holistic nutritionist (RHN) with personal coaching experience, and is currently training in menopausal support. Staff count on Shealagh for her grounded presence in the office and in her work.

Linda King (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Linda has been a postpartum support counsellor/facilitator/trainer at PPPSS for over 30 years. Her professional training is in family support work, but her most valuable training has been the work she’s done for PPPSS and the personal experience she had with postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of her first and third sons. Linda received support from PPPSS by attending group sessions and receiving telephone counselling. The opportunity to speak candidly with other parents in a safe, facilitated group setting contributed greatly to her eventual recovery. Linda’s personal experience, plus her interests in parenting and families, fuels the passion she brings to her work. Her thoughtfulness—in all that she does—is recognized and appreciated by all.

Kerry O’Donohue (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Kerry joined PPPSS in 1990 after responding to an ad in the newspaper for volunteers. She has four children and experienced a difficult postpartum adjustment herself. Kerry feels blessed to be part of an organization that builds such strong connections between clients and staff. She currently serves as a group facilitator and phone support counsellor. Kerry provides a sense of stability in her work with clients that has often been described as grounded, calm and present. She has a background in holistic counselling and SHEN therapy, a type of energy bodywork.

Rita Shergill (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Rita joined PPPSS in 2008. She has worked at the Crisis Line and at the Justice Institute of BC in family conflict resolution. Rita first developed an interest in women’s health while working at the Vancouver Women’s Health Collective, and this experience led to an instant connection with the work being done by PPPSS. She works as a group facilitator, phone counsellor, and outreach educator. Rita is willing to slide into wherever she is needed, and is a steady, dependable team member.

Anna Chambers (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Anna joined PPPSS in 2010. Her passion is working with new parents and supporting them through their perinatal mental health issues. She does this as a postpartum support group facilitator, phone support counsellor, and outreach educator. Anna has a bachelor’s degree in education and has been teaching elementary and high school students for over 20 years. Anna lives in Surrey, British Columbia, with her two teenage children.

Andrea Paterson (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Andrea experienced postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of her first child. After a very dark year, she finally reached out to PPPSS and joined a support group that changed the trajectory of her life. Not only did it provide a place for healing and much needed emotional support, but it also set her on a path to joining PPPSS as a volunteer, eventually becoming a phone support counsellor and group facilitator in 2019. Andrea holds a Master of Arts in English literature from the University of British Columbia, and frequently combines her love of literature and art to help parents create meaningful narratives about their experiences. Andrea is so grateful to provide support and care for those navigating their own journeys through parenthood.

Leah Burns (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Leah came to PPPSS by way of her own experience with postpartum anxiety after the birth of her daughter. She called in for support and spoke with Sheila on the phone. Through that call Leah knew she was not alone, and that there was a kind and warm group of people who were there for support. Leah credits the support she received from PPPSS—including participating in a support group—as one of the greatest contributions to her recovery. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration (human resources management), and worked in that field before realizing her true purpose is to support parents throughout the perinatal period.

Stace Dayment (she/her)

Manager of Administration

Stace joined PPPSS in 2011 while she was still finding her way out of postpartum anxiety after the birth of her second daughter. She maintains the administrative functions of the office and strives to expand the organization’s reach, both in population and geography. Stace is a Parks, Recreation and Culture Commissioner for the City of Burnaby, and serves on the board of directors for Burnaby Family Place (a parent and child drop-in facility). She knows that PPPSS is exactly where she is meant to be.

Emily Garner (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Emily’s favourite thing about PPPSS is that it’s a place full of warm-hearted people who are willing to say things out loud that most people aren’t. As a self-declared misfit, Emily finds comfort being in the company of those who talk about raw and tender things. She is a queer mom to three kids and is raising them with her non-binary partner. As a recovering people pleaser, Emily’s ultimate form of self-care is to prioritize and centre her own needs, but if asked she’ll likely tell you it’s doughnuts.

Kate McKay (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Kate’s inspiration for working at PPPSS stems from wanting to provide the same support to new parents that she received when she first became a parent over a decade ago. Kate’s favourite thing about PPPSS is the staff because it feels like a warm, supportive family to her. Her self-care ideas include singing in the car, spending time in the forest or by the ocean, taking part in dance classes, and weaving.

Heather Allyn (she/her)

Counsellor and Group Facilitator

In addition to being a counsellor and group facilitator, Heather is also the host of the PPPSS podcast. She came to PPPSS as a volunteer after recovering from postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of her second child. Heather loves being a part of PPPSS because she gets to support new parents in the way she wishes she had been supported—by someone who has been there and truly understands. She has also learned the true value of self-care and gets reminded by her co-workers to continue prioritizing herself. Heather likes to practice yoga, go for long walks, write poetry and fiction, and is learning to roller skate.

Kate Thomas-Peter (she/her)

Board Chair

Kate currently works for the Provincial Health Services Authority in Mental Health Services at BC Children’s Hospital where she is responsible for the management of projects leading to improved quality of patient care and evaluation of projects and programs. She is a social worker by profession and worked directly with children and families before moving into healthcare management. Supporting children and their families, particularly in challenging circumstances, has been a career-long interest. One of her early posts at BC Children’s Hospital was on the Reproductive Mental Health team, during which time she developed a great working relationship with PPPSS. No longer in that post but still passionately interested in supporting moms and their babies, Kate joined the PPPSS board in 2016.

Montana Reinhardt (she/her)

Board Treasurer and Secretary

Montana is passionate about the issues faced by today’s parents, particularly the challenges experienced by mothers in the postpartum period. She previously served for three years as the treasurer of an arts and culture charity. Montana is the mother of two young boys and works as a chartered professional accountant (CPA) in the tax group of a mid-sized public accounting firm in Vancouver. As a graduate of both Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia, Montana had diverse academic interests including linguistics, psychology, music, and dance. When not at work, Montana enjoys spending her time with family, baking, cooking, and bullet journaling.

Dan Feeny (he/him)

Board Director

Dan brings over 20 years of technical and proven management experience to his role on the board of PPPSS. A diverse software professional, Dan’s background has taken him from developing the CanadaArm2 for the International Space Station, to working for various companies, currently as the Vice President of Engineering at a mid-sized software company in Vancouver. Dan has been working with PPPSS over the past year on IT-related issues and projects, including the procurement and rollout of the iCarol-based SMS support platform. Dan is a husband and father of three daughters, and is honoured to be able to give back to an important organization like PPPSS.

Ruth Makaroff (she/her)

Board Director, Past Treasurer

Ruth was recruited in 1990 for an office support volunteer position by her mother, Shauna Little, who was Treasurer of the Board at the time. Ruth later became Treasurer of the Board herself, and has been PPPSS’s book sales volunteer, office bookkeeper, and Go-For for several years.

Catherine Newell (she/her)

Board Director

Catherine first encountered PPPSS in 2008 as she struggled with acute anxiety and depression following the birth of her two sons. She credits the incredible support of PPPSS for saving her sanity and—quite possibly—her life. Ever since then, she has been looking for a way to pay this support forward. Catherine is passionate about ending the stigma of mental illness and advocating for wellness, mental health and-self care. Having lived with mental illness for many years, she brings a lived experience to her role. She is also grateful to be involved with another not-for-profit organization, Heads Up Guys, which supports men with mental health issues. With a background in international business and conference planning, Catherine hopes to fundraise for PPPSS and generally support the organization in any way she can. Her current self-care practice involves her new love of paddle boarding and yoga, and she gets outside in nature whenever she can.

Caitlin Frame (she/her)

Board Director

Caitlin works as a registered midwife in Vancouver and was also recently certified as a lactation consultant. She has frontline experience with the challenges new parents face in the weeks following a birth. This is a time when families need a lot of support and, especially in light of the challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, Caitlin wanted to get involved by supporting the work of PPPSS. When she’s not working, Caitlin is busy with her toddler and enjoys spending time with family and friends.