Critical Conversations in Emergency Psychiatry

Tragic or Treated: What ER Psychiatrists Need to Know About Postpartum Psychosis

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Date & Time: Monday, March 23 9am PT / 10am MT / 11am CT / 12pm ET

About the webinar: Postpartum psychosis, when untreated, leads to an increased risk of suicide and infanticide. Yet, the disorder, once evaluated and identified, is quite treatable. In this webinar, Susan Hatters Friedman, MD and Meghan Cliffel pair up to discuss this often misunderstood psychiatric emergency. Through both personal storytelling and a look at the clinical research, participants will gain a deeper understanding of postpartum psychosis to support diagnosing and treating it more effectively in the emergency room.

Webinar format: AAEP webinar moderators will kick off each session with a 15-30 minute introduction to the topic. The remainder of the session time is dedicated to open group discussion, allowing for deeper exploration and exchange of insights.

Moderators: Susan Hatters Friedman, MSt, MD, DFAPA, Meghan Cliffel

Susan Hatters Friedman, MD, MSt, DFAPA is a forensic and reproductive psychiatrist. She serves as the inaugural Phillip Resnick Professor of Forensic Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University. She has practiced in forensic hospitals, general hospitals, court clinics, community mental health centers and correctional facilities, both in the U.S. and overseas in New Zealand. A past president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL), Dr. Friedman has also served as Chair of the Law and Psychiatry committee at the Group for Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP). She has received the Distinguished Alumna Award from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, the Seymour Pollack Distinguished Achievement Award from AAPL, the Manfred S. Guttmacher award from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and AAPL, the AAPL award for the Best Teacher in a Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship, the Red AAPL award for outstanding service to organized forensic psychiatry, and the Association of Women Psychiatrists’ Marian Butterfield early career psychiatrist award for her contributions to women’s mental health. Dr. Friedman has published hundreds of articles (including in World Psychiatry and the American Journal of Psychiatry) as well as numerous book chapters. Her research has primarily focused on the interface of women’s mental health and forensic psychiatry, including notably child murder by mothers. Dr. Friedman also serves as the Deputy Editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Meghan Cliffel is a writer and mindfulness teacher whose life was reshaped by her experience with postpartum psychosis. After 20 years in public education—teaching, working at the nation’s largest school district, and founding a nonprofit consulting agency—Meghan now teaches others how to understand their thoughts and emotions through mindfulness, self-inquiry, and compassion. Her lived experience with postpartum psychosis—coming too near to losing everything—informs her writing, speaking, advocacy, and coaching, where she challenges societal expectations of motherhood, achievement, and a life well-lived. Meghan has given interviews and talks to press and clinicians globally and has written for places like the Journal of Psychiatry and the Law and Psychiatric Times.

About the series: This free webinar series is a moderator led monthly virtual forum for AAEP members to discuss important and interesting topics in the field of Emergency Psychiatry. Webinars are recorded and will be available to members in AAEP's online learning center. 

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