Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to 1 in 7 new parents, but getting timely treatment is often a major challenge. Recent research shows that 1-day CBT-based workshops for postpartum depression, delivered by public health nurses, could offer an exciting and accessible new option.
A pilot randomized controlled trial conducted in Ontario, Canada, tested the idea: Could a single day of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) actually make a difference? The results are encouraging — and point toward a future where help for postpartum depression is faster, more accessible, and more effective.
How the Study Worked
Researchers recruited 119 birthing parents aged 18 and older who had babies younger than 12 months and showed signs of postpartum depression based on their Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups:
One group attended a 1-day CBT-based workshop plus received standard care.
The other group received only the usual care provided in their community.
Attendance and retention rates were high: 85% of the experimental group attended their workshop, and 84% of participants stayed in the study through the 9-month follow-up period.
Promising Results That Could Reshape Mental Health Care
While this was a small pilot study and not designed to detect large differences between groups, the early results are promising. The group that participated in the 1-day CBT-based workshops for postpartum depression reported:
Greater improvements in depression symptoms at both 3 and 9 months after the workshop.
Larger reductions in anxiety levels compared to the control group.
Notably, the improvements in depression symptoms at 9 months were statistically significant, suggesting that even a brief intervention could have lasting effects.
Why 1-Day CBT-Based Workshops for Postpartum Depression Matter
Access to mental health care remains a major barrier for many new parents. Specialized therapy can be expensive, time-consuming, and hard to find. By training public health nurses—who already work closely with families—to deliver CBT workshops, this model could reach more people, faster, and at a lower cost.
If these results are confirmed in a larger study, we may be on the verge of a major breakthrough in how postpartum depression is treated — one that brings support to more families when they need it most.
What’s Next?
The researchers emphasize that a larger, full-scale randomized controlled trial is needed to truly confirm these findings. But the early success of the 1-day CBT-based workshops for postpartum depression gives hope that mental health care could soon be more flexible and accessible, especially for underserved populations.
References:
Layton, H., Campbell, M., Huh, K., Mansoor, A., Serrano-Lomelin, J., Brown, J. S. L., Bieling, P. J., & Van Lieshout, R. J. (2025). Public Health Nurse-Delivered 1-Day Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Workshops for Treating Postpartum Depression: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.24m15712
American Psychological Association. (2023). Understanding Postpartum Depression. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/women-girls/postpartum-depression
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