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Presenters: Dr Tríona McCaffrey, Ms Pui Sze Cheung, Dr Sylvia Murphy Tighe & Dr Mas Mahady Mohamad
Chair: Dr Tríona McCaffrey
Pregnancy is commonly a time of great psychological, social and emotional significance in a woman’s life. It is a period of transition and new beginnings where self-identity is redefined and preparation for parenthood occurs. For some women, pregnancy is a challenging time where specialist mental health supports are required. This seminar will focus on how the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team (SPMHT) at University Maternity Hospital Limerick responded to this need by establishing the first Music Therapy programme of its kind in maternity care services in Ireland. Developed in partnership with the Irish World Academy and the Department of Midwifery (UL), this programme has been commended by the Department of Health (Ireland) for its innovation in perinatal mental healthcare delivery. Through a range of perspectives from lived experience, music therapy, midwifery and psychiatry, this seminar will consider the value and impact of this music therapy programme to support perinatal wellbeing.
Pui Sze Cheung is a registered Music Therapist and a health researcher at the UL. She is involved in several arts and health studies and is currently completing a PhD research project on music and perinatal wellbeing at the Irish World Academy.
Dr Tríona McCaffrey is Lecturer in Music Therapy at the Irish World Academy, UL. Her research and practice primarily focus on mental health, with particular interest in the use of music and the creative arts to support perinatal wellbeing.
Dr Sylvia Murphy Tighe Lecturer in Midwifery, Dept Nursing & Midwifery, UL. Sylvia is a registered general nurse, midwife and public health nurse. Her research interests include health promotion, birth related trauma and vulnerability.
Dr Mas Mahady Mohamad is a Consultant Psychiatrist with the SPMHT at University Maternity Hospital Limerick, and Adjunct Senior Clinical Lecturer in UL. He has a specific interest in music and art therapy to support maternal mental health.