The Seleni Institute Announces Launch of Teen Initiative

NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Seleni Institute, dedicated to providing care, information and research funding critical to supporting mothers and families, announced today the launch of the Seleni Institute Teen Initiative (SITI), extending reproductive and maternal mental health services to pregnant and postpartum teenage girls.

"We are committed to promoting pregnant teens and teen mothers' success in adulthood through evidence-based mental health care," said Nitzia Logothetis, founder and executive chairwoman of the Seleni Institute. "These young women deserve the same support and opportunities for success as any mother, and we're honored to be able to provide this critical care as they make the transition to parenthood."

Over 200,000 babies are born to teenage girls in the United States each year. And compared with their peers who delay childbearing, teen girls who have babies are:

• Less likely to finish high school;
• More likely to rely on public assistance;
• More likely to be poor as adults; and
• More likely to have children who have poorer educational, behavioral, and health outcomes over the course of their lives than do kids born to older parents.

Beginning in May 2015, SITI will provide both direct support to teenage girls via individual psychotherapy, group support, and general information on the psychological effects of pregnancy and new motherhood, as well as professional training on reproductive mental health for clinicians working with a pregnant adolescent population. 

To learn more about the Seleni Institute Teen Initiative, please visit www.seleni.org/siti or call 212-939-7200.

About the Seleni Institute
The Seleni Institute is a nonprofit organization founded by George and Nitzia Logothetis in 2011 that provides the care, information and research funding critical to supporting mothers and families.

The Seleni Institute supports women and their partners coping with:

• Depression and anxiety, before, during and after pregnancy
• Infertility
• Miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss
• Pregnancy complications
• Infant bonding and attachment issues
• Sleep and feeding issues
• Life and career transitions
• Relationship/marital troubles
• Parenting and motherhood concerns
• Body image anxiety and disordered eating behaviors
• Perimenopause
• Grief and bereavement

The Seleni Institute treats individuals, not disorders, by providing a 360-degree approach to reproductive and maternal mental health issues. From individual therapy and psychiatry, to acupuncture and massage, to workshops and moms groups, the breadth of services and unique, collaborative environment make Seleni Institute the only center of its kind in New York City. The Seleni Institute team believes that when women are supported, they are able to best care for themselves, their children and their families.

SOURCE Seleni Institute

Related Links

www.seleni.org