Incorporating Empathic Responses into Postpartum Depression Psychotherapy

Abstract

This study aims to delve into linguistic evidence for therapists to achieve better therapeutic outcomes by empowering women suffering from postpartum depression with empathic responses. Conversation samples are transcribed from videos for analysis. The focus of analysis is on language features of two postpartum women based on the Postpartum Voice of Depression Response Model. Expressions of negative feelings fall into four emotional domains. Language features of negative feelings are salient in postpartum women, often represented by a frequent use of negative words and sustaining on a sad topic. In clinical settings, therapists can help postpartum women get out of disturbing states by means of eliciting their inner feelings, identifying negative expressions and offering empathic responses accordingly. An empathic attitude matters in a person-centered clinical setting, which means a reassuring expression from the therapist can ease anxiety of the pa-tient. The application of the Model has implications for emotional support in clinical settings, particularly in terms of differentiating between four emotional domains and showing understandings of negative feelings experienced by postpartum women.