Interactive Story Session: Perinatal Substance Use

Explore a video-based learning experience that follows Amber, a pregnant person who uses substances while navigating a range of complex social and health-related circumstances. Through Amber’s story, learners will engage with key moments in her perinatal journey, including discovering her pregnancy, seeking support from a trusted friend, and accessing healthcare services. This interactive module encourages reflection on person-centred, trauma-informed, and culturally safe approaches to care, while highlighting opportunities to support individuals and families throughout the perinatal period.

Throughout the session experience pivotal moments including clinical interactions, connection to supports during pregnancy, labor and postpartum and hear from a person with lived experience. Participants will also have an opportunity to practice Motivational Interviewing skills using the Ask-Offer-Ask method.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Describe ways to build a therapeutic relationship with birthers who use substances.
• List local teams and resources you can involve to build a wraparound interdisciplinary team.
• Discuss creating a patient centered birth plan/delivery goal (pain management, support people/s, meeting the team)
• Practice Motivational Interviewing skills using the Ask-Offer-Ask method to share information with a birther
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Format & Delivery:
Interactive video-based session with pause periods for reflective discussions, a skills building practice activity, and valuable insights from peer educators with lived/living experience. Facilitated by a Nurse Educator and Peer Educator, this session is offered to teams upon request and is available both online and in-person.

Takeaways:

• Enhanced skills for providing compassionate, person-centred care to people who are pregnant and using substances.
• An understanding of the importance of low-barrier, wraparound perinatal health and social supports.
• Strategies for identifying and centering a birther’s goals, preferences, and support needs when developing a birth or care plan.
• Practice using Motivational Interviewing skills through the Ask-Offer-Ask approach

If you are interested in learning more or arranging a training session for your team, please reach out to us at RegionalAddictionProgram@vch.ca