Maternal mental health support in Germany: interview with Johanna Tonn-Straavaldsen, co-founder and director of Afloat
Afloat is a non-profit organization based out of Heidelberg that offers support to international pregnant and new mothers in Germany through the ups and downs of motherhood. They offer support groups, information & resources, as well as educational events, with a special focus on maternal mental health.
I interview in this episode Johanna, their co-founder and director, about the mission of Afloat, what they offer to international mothers in Germany and how they can help in receiving mental health support.
- What is Afloat and what is its mission (03:30)
- What can mothers expect from Afloat’s maternal mental health warmline? (08:00)
- Can the volunteers at Afloat explain the procedure to get insurance-paid mental health support? (09:30)
- Afloat’s support groups: what they are, what to expect (14:40)
- What is the profile of the attendees of the support groups? (19:00)
- What is Afloat developing towards, what is the future of Afloat? (22:00)
Links to resources we discussed:
Afloat’s website
Blog post from Afloat: Navigating the maternal mental health system in Germany
Getting help in receiving maternal mental health: Schatten und Licht
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About Baby in Berlin
Baby in Berlin is a concierge service for expecting international families in Germany who need assistance with the organization of their pregnancy and the paperwork related to baby and birth. I have helped hundreds of families organizing their life as a family in Berlin and all over Germany. Follow me on social media for more tips and resources!