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The Stelter Institute

Our Mission

The Stelter Institute is dedicated to the science of helping pregnant and postpartum women embrace resilience. We envision communities where women are supported to feel patient with their changing emotions, confident in their abilities to assert their needs and wants, powerful in their ability to assemble a supportive team, safe to give birth and parent their children in the way they know in their hearts is best, and divine in their ability to nurture themselves and their families.

CURRENT RESEARCH​

Prenatal Influence

This mixed methods study aims to identify the trauma-prevention and resilience education resources specific to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery which are available to expecting and new parents through social media and digital applications.

Childbirth Experience Expectation

This qualitative study uses survey, assessment, and individual interviews to identify specific expectations of the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery experience.

Impacting Birth Outcomes

This randomized controlled trial seeks to identify the impact of specific childbirth preparation programs on birth trauma-prevention outcome measures, and includes survey, assessment, initial interview, participation in childbirth preparation programs, and follow up interview.

Communications Flow

This qualitative study examines the experience of ease or difficulty within the flow of communication between women and their care providers. The study uses survey, assessment, and individual interviews.

See All Current Research

Our members

The Stelter Institute hosts a diverse community of women, care providers, students, researchers, study participants, and clients. To become a member, simply subscribe to our newsletter below. Membership includes access to updates on the latest research in Maternal Mental Health, program announcements, as well as invitations to participate in events and ongoing studies. We invite you to join us in our mission to empower women! We support the work of the following organizations:

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Mary C. Stelter, PsyD
Founder, Research Director

“78% of women expressed fears related to pregnancy or birth experience, specific to the birth procedures used in modern hospitals – Melender, 2002”

Newsletter

Join the community! Subscribe to the newsletter to receive encouraging resources for positive birth and special announcements for events.