Resources for Fathers and Healthcare Providers, 2026
As many as 1 in 10 fathers will experience emotional and mental health challenges during and following their partner’s pregnancy, with the peak onset of depression occurring between 3-6 months following the birth of the baby. Depression and anxiety are at least twice as common in expecting and new fathers as compared with global estimates in men.
To support fathers, we have curated a list of resources and organizations that support the mental health and well-being of fathers and educate the healthcare providers who serve them. We strive to provide a comprehensive list of resources and organizations; however, this list is not meant to be exhaustive. If you have a resource or organization you would like to recommend, please contact us at info@mmhla.org with the subject line: Resource Recommendation.
MMHLA is not responsible for the content or services provided by the resources and organizations listed here.
Resources for Fathers
Mental Health, Well-Being, and Community
Dads with Wisdom seeks to build on men's knowledge, skills, and instincts of fatherhood by placing men into groups of potential or current fathers where they can connect, share, and receive support from each other and from Dads with Wisdom staff with the goal of becoming wiser dads.
Fathers' UpLift empowers fathers by offering therapy, reentry support, advocacy, and workforce development. They encourage collaboration with mothers and engage the community to help fathers overcome barriers (racism, emotional, traumatic, and addiction) that prevent them from being actively involved in their children's lives. Their goal is to ensure the well-being of children and foster long-term family stability.
Postpartum Support International: Help for Dads
Postpartum Support International is the leading organization providing support for parents' mental health and well-being. They offer many resources for dads and non-birthing parents including a peer mentor program, support coordinators, over 50 support groups, and more.
Trainings & Workshops
Basic Training for New Dads is a one-session training taught by clinical psychologist Daniel Singley, PhD. Designed specifically for expectant fathers with a hands-on, no-fluff approach, this training covers everything you need to feel confident and prepared for fatherhood. Topics covered range from essential baby-care skills and birth prep, to strategies for maintaining a strong partnership and prioritizing your own well-being in the transition to fatherhood.
Boot Camp for New Dads® (aka Daddy Boot Camp®) is a unique father-to-father, community-based workshop that inspires and equips men from diverse economic backgrounds, ages, and cultures to become confidently engaged with their infants, support their partners, and personally navigate their transformation into dads. Founded in 1990, the non-profit Boot Camp for New Dads® has graduated more than 500,000 men, making it the nation’s largest program for new fathers — now offered in 44 states, on U.S. military bases, Canada, and the U.K.
Daddy Boot Camp® is on a mission to help all men overcome the challenges of becoming a father so they can step up and make the world better for their children. For over 30 years, they have been hosting in-person workshops throughout the United States in addition to offering their programs online.
Advocacy
4Kira4Dads is on a mission to end maternal mortality through education, advocacy, and legislation. They educate the public about the impact of maternal mortality in communities, provide peer support to victims’ families, and promote the idea that maternal mortality should be viewed and discussed as a human rights issue.
Books
Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men's Lives
Written by leading psychologist Darby Saxbe, PhD, this book explains how becoming a father changes men — from their bodies and brain architecture, to their hormones and sense of purpose. For fans of science-based storytelling that is also irreverent, funny, and personal, Dad Brain offers an illuminating, empowering, and optimistic new understanding of fatherhood that is a must-read for every parent.
DAD: Untold Stories of Fatherhood, Love, Mental Health & Masculinity
Written by Elliott Rae, this book is a deeply moving and inspiring collection of stories that represent the diversity of modern fatherhood and seeks to start a conversation that challenges the traditions associated with masculinity. Each chapter will take you on a journey, immersing you in that dad’s world. Underlying each of the dad’s stories is a persistent and driving force of love, defiance, humility and strength to be the best fathers they can be for their families.
Daddy Blues: Postnatal Depression and Fatherhood
Written by Mark Williams, this book explores how postpartum depression impacts both mothers and fathers. Unaware that fathers could experience postpartum depression, Mark struggled with a crying baby and a disconnected wife, feeling increasingly lost and turning to alcohol for escape. Daddy Blues poignantly explores his journey of coping with an unanticipated and deeply challenging problem.
Fathers and Perinatal Mental Health: A Guide for Recognition, Treatment, and Management
Written by Jane Hanley, PhD, and Mark Williams, this book seeks to address the reasons why the father could suffer from a mental disorder or illness during the perinatal period, his reactions, and what can be done to help him.
New Fathers, Mental Health and Digital Communication
Written by Paul Hodkinson, PhD, and Ranjana Das, PhD, this book explores the experiences of new fathers struggling with mental health difficulties and focuses on the role of digital media as part of their approaches to coping. The authors explore various uses of digital communication by struggling fathers, ranging from selective forms of disconnection to seeking online information or support.
Parental Mental Health: Factoring in Fathers
Written by Jane Honikman, MS, and Daniel Singley, PhD, this book seeks to include men in discussions of early parenthood, foster a gender-equitable, whole-family approach to parental mental health, and increase awareness of best practices in the care of expectant and new fathers.
The Life of Dad: The Making of the Modern Father
Written by Anna Machin, PhD, this book uses her research and the latest findings in genetics, neuroscience, and psychology to explore the story of fatherhood. She shows the extraordinary physiological changes a man undergoes when he becomes a father, investigates how a man’s genes can influence what sort of father he will be, and shows how a dad makes a unique contribution to his child’s life.
The Postpartum Partner: Practical Solutions for Living with Postpartum Depression
Written by Karen Kleiman, MSW, LCSW, founder of The Postpartum Stress Center with over 30 years of experience working with pregnant and postpartum parents. This book serves as a hands-on guide that includes straightforward, supportive information and specific recommendations to help partners deal with the impact of depression and anxiety after the birth of a baby.
What About Dad? Understanding and Addressing Postpartum Depression in Men
Written by Luis Resendez, LMFT, this book shares his personal struggle with postpartum depression after the birth of his first son. The author assists readers in obtaining a better understanding of what postpartum depression is and how to effectively address it. Resendez also offers suggestions on what family, loved ones, and the healthcare industry can do to better support men affected by postpartum depression, and to alleviate the mental health stigma that keeps men from getting the support they need.
Podcasts
Advancing Health Podcast: The Role of Fathers in Maternal and Child Health
This episode explores the role of fathers in maternal and child health, and how addressing fathers' needs can improve the overall well-being of a family. Men can have a significant influence in supporting women during their pregnancy and can be essential allies in creating better outcomes for mother and child. It features guests Dr. Amina Alio of the University of Rochester Medical Center and Jonathan Webb, CEO of the Association of Women's Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.
Beyond Postpartum: Dads Get Depressed Too
This episode spotlights Evan, a father who experienced depression after his son's birth and shares his story with vulnerability and openness. The episode concludes with a discussion of common signs and symptoms of perinatal mental health challenges in partners and provides resources for support.
Flusterclux: Best of: Dads, Depression, and Anxiety
This episode explores how to encourage men to step into a supportive role for their family's health, discuss emotions with their children, and overcome a reluctance to open up. While moms often take on this role, dads have a crucial part to play, too.
Mom & Mind Podcast: Healing From Paternal Postpartum Depression
This episode highlights the importance of mental well-being for fathers worldwide. It features a devoted father who shares his personal journey through postpartum depression after the birth of his child.
NICU Babies Parent Support Podcast: A Conversation with a Men’s Mental Health Expert
This episode explores the emerging field of paternal mental health and how a father’s unique contributions shape overall family and child health outcomes. It examines the critical connection between a dad's psychosocial stress and its direct impact on his mood, parenting, and a child's developmental well-being. It features guest Dr. Sheehan Fisher, a clinical psychologist at Northwestern University and a leading expert dedicated to helping fathers navigate these hidden pressures to build healthier families.
The Postpartum University Podcast: Dads & Postpartum Depression
This episode discusses the topic of dads experiencing peripartum depression, a condition distinct from postpartum depression in mothers. Peripartum depression affects about one in ten new fathers often presenting as anger, irritability, and withdrawal. The conversation emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing this condition, highlighting its impact on the entire family and the need for open communication and support.
For Healthcare Providers
Fact Sheet
Paternal Mental Health Fact Sheet
Prepared by the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA) in partnership with two experts — Sheehan D. Fisher, PhD, and Daniel B. Singley, PhD — this fact sheet covers the causes, risk factors, and impacts of paternal mental health conditions, while also offering resources and organizations that support the mental health and well-being of fathers.
Webinar
Paternal Mental Health: Current Challenges and How Healthcare Professionals Can Help
Three experts in paternal mental health — researcher and clinical psychologist Sheehan D. Fisher, PhD, clinical psychologist Danny Singley, PhD, and pediatrician David Levine, MD, who personally experienced postpartum depression and anxiety — share the context, challenges, and solutions to better support the mental health of fathers.
Trainings with CECs
Foundations in Paternal Perinatal Mental Health: In-Person Training with CECs
Postpartum Support International’s Foundations in Paternal Perinatal Mental Health training presents you with key information regarding paternal perinatal mental health with an emphasis on psychosocial dynamics and evidence-based interventions with fathers. Participants will learn to apply intersectional, multicultural, and gender-sensitive approaches to psychotherapy, screening, case conceptualization, and treatment planning with fathers through interactive lectures, multimedia demonstrations, and case study discussions. Registration includes training materials and continuing education credit.
Professional Group
Fathers Special Interest Group
The International Marcé Society for Perinatal Mental Health is an international, interdisciplinary organization dedicated to the study and treatment of mental health surrounding childbearing. They host a dedicated Fathers Special Interest Group (SIG). This global network brings together psychiatric researchers, psychologists, and medical clinicians to share the latest peer-reviewed data, clinical trials, and treatment protocols specifically addressing paternal reproductive psychology and mental health.
Books
Beyond the Blues: A Guide to Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression
Written by Shoshanna Bennet, PhD, and Pec Indman, EdD, MFT, this book contains information about risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mood disorders in pregnancy and postpartum. Straightforward yet compassionate, it is required reading for all who work with pregnant and postpartum women, as well as for those suffering before or after the baby is born.
Fathers and Perinatal Mental Health: A Guide for Recognition, Treatment, and Management
Written by Jane Hanley, PhD, and Mark Williams, this book seeks to address the reasons why the father could suffer from a mental disorder or illness during the perinatal period, his reactions, and what can be done to help him.
Parental Mental Health: Factoring in Fathers
Written by Jane Honikman, MS, and Daniel Singley, PhD, this book seeks to include men in discussions of early parenthood, foster a gender-equitable, whole-family approach to parental mental health, and increase awareness of best practices in the care of expectant and new fathers.
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