About Seleni

The Seleni Institute is an independent nonprofit that works to destigmatize and transform the care landscape of maternal and family mental health. Seleni believes that changing a mother’s life, can change a child’s life. We do this through a hybrid approach that provides clinical services for individuals and families, and accredited training for healthcare practitioners.

Our MISSION

We treat, train, support, and advocate to improve the emotional health of individuals and their families during the family-building years.

Our Vision

We envision a world where emotional health is valued just as much as physical health.

 

The Issues

There is a gap in knowledge and understanding of emotional health and its impact on individuals and their families, which often results in mental health challenges going under-diagnosed and under-treated. There is also a stigma that surrounds mental health, preventing people from seeking the support they may need.

We see an opportunity to close this gap, break the stigma, and change the way we view and treat emotional health to improve the lives of our generation and of those to come.

The Statistics

  • 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression in the year after they give birth.

  • Maternal depression affects children when they are prenatal all the way through adolescence.

  • About 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Women with a history of pregnancy loss are at increased risk for depression and anxiety, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), after the birth of a child.

  • The long-term overall risk of suicide in pregnant or postpartum women is 17 times that of the general female population, and is 70 times higher during the first year postpartum.

If you read these statistics and feel worried, scared, or triggered, know that you are not alone. Head to our Advice & Support section for supportive and useful articles or explore the option of counseling at Seleni. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, get free help now: Text CONNECT to 741741 or call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency service.


What We Do

PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT

Seleni’s clinicians specialize in a wide variety of issues and use various treatment modalities to best serve their patients. Specialties include perinatal depression and anxiety, grief and bereavement, family building, perimenopause, relationship difficulties, and more. No matter who you are, we are here to help in a supportive and confidential setting. Learn more

TRAIN AND EDUCATE PROFESSIONALS AND PROVIDERS

We equip providers and corporations with evidence-based trainings to support the emotional health of individuals and families. Our trainings are CE accredited for healthcare professionals including psychologists and social workers and are available online and in person. Learn more

WORK AROUND THE WORLD

Our clinical team works closely with local government officials, NGOs, and advocacy groups around the world to identify pressing issues and provide customized training for maternal healthcare providers. Learn more

PROVIDE ONLINE RESOURCES

Our extensive articles, tips, tools and customized content-based on real-life experiences, informed by expert insight, and written with compassion-empower readers around the world to find the support they need. Learn more


Our Name

Our name, Seleni, honors and supports the courage it takes to seek help. We bring together two extraordinary women: Selene, goddess of the moon, long associated with women, emotions, and serenity; and Eleni, a mother who bravely fought for her children’s escape to America. We root our vision for our empathetic, comprehensive, evidence-based care in the deepest respect for bravery and emotion.

Our logo, a classic labyrinth, evokes our individual journeys, the complexity of our brains’ design, and a reminder of the human at the heart of each experience.

The Seleni Institute partners onsite with Seleni Psychology Counseling and Support, PLLC, a mental health and wellness practice that focuses uniquely on women's mental health care needs.


The Seleni Institute is part of Libra Philanthropies, an independent nonprofit foundation created by the Libra Group. The Libra Philanthropies mission is to address unmet needs and empower communities globally by incubating nonprofits, creating creative hands-on programs, and providing strategic giving.