CIIR launches campaign that reinforces the importance of maternal mental health

To welcome and value the mental health of mothers, especially those who care for children with special needs, the Integrated Center for Inclusion and Rehabilitation (CIIR), in Belém, joined the national campaign "May Iridescent". On the 19th and 20th of this month, the institution promoted listening, guidance, and emotional care actions aimed at the mothers of users served both at the CIIR headquarters and at the Specialized Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder (Cetea).

The campaign, created to give visibility to maternal mental health, proposes an open dialogue about the challenges faced by mothers — especially those who experience the physical and emotional overload of atypical motherhood. At CIIR, the mobilization gained even more significance with the reports from the users themselves, such as Luziane Lima Evangelista, an atypical mother and active participant in the activities promoted by the unit.

"It was the first time I heard about May Iridescent. I found this initiative very important because we, atypical mothers, are always taking care of our children and end up forgetting to take care of ourselves," Luziane said. "We spend the day in therapies, exams, consultations... and forget to look inside. An action like this strengthens us, reminds us that we need to be well to take care of them. The word I carry is resilience. We have to be strong all the time and seek alternatives to stay firm," she emphasized.

The actions carried out had the support of health and education professionals, who reinforced the importance of the theme. Camila Diniz, an educator and clinical psychologist with a specialization in perinatality and psychoanalysis, highlighted the care for those who care:
"Maternal mental health needs to be seen and welcomed. Those who care also need to be cared for. In many families, the woman is the pillar. If she becomes ill, the entire family unit is impacted. That’s why initiatives like May Iridescent are so necessary," she stated.

Representing the campaign in Pará, teacher Arielly Pereira, coordinator of the Acolhe Estácio Project, reinforced the purpose of the movement: to combat the guilt and self-demand that many mothers carry. "The campaign arose from the need to reach these women who blame and demand too much from themselves. We want to show that they can — and should — take care of themselves. It’s a way to relieve this burden and promote mental health with support and empathy," she explained.

With conversation circles, psychological listening, and distribution of informational material, CIIR reaffirms its commitment to promoting integral health, recognizing that caring for maternal mental health is also taking care of the well-being of children and the entire family.

Access – CIIR is a reference in Pará for medium and high complexity assistance to people with disabilities (PCDs) visual, physical, auditory, and intellectual. Access to services occurs through referrals from municipal health units, via the Regulation Center. Requests are evaluated according to the user’s profile by the State Regulation System (SRE).

Service: Cetea operates at Rua Presidente Pernambuco, nº 489, Batista Campos neighborhood, in Belém. CIIR is located at Rodovia Arthur Bernardes, nº 1000, also in the capital of Pará. More information: (91) 4042-2157/58/59.

Text and photos: ASCOM CIIR