Takeaways From the TV Show "Call the Midwife"

"The show 'Call the Midwife,' a British TV show depicting district midwifery and nursing in London in the 50s, 60s and early 70s, includes challenging issues such as poverty, illegal abortions, thalidomide, and spousal abuse. And yet, when watching it, I (JS) felt a great longing to be part of the caregiving community living at Nonnatus House, the nurses and nuns who cared for those in the district. The show, which first aired in 2012, can be seen on Netflix, PBS, and other streaming services."

"They cared deeply, both with skillful competency and emotional concern, for those in their charge, while maintaining professional boundaries. They did not routinely bring young women and children to live with them. They recognized the limits of their roles. They held space for the strong emotions of their patients without allowing those emotions to overwhelm them or take over a patient visit. Instead, they used the support of their colleagues to manage intense feelings and maintained the most caring and professional demeanor with the patients."

Call the Midwife portrays district midwifery and nursing in mid-20th century London confronting poverty, illegal abortions, thalidomide, and spousal abuse. The caregivers live in a supportive community that enables deep care combined with professional competence and clear boundaries. Caregivers hold space for strong patient emotions without allowing those emotions to overwhelm the encounter, using colleague support to process intense feelings. Mental health professionals can adopt similar practices by caring deeply while maintaining appropriate limits, recognizing role boundaries, using supervision and peer support, and relying on professional networks to sustain capacity for difficult therapeutic work.

Read at Psychology Today