According to Postpartum Support International, "Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) conditions are the number one complication of childbearing," and can include "several types of Perinatal Mental Health conditions that can occur during the perinatal period (including pregnancy, post-loss, and postpartum) and affect not only the pregnant person but also other family members, including dads and partners."

Postpartum therapy can offer you the support you need in the journey to parenthood, navigating your own feelings and thoughts, and creating a social support network to support you through the joyous and difficult moments.

https://www.postpartum.net/perinatal-mental-health/#top

Here are a few of the PMADs that I work with and would be honored to support you through.

Postpartum depression:

• Feelings of anger or irritability

• Lack of interest in the baby

• Appetite and sleep disturbances

• Crying and sadness

• Feeling of guilt, shame, or hopelessness

• Loss of interest, joy or pleasure in things you used to enjoy

• Possible thoughts of harming the baby or yourself

Perinatal anxiety:

• Constant worry

• Feeling that something bad is about to happen

• Racing thoughts

• Sleep and appetite disturbances

• Inability to sit still

• Physical symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and hot flashes

Perinatal PTSD:

• Intrusive re-imagining of a past event

• Flashbacks or nightmares

• Avoidance of stimuli associated with the event

• Persistent increased arousal (irritability, difficulty sleeping, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response)

• Anxiety and panic attacks

• Feeling a sense of unreality and detachment

Perinatal bipolar disorder (*I or II):

• Periods of severe depression

• Periods when mood is much better than normal

• Rapid speech

• Little need for sleep

• Racing thoughts, trouble concentrating

• Anxiety, irritability

• Continuous high energy

• *Impulsiveness, poor judgement, distractibility

• *Grandiose thoughts, inflated sense of self-importance

• *Delusions and hallucinations in the most severe cases

https://www.postpartum.net/perinatal-mental-health/#top

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can significantly impact a new parent's well-being and the bond with their child. Therapy offers a supportive space to explore and understand these feelings, providing coping strategies and tools for managing anxiety and depression. By addressing these issues in therapy, new parents can find relief, build resilience, and enhance their overall mental health, ensuring a more positive experience during this pivotal time.

I specialize in perinatal mental health, with advanced training in addressing PMADs during pregnancy and the postpartum period. My expertise includes a variety of effective treatment modalities, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). I also have extensive experience supporting Queer, Trans, and Gender Diverse families through their family planning process, pregnancy, and postpartum. My personal experiences as a doula, supporting well over 20 birthing families in birth centers, hospitals, and internationally, provide a unique insight into the varying ways that birth impacts individuals and their families.

With this diverse skill set, I provide personalized therapeutic approaches to meet the unique needs of individuals and families during this critical time. My focus is on promoting emotional well-being, resilience, and healing throughout the family planning journey. I am dedicated to ensuring that clients receive compassionate care and evidence-based strategies that support their mental health during pregnancy and beyond.