PERINATAL & MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

Therapy for Moms in Arizona

Mental Health & Emotional Wellness during Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Beyond. Therapy for Postpartum Depression & Anxiety. EMDR therapy for Perinatal & Birth Trauma.

“Everyone asked about the baby … but no one asked about me.”

Mama, I see you. This season in life is so challenging and can often be isolating & lonely. There’s so much to think about, so much to do, so much to manage — whether you are currently pregnant, recently postpartum, or you’ve been a parent for a while. It’s a lot to cope with, especially if you’ve been struggling with little sleep, constant worry, and not feeling like yourself.

Transitioning into this new role can be a conflicting experience for many — nothing can truly prepare you for the physical, emotional, and psychological impact birth & parenting will have on you. You might even feel like you’ve completely lost touch with who you were before becoming a mother — you did not cause this & you are not alone.

Maybe you’ve noticed:

  • Feeling overwhelmed & overstimulated

  • Increase in crying, thoughts consumed with sadness or guilt

  • Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy

  • Feeling more angry, experiencing rage, yelling more often

  • Increasing resentment toward your partner or co-parent

  • Intrusive thoughts that cause worry or distress

THERAPY FOR PERINATAL & MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH CAN HELP

Together, we’ll work on:

YOUR WELLNESS

I get it, you’re stretched thin and there’s never enough time in the day. You know your needs matter & you can’t keep pouring from an empty cup. We will work on identifying your needs and creating a realistic plan for how you can start to meet them, whether you have 1 minute or 1 hour. We will bring awareness to your strengths & create a space for you to discover your most authentic self. We can explore how to cultivate a healthier work-life balance and what they may look like for you & your family.

EMOTIONAL REGULATION

Meeting your needs is already challenging, but what happens when you’ve been pushed to your limit and need to meet the needs of your infant/child? This often creates feelings of overwhelming frustration, panic, guilt, & shame. We will focus on implementing effective co-regulation skills that help you regain control while simultaneously helping your infant/child develop healthy emotional regulation skills themselves — resulting in a healthy practice creates secure attachment between parent & infant/child.

RELATIONSHIPS

Healthy relationships are key during this season in life. We will work to build & strengthen the relationship you have with yourself, your partner, and your support system. I can help you facilitate bonding with your infant/child. We will work to build healthy communication & conflict resolution skills, as well as ensuring you have healthy boundaries that you’re comfortable with. I will help guide you along the path to self-awareness and self-acceptance so you can cultivate healthy and meaningful relationships.

You deserve to be happy & healthy.

Becoming a mother can be a difficult, confusing, and overwhelming time for many women. A time that is commonly described as being the “happiest time of your life”, can quickly be overshadowed by depression and anxiety symptoms.

Up to 15% of women experience depression and/or anxiety during pregnancy

Approximately 10-20% of women will develop postpartum depression in the first year following pregnancy.

Studies have shown us that untreated postpartum depression can lead to serious health risks for both mother & baby, creating long lasting effects on child development & parental wellbeing.

Symptoms of postpartum depression & anxiety can include:

sadness, hopelessness, excessive worry, racing thoughts, feeling overwhelmed, changes in appetite, feelings of regret

While some of these symptoms are common during postpartum, they are worth exploring & assessing with a professional familiar with postpartum mood disorders.

Research continues to find therapy to be the most effective treatment for postpartum depression.

EMDR Therapy for Perinatal & Birth Trauma

Approximately 33-45% of birthing people describe their birth as being a traumatic.

Symptoms of trauma during the perinatal timeframe might include:

  • difficulty bonding with your baby

  • sleep disturbances, nightmares

  • avoiding baby, partner, or care provider

  • being triggered by others’ births or pregnancies

  • low mood, anxiety, feeling “on edge”, intense worry

  • feeling disconnected from others

  • intense shame, anger, or rage

EMDR during pregnancy & postpartum can help with: birth trauma, grief & loss, fears related to bodily functions or medical procedures, breastfeeding trauma, past abuse triggered by birth or parenting, and hospital experiences such as time in the NICU or medical trauma. Please note, this is not a complete list & experiences will vary.

Therapy for perinatal & maternal mental health can help …

  • Find relief from symptoms

  • Learn effective coping skills

  • Strengthen mother-child bonding

  • Develop & utilize healthy support systems

  • Healthy communication & conflict resolution

  • Process birth trauma & unexpected birth stories

Allow your voice of reason to be louder than your self-doubt. You are enough.

Frequently Asked Questions About Perinatal & Maternal Mental Health

FAQs

  • The term perinatal refers to the time during & after pregnancy; a combination of what many refer to as prenatal (during pregnancy) & postpartum (up to 1yr after giving birth).

    For my practice purposes, I do not put a time limit on how long it has been since someone has given birth. I support mothers wherever they may be in their parenting journey.

  • If you think your partner may be experiencing symptoms of a postpartum mood disorder, to include postpartum depression & anxiety, it is best to encourage them to reach out for help & support them in connecting with a professional.

    If they are unable or unwilling to reach out for help, you can contact the Postpartum Support International warm-line at 1-800-944-4773 for immediate help. If you think they are in danger of hurting themselves, their child, or someone else, please take them to the nearest emergency room or call 9-1-1.

  • Absolutely! Therapy is a valuable resource & tool — and the best form of self-care! I work with mothers that have children of all ages.

    Common areas of focus with mothers of older children include work-life balance, strengthening communication with their child, improving self-care practices, & life transitions such as older children becoming more independent or moving out of the family’s home.

  • This is an excellent question! The majority of women (approx. 80%) will experience what we call the “baby blues”. This isn’t a diagnosis but rather a group of symptoms that are usually experienced as a temporary dip in mood but should resolve within the first 2 weeks following birth.

    Postpartum depression is a more noticeable change in symptoms & mood and most importantly, lasts longer than a few weeks following birth. If symptoms are not improving or even getting worse, you may be experiencing a postpartum mood disorder.

    It’s important to follow up with your health care provider or contact a mental health professional who is familiar with perinatal mental health for an assessment.

  • Of course. I have experience holding space for mothers that have experienced expected & unexpected loss. Common causes of loss are stillbirth, premature birth, life-limiting medical conditions, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

    I provide gentle, compassionate support for mothers navigating this incredibly difficult experience. I work with them to honor their baby & grief in whatever way feels comfortable for them. You can read more about this speciality area here.