
Perinatal Mental Health
Find Joy in Your Parenting Journey
Has Parenthood Confronted You With Challenges That Make You Feel Anxious And Insecurity?
Are you overwhelmed by the responsibility of being a parent and wondering if you're doing anything wrong?
Have sleepless nights and unpredictable emotions taken their toll, leaving you on edge and unsure where to turn?
Maybe you assumed parenting would come naturally—but instead, you find yourself second-guessing every decision, questioning your instincts, and worrying constantly about your baby’s well-being.
Or perhaps you’re battling guilt over not feeling the joy you thought would come with parenthood. Intrusive or distressing thoughts may sneak in when you least expect them, or you might feel distant from your baby and confused by the emotional chaos you’re experiencing.
Even If It’s Not Postpartum Depression Or Anxiety, You May Feel Like You’re Unraveling Inside
Parenthood can shake your confidence and sense of identity. Perhaps you expected some sleepless nights and lifestyle changes, but nothing could have prepared you for how much your world would shift. In a sense, you might be grieving the life you once had—your career, your hobbies, your freedom—while feeling guilty for even thinking that way.
Maybe you’re feeling disconnected from your partner or unsupported in ways that are especially painful right now. The mental load of parenthood can be exhausting, especially when it feels like you’re carrying it alone. And on top of it all, you may be wondering who you are, now that your life perhaps doesn’t revolve around your career or other passions anymore.
But you don’t have to keep carrying all of this on your own. Postpartum counseling can provide the right support to help you stop second-guessing and start experiencing the kind of grounded, connected parenthood you’ve been hoping for.
Most New Parents Experience Emotional Ups And Downs After Childbirth
The early stages of motherhood can feel incredibly isolating, even though everyone seems to make it look effortless. But struggling with new motherhood is not uncommon, and for many, it’s more than just the “baby blues.” In fact, nearly 1 in 7 mothers go on to develop postpartum depression, a condition that can persist for weeks or even months without proper care.1
If you’re feeling tearful, overwhelmed, or emotionally disconnected, you’re not weak—you’re human. These experiences are not a reflection of your worth as a parent but of a deep need for compassion, support, and rest that often goes unmet in today’s world.
Modern Motherhood Leaves Little Room For The Important Transition During The “Fourth Trimester”
Across the globe, many cultures honor the “fourth trimester”—a special time when new mothers are cared for by family and community while bonding with their baby and recovering from childbirth.
However, that community support is often missing in modern society. Whether it’s due to physical distance, work obligations, or raising other children, as mothers today, we are expected to “bounce back” far too quickly. The absence of the support we need can leave us emotionally depleted and struggling to feel like ourselves, often leading to postpartum depression and anxiety.
Once the “fifth trimester” rolls around and we are expected to re-enter the workforce, juggling parenthood and work can become overwhelming. Without a safe place to share these realities, shame and worries often quietly keep on growing.
The truth is, your struggles don’t mean you’re failing—they mean you need support, not silence. And the good news is, with the help of a perinatal therapist, you can sort through the confusion and find relief, confidence, and renewed strength.
Perinatal Mental Health—Accessing the Power Of Your Inner Wisdom
In a world that glorifies self-sacrifice and endless productivity, it’s no wonder so many new mothers feel overwhelmed and unseen. Perinatal therapy invites you to slow down, take a breath, and reconnect with the softer voice of compassion living within you.
So often, moms extend unconditional love to their children while offering themselves only criticism and doubt. Therapy creates a compassionate space where your experience can be validated and you can gently shift the imbalance postpartum has created, learning to treat yourself with the same tenderness and understanding you give so freely to others.
It’s not about being a perfect mother. It’s about being present with yourself in the midst of it all.
What Our Work Together Would Look Like
From the very beginning, I aim to make the therapy process clear, collaborative, and grounded in your lived experience. In our first few sessions, we’ll explore your relational history—how you've experienced connection, care, and emotional support throughout your life. This helps us understand how your past may be influencing your present experience of motherhood.
We’ll also look closely at your current support system, routines, and stressors. If needed, therapy can also be used to screen for signs of postpartum depression or anxiety so we know exactly what kind of support would be most helpful.
My approach rests on the belief that your symptoms carry wisdom. Anxiety, irritability, and emotional exhaustion often point to unmet needs, core values, or boundaries longing to be honored. Together, we’ll create new ways of responding to your inner world.
Therapeutic Approaches Tailored To Your Needs As A Parent
Using a mix of emotional processing, body-based regulation techniques, and creative tools, we’ll explore what’s weighing you down—and what can set you free. The specific modalities I use are flexible and tailored to you.
Much of our work may draw from Emotion-Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS)—both of which help us access your inner strengths and heal parts of you that have been silenced or overwhelmed. Through mindfulness, ritual, and attachment-focused exploration, we’ll honor the transformational nature of motherhood and help you feel more whole, not less, in this new identity.
If your birth was traumatic, I might use Brainspotting—a powerful modality that taps into the brain’s natural capacity to process and release painful experiences. This can help you gently unearth old beliefs that no longer serve you, freeing you to step more fully into your present life.
Motherhood isn’t just about caring for your baby, it’s also about meeting the parts of yourself that this journey has awakened. With guidance and support, you can stop doubting your instincts and start trusting the deep wisdom you already carry. You don’t have to navigate this alone.
You May Still Wonder If Perinatal Therapy
Is Right For You…
I just became a mom—how am I supposed to fit therapy into my already packed days?
Finding the time to care for yourself can feel nearly impossible in the early weeks and months of parenthood. That’s why I do everything I can to make postpartum therapy accessible.
If you have a baby who’s not yet walking, they’re more than welcome to join us in my office. I understand what it’s like—I’m a mom myself and have worked as both a birth and postpartum doula. Whether you want to breastfeed during our session, need a few tips for soothing your little one, or simply need to talk while holding your baby, that’s all okay.
And if leaving the house isn’t feasible, virtual sessions are a wonderful way to get support without adding another errand to your list.
I feel angry and impatient—shouldn’t I just try a parenting course first?
There’s absolutely value in parenting classes, and I often encourage them, especially when done alongside a partner. But if you’re frequently consumed by irritation, intrusive thoughts, guilt, or sadness, you may need more than just tools and techniques. Perinatal therapy gives you the space to explore where those feelings are coming from and how they’re affecting your well-being.
Please keep in mind that feeling on edge or emotionally exhausted doesn’t mean you’re a failure as a mom; it means you’re possibly burned out. You don’t need to suffer in silence or “push through.” Perinatal mental health sessions can offer the compassion, support, and perspective that online courses simply can’t provide.
If I wait long enough, won’t my depression just go away on its own?
Postpartum depression and anxiety are both highly treatable through therapy, but time alone isn’t always the healer we hope it will be. Without support, symptoms can intensify and linger, eventually developing into more serious or long-term mental health concerns. And while many moms are incredibly strong and resilient, trying to tough it out often leads to burnout—not healing.
You deserve more than survival mode. Reaching out for help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a step toward reclaiming your joy, confidence, and connection with your family. Postpartum therapy can help you feel like yourself again—and maybe even better.
Learn To Trust Yourself And Make Parenting Easier
You can become the mother you want to be.
It’s ok to put yourself first! Moms often fall into a pattern of putting themselves last. Being able to reach out for support during one of the most meaningful parts of your life—your parenting journey—is the best gift you can give yourself and your child. I invite you to contact me and schedule a free, 20-minute consultation.
1 - https://www.apa.org/pi/women/resources/reports/postpartum-depression
Special note:
One of the greatest barriers to mothers for receiving therapeutic support is arranging childcare. All children who are not yet walking are welcome to attend therapy sessions at my Boulder office or be present for Telehealth therapy.
In giving birth to our babies, we may find that we give birth to new possibilities within ourselves.
— Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn