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Hand on Bump

Therapy For Pre-pregnancy, Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum

Get meaningful support. Build your resilience and resources. Remember your strength.

Virtual Therapy in Massachusetts
Baby's Grasp

Therapy can be incredibly useful when women are growing their family, I not only say that because I’ve seen it work but research backs this up. The perinatal period (pre-pregnancy through to postpartum) brings huge physical, emotional, financial, and identity changes that can be overwhelming.

 

Common struggles include: physical discomforts, sleep deprivation, career/financial stress, self-image issues, grief over lifestyle changes, isolation, relationship changes, and the unknowns of parenting. Sometimes the rollercoaster of hormones can also impact mood and feelings of anxiety.

 

Women struggling with mental health during the perinatal period might:

  • Feel sad or depressed 

  • Feel frustrated with those around them

  • Have difficulty connecting with their baby

  • Feel anxious or panicky

  • Have problems with eating or sleeping

  • Experience upsetting thoughts that they can’t get out of your mind

  • Struggle with really difficult thoughts like “I’m out of control” or “I should never have become a parent”

What Doesn't Help

In striving to manage it all, women can get stuck in trying to prove themselves as mothers, taking a “I should be able to do this” mentality.  This can lead to minimizing feelings or needs, comparing themselves to the “perfect” moms, and suffering in silence. These coping attempts provide temporary relief but worsen mental health.

 

It is never too early or too late to reach out for support during this period. I've worked with women prior to the pre-pregnancy process and worked with women to process grief and trauma with mothers with teenage children.

1 in 5 women experience mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy & postpartum 

Women’s mental health is particularly vulnerable during the perinatal period. One in five women report experiencing mood or anxiety disorders during pregnancy & postpartum. 

 

Perinatal Mood And

Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) Facts:

  • Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders describes mental health disorders during pregnancy or postpartum period (Depression, Anxiety, OCD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Bipolar Mood Disorders, Postpartum Psychosis)

  • 15- 20% of women experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders

  • Symptoms can include anxiety, depression/sadness, feeling numb, anger/rage, lack of interest in things once found enjoyable, changes in eating or sleeping, feelings of guilt, feelings of hopelessness, trouble concentrating, panic attacks, intrusive “scary” thoughts, worry, fears of going crazy, fears for babies health, or thoughts of hurting self or baby.

  • Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders affect women of every culture, age, income level and race

  • Symptoms can develop any time before and after 12 months for up to 3 years postpartum

  • Symptoms will not typically improve on their own, therapeutic intervention significantly result in relief and return to functioning

  • Symptoms of depression and anxiety can hinder connection, worsen relationships with partner and others, and greatly decrease sense of wellbeing and sometimes self-worth

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My Approach

You may see time and time again (on therapist websites) that a trusting and comfortable relationship is central for therapy to actually be helpful. That is why I start with building trust and connection in a way that works for you, while also seeking to understand what your goals are for your mental health during this important and vulnerable time. 

 

I am dedicated to providing evidence-based treatment to clients including acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for women during the perinatal period.  I provide education on the emotional processes of becoming a mother while validating and normalizing your experiences. 

 

I highlight and enhance innate strengths and resiliency of the women I work with. We mindfully process intense emotions as they arise to build coping skills that feel most relevant. I support connections to community resources. Combating the pressure to be perfect is essential, as coping with anxiety, depression and trauma symptoms cannot be done without compassion.

What Do Clients Work on in Perinatal Therapy?

  • Navigate and challenge perfectionistic coping 

  • Exploring identity transitions and attachment

  • Setting realistic expectations and boundaries

  • Building a judgment-free support system

  • Learning about perinatal mental health conditions

  • Coping with grief and loss on becoming a mother

  • Skill-building for emotional regulation

  • Tailored self-care and wellness planning

  • Ongoing evaluation and adjustment of support

  • Career change & career self-advocacy during pregnancy & postpartum

  • Regaining control over anxiety and low mood so that moms can engage with what matters most with them

  • Support postpartum depression and baby blues

  • Process birth trauma and develop skills to manage post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms

  • Grieve loss related to pregnancy or childbirth

  • Develop skills and self-compassion for parenting challenges and adjustment difficulties

  • Improve boundary-setting and communication skills to improve relationship difficulty with your partner or family

  • Validate feelings of isolation or overwhelm during the perinatal period and seek authentic connection

  • Increase self-care and coping strategies for managing the Demands of Parenthood

  • Find emotional support and coping strategies to navigate pregnancy and postpartum challenges.

  • Explore and validate identity shifts and role changes in a safe and nurturing environment.

  • Heal from birth trauma and process difficult emotions related to childbirth.

  • Receive compassionate support in times of grief and loss.

  • Strengthen your relationship with your partner and family as you transition into parenthood

  • Learn effective stress management techniques to promote overall well-being

  • Embrace the transformative experience of parenthood with confidence and self-compassion

  • Identify and leverage personal strengths and meaningful values that will be your guide to navigating this process intuitively & with pride

 

My goal is to walk alongside my clients through this process. When helpful, I am to equip you with the tools to nurture your emotional wellness on the motherhood journey. 

 

Please reach out to learn more or schedule a consultation.

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