Therapy for Postpartum Anxiety
Serving Mothers in California & Oregon
You did it! Your baby is here and in your arms. I know it was no easy task to get here. But here you are.
You should be happy, relieved, and cherishing every moment. ::Insert eye roll::
The narrative that we should be completely enthralled by our postpartum experience, living in a world of new-baby-bliss, and spending all day snuggling is really getting old.
The reality is that it is okay to admit that postpartum is a whirlwind of tough emotions. Yes- it can be beautiful and amazing in some moments. But it can also be overwhelming and leave you feeling like maybe you weren't cut out to be a mom after all.
And trust me when I say that you are not alone.
What is Postpartum Anxiety, anyway?
Does this sound familiar: It's 3am, you're staring at your beautiful, and slightly screaming sweet baby. Your heart is racing, your mind won't stop running through way too many thoughts, and the weight of this responsibility feels too heavy to hold.
Hello, Postpartum Anxiety!
It's like a little voice in your head that has you questioning every thing you do as a mom. Mother's intuition?? Psh- what's that?!
Is the baby okay? Did I just do something wrong? Why can't I stop worrying? Why does this seem so easy for everyone else, but me?
These are just some of the thoughts that come with Postpartum anxiety.
How Common is Postpartum Anxiety and Depression?
Did you know that 1 in 5 new moms experience Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs for short)? Experiencing mood and anxiety struggles are the most common complication of pregnancy and birth.
An alarming statistic is that 75% of women never receive treatment, leaving many women struggling with anxiety and depression that is undetected and undiagnosed. We deserve better.
Even more alarming is that women of color experience postpartum depression at a rate of 38%, while white women experience postpartum depression at a rate of 19%. Both statistics are not great- but this really highlights the need for information to land in the hands of mothers so that they know how to find support.
Often, women are told that their difficult postpartum experiences are "normal" and that every mom goes through this. And the reality is that these struggles are very common, but it is not normal to feel so lost in this process that you are questioning yourself as a mother.
If you are feeling this way in postpartum, I want you to know that you do not have to feel this way. You deserve to be validated and supported in your experience. You deserve to feel better.
This transition into motherhood is physically and emotionally overwhelming. If your experience is straying from what your expectations were, you might be feeling lost, alone, worried about your own scary thoughts, and feeling the heaviness of painful emotions. The distressing thoughts and feelings associated with this time can make it so hard for you to take care of yourself and your baby the way you really want to.
Postpartum anxiety is treatable, and therapy can help you feel like yourself again!
How can Therapy for Postpartum Anxiety help me?
-
Process your story- whether you've been through fertility struggles, loss, birth trauma, or just feel the weight of the stress
-
Learn how to calm your mind and your body so you can stop these patterns of worrying and self-doubt
-
Learn to manage intrusive thoughts
-
Understand what is going on with the mom-guilt, learn to overcome these feelings that tell you that you aren't enough
-
Learn new strategies to calm your nervous system and feel more like yourself again
-
Kick perfectionism to the curb once and for all
-
Feel more connected to your body
-
Set healthy boundaries that will support you and your growing family
-
Heal from any unresolved traumas related to your family-building journey so you can prepare for a future pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience
-
Find self-compassion for what you have been through and where you are today
-
Step into a more confident version of yourself so that you can be the mother you are longing to be