downtown St. George & online across utah
Therapy for perinatal + POSTPARTUM anxiety
Space for the nitty gritty of becoming a parent that no one talks about
No one prepared you for this
it feels like you’re failing
at being a mom
there’s still a lot you haven’t processed
the perinatal phase is the most vulnerable
phase in a woman’s life
too many moms struggle in silence
The perinatal phase is technically conception until a year or two postpartum, but any parent knows a lot more happens beyond that timeline.
All moms have intrusive thoughts—it’s in our biology to guide us to care for our children. Good moms have scary thoughts, and no one is going to try to take your baby away from you for asking for help or being real here.
1 in 5 mothers experience loss
1 in 4 mothers experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder
1 in 3 mothers report their birth experience as traumatic
2 out of 3 premature births or NICU parents go on to develop PTSD
And we’re supposed to hope for the best and just wing it?!
Pregnancy itself can amplify the past. Perhaps you’re more informed than average and it feels like you’re holding your breath this pregnancy or for birth. There is so much unknown and so much feels out of your control. Maybe you’ve had to quietly grieve for a long time and most of your world isn’t even aware. The six-week postpartum check-up barely covers the basic, and that marks the end of checking on the moms. Maybe it wasn’t until you were in crisis that you even learned that specific crisis even existed. You hate that this had to be part of your story, and you wonder how it’ll effect your baby. One of the hardest parts of birth trauma, especially after a near miss, is that everyone seems to expect you to move forward. And every year, that day comes along. Regardless of your journey, holding the grief and gratitude of motherhood at the same time is really, really complicated.
Most moms that suffer from perinatal mental health issues don’t know it, they just think they’re failing at motherhood. Maybe you’re a FTM thinking other moms seem like they’re figuring it out - why can’t I? Maybe you’re thinking I’ve done this before, why is this so hard this time? Perinatal anxiety and depression, whether during pregnancy or postpartum, might look more like keeping it all together from the outside, but from the inside it feels like a nervous system that cannot switch off. And it if effecting your relationships and can keep you up at night when it’s finally a chance to get a little sleep. Maybe it’s the flashbacks, or how you can’t stand it when someone shares their story. You’re not even sure where to start or how to put it all into words. This was supposed to be the most special time ever.
Sound familiar?
This space is changing the culture around the care we give new moms
Perinatal mental health issues are 100% treatable with a specialized therapist. These struggles are significantly underdisgnosed, misdiagnosed, and often undertreated. They respond really well to a variety of treatment methods, and together we can explore a whole-body picture of things that fit for you that could support your healing. How you experienced things matters, and that may have included a lack or loss of control, communication issues during crucial times, or little practical or emotional support.
Keep in mind, subsequent pregnancies, back-to-back births, breastfeeding and life events can compound impacts on mental health while growing a family, so if you’re thinking you’re too many years postpartum for this to affect you, the research shows it can take five years to return to homeostasis, i.e. to “bounce back”—and that we’re never actually the same again.
The bottom line is we weren’t meant to figure it all out alone, and it’s nearly impossible to find a “village” in today’s world.
Explore
None of this is your fault
Rest assured, I know how to respond NOT to make things worse. More importantly, how to carefully listen to how you experience things and what things mean to you.
Some things won’t ever make sense. Sometimes we know logically what happened, but there feels like so much more that needs to catch in order to heal. Sometimes, things happen for simply no reason at all. Sometimes things look fine on paper but there is still a lot to process, and never any space to.
identify
connect the dots
It will all start to make sense. It’s not just you. It’s part of a system that was not designed for the reality of experiences. When you have reliable information, you’ll start to understand what the research informs us of, what your risk factors are—some that are in our control and some like a hand of cards we were dealt—as well as protective factors. So you’ll know where you are headed, what to look for, what could be happening to you any given time, and where to go for effective support.
uncover
your innate power
The greatest loss of modern motherhood is a circle of other moms to do it with, who get it. Western medicine, and the power of marketing play their role in this too. But together we’ll discover how you, in fact, already have and are everything you need. And that it is more important to plan for postpartum than any other event.
I’m here to help with:
the birth of the mother
+ complex grief & loss
+ reproductive trauma
+ perinatal mood and anxiety disorders including postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, rage
+ mentally preparing for birth or VBAC
+ birth trauma
+uprooted childhood trauma
Brainspotting during the perinatal phases:
+ Brainspotting before, during or after pregnancy is safe and can intervene toxic stress by calming the nervous system and could change lives for generations. Known for performance enhancement, Brainspotting can foster deep-seeded hopes for birth experiences, help reprocess traumatic birth experiences, and overall promote underpinnings from various birthing classes that empower you. We lean into your resources, and from there you’ll know the way.
If you’re ready to…
01
figure out who you are as a mom
02
get your needs met
03
find more joy the little moments
04
finally heal on a nervous systems level
…then let’s get to work.
Click the button to schedule a free, no obligation consultation.
because, At the end of the day:
the best indicator of happy childhood, is a happy motherhood.
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Simply put: once postpartum, always postpartum.
The perinatal phase is technically from conception until a year postpartum. But we all know A LOT happens beyond that. Family-growing is not linear.
Historically with pregnancy, focused hasn’t ever been on the moms. Today, insurance is willing to pay attention for 6 weeks post birth. Then what? Don’t just wing it.
Perinatal mental health refers to any mental wellness issues that occur from conception, during pregnancy, and up to one year postpartum. But no one is counting or measuring on a calendar here; your experience doesn’t have to check certain boxes in this arena. Issues encompass emotional, psychological and social aspects related to becoming a parent. Hormonal changes and sleep deprivation can be contributors. Perinatal anxiety and depression affect a significant amount of people, along with financial concerns, relationship struggles, lack of support, or past trauma resurfacing. Some individuals experience intrusive thoughts or flashbacks because of past experiences.
“Perinatal” applies to birthing and non-birthing parents, and the particulars vary despite validity. The road to expecting a child and the toddler years certainly have their trials too.
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Postpartum Support Internation has a directory to find a PMH-C therapist near you. The PMH-C part is a game changer and means the therapist isn’t just operating from their own personal experience. General counseling graduate school includes zero on reproductive health, and this time of life takes expertise with specific training for effective care.
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I have links and resources and reliable info @checkonthemoms
I recommend anyone growing their family to follow Postpartum Support International on socials, or check out the MANY resources for moms and for dads on their website at postpartum.net
Including, among others, a directory to find a therapist or prescriber, and free, confidential, online support groups - over 50 specialty groups to choose from - sign up and bail as many times as needed.
PSI helpline 1-800-944-4773
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (call/text 24/7) 1-833-TLC-MAMA
For a mental health crisis of any kind, dial 988
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I would change this question to “how can I have a positive POSTPARTUM experience” but it’s not what is asked - so there’s a reframe!
Short answer: Take some sort of birthing class and breastfeeding class. Follow PSI on socials, and while you’re at it refine any follows to better support what is helpful on your feed. That can be nourishing when done thoughtfully. Tend to your physical preparation, emotional well-being, and try your best to make informed decisions. All the info is overwhelming and can be unreliable.
Long answer: you can have the best birth plan in the world, but research shows that 2 in 3 births don’t go as planned.
In therapy I will meet you where you’re at in terms of your hopes, and point you in the direction of reliable related info so you can make informed decisions.
I firmed believe the body and emotions are connected - our brains and nervous systems certainly are. In therapy with me we can skip the story, bee line to the heart of the matter so you can find and process whatever is holding you back mentally.
Our bodies will do things automatically in regards to growing a baby, it’s the mind that can get in the way or be powerful.
Therapy can be one of the best ways to get to the roots of emotional baggage you may not even realize could hold you back in childbirth and parenting. It can help you manage uncertainty with confidence as you trust yourself again.
Things worth their weight in gold postpartum:
PMH-C therapist
IBCLC
birth or postpartum Doula
Pelvic floor Physical therapist
bodywork for the entire family
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Once postpartum, always postpartum.
Research shows that around 6 months postpartum can feel harder than newborn age, and that issues can literally pop out of nowhere subsequent years.
Perinatal mental health issues can manifest a lot of different ways and, left untreated, symptoms worsen. Individuals with no prior history of these conditions can develop symptoms during the perinatal period. If you think about it, it’s kind of the perfect storm. This can look like, but aren’t limited to, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or other mood disorders like bipolar type 1 or 2. Or postpartum psychosis, which is 1-2 in 1000 moms and not rare.
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This quite common response is actually more information about the realities that exist, not less.
The answer isn’t less conversation, it’s more education, and for more than just mothers.