Perinatal mental health therapy | annapolis + online
You Can Love This Season & Still Struggle With It.
When Motherhood Doesn't Feel the Way You Expected.
Maybe you thought this season would feel more joyful. Instead, you find yourself worrying constantly, questioning whether you're doing enough, or wondering where the person you used to be has gone. You might feel pressure to enjoy every moment while privately struggling with anxiety, sadness, guilt, or exhaustion.
You may be adjusting to changes in your identity, relationships, body, and daily life while trying to meet everyone else's needs. If your experience of motherhood feels different from what you imagined, your feelings deserve space, too.
Sound like you?
Anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or constant worry during pregnancy and postpartum
Feeling overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or unlike yourself
Distress following a traumatic or frightening birth experience
Difficulty balancing your own needs with the demands of motherhood
Grief related to infertility, pregnancy loss, or an unexpected fertility journey
Guilt or shame about your feelings as a mother
Feeling unheard, powerless, or unsupported during labor or delivery
How therapy can help
Making Space for You, Too
Pregnancy and motherhood can bring changes you never expected, and it can be difficult to make sense of your emotions when you're trying to take care of everyone else. You may be struggling with constant worry, feeling guilty for not enjoying every moment, or wondering where the person you used to be has gone. If you've experienced a difficult or traumatic birth, you may also be carrying feelings that are hard to put into words.
Therapy offers a space to work through these experiences, understand your emotions, and make sense of the expectations and pressures you're navigating. Together, we can explore the thoughts and feelings contributing to your distress, work through painful experiences, and help you build confidence in yourself as you adjust to this new chapter. You deserve to care for yourself, too, and to feel supported as you find your footing in motherhood.
Support That Meets You Where You Are
My approach is warm, collaborative, and rooted in trauma-informed care. I recognize that every woman's experience of pregnancy and motherhood is different, and that past experiences can shape how you feel, cope, and connect with yourself and others. Our work together will honor your experiences, prioritize your sense of emotional safety, and move at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
I draw primarily from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you understand patterns of thinking that may contribute to anxiety, guilt, and self-doubt. I also incorporate mindfulness, guided imagery, deep breathing, and somatic interventions to help you become more aware of the connection between your mind and body, manage overwhelming emotions, and feel more grounded. Through a holistic approach, we'll consider the different aspects of your well-being and explore strategies that support your individual needs and goals.
Whether you're adjusting to motherhood, struggling with expectations you've placed on yourself, or processing a difficult or traumatic birth experience, therapy is a space where you can be honest about what you're feeling without judgment.
You Don't Have to Do It All Alone
Give yourself permission to ask for support.
Make space for your emotions without judgment.
Begin working toward healing at your own pace.
Feel more confident navigating the challenges of motherhood.
Take the first step toward feeling more like yourself again.
Questions?
FAQs
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The baby blues are common after childbirth and may include mood swings, tearfulness, irritability, and feeling overwhelmed. These feelings typically begin within the first few days after birth and improve within about two weeks.
Postpartum depression involves more persistent or intense symptoms, such as ongoing sadness, anxiety, guilt, hopelessness, or difficulty feeling connected to your baby. Symptoms can begin soon after birth or develop months later, and professional support can help.
If you're struggling emotionally after having a baby, you don't have to wait until things feel unbearable to reach out. If your symptoms are worsening, interfering with daily life, or lasting longer than two weeks, consider speaking with your healthcare provider or a mental health professional. You deserve support, whatever you're experiencing.
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Yes! My support for mothers extends beyond pregnancy and the early postpartum period. Whether you're adjusting to life with a newborn, navigating the challenges of raising young children, balancing the demands of motherhood with your own needs, or experiencing changes as your children grow, therapy can provide space for you, too. Motherhood brings new challenges at every stage, and you deserve support as you navigate them, reconnect with yourself, and find balance in each season of life.
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Loving your baby and struggling with the transition to motherhood can both be true. You may miss your independence, feel overwhelmed by new responsibilities, or struggle with guilt about how you're feeling. Therapy can help you make space for these emotions, reconnect with your identity, and develop coping strategies while adjusting to this new chapter.
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Yes. A difficult or traumatic birth can leave you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck replaying what happened. Therapy offers a space to process your experience without judgment, explore its emotional impact, and work toward feeling more grounded. Your experience deserves to be taken seriously, regardless of how others perceive it.
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Unwanted, distressing thoughts can occur during pregnancy and postpartum, including thoughts about something bad happening to your baby. Having an unwanted thought doesn't automatically mean you want it to happen or that you'll act on it. If these thoughts are frequent, frightening, or interfering with daily life, a mental health professional can help you understand and manage them.
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No. You don't need a formal diagnosis to benefit from therapy. You may simply feel overwhelmed, anxious, disconnected from yourself, or unsure how to navigate the changes that come with motherhood. Therapy can provide support before your struggles reach a crisis point.