therapy for postpartum anxiety & depression in-person in st. george and online across utah.
Space for the nitty gritty of becoming a parent that no one talks about.
“THIS ISN’T WHAT IT WAS ‘SUPPOSED’ TO BE LIKE.”
“I don’t like how I feel in my body.”
“I don’t know why this is so hard for me and seems easy for everyone else.”
“I can hardly figure out this role, let alone have a life outside of it.”
It can feel easy to overlook yourself.
Maybe you’re on the journey to becoming a parent, perhaps that has already been a long one or hasn’t gone as you hoped, or you’re scared to give birth. Whether it’s navigating others’ opinions or the sleep deprivation, you just wish you could feel more in control. Maybe some of your past has unexpectedly been uprooted, or it feels like you’ll never be back to yourself again.
Maybe you’re not sure how to be a parent. You wonder what it means for you given your own childhood. Maybe you are becoming a parent that is parent-less, or you’re now a parent who is simultaneously trying to re-parenting yourself.
Maybe you’re in the thick of postpartum, regardless of the technical term’s time-length. Sometimes you are touched out or blindsided by rage—but then feel guilty about needing a break. You and your partner are more like passing ships in the night.
It feels like there is nowhere to pull the curtain back on what the journey to and of parenthood has really been like for you. What you actually need is space to recover any sense of self and to process all you’ve been through so you can show up like you always hoped to.
Sound familiar?
I see you.
Maybe this time around things are different and you’d do anything to have a positive birth experience. Perhaps it’s been hard to navigate who you are as a mom, grieve the person you were, or figure out how your relationships are changing.
Bringing your baby home is full of contradicting feelings and learning curves for parents and can bring up a lot for everyone in the home. Most days you’re overstimulated and tapped out, but then feel guilty for needing a break. You find yourself full of regret for losing your patience as you look at old pictures once everyone is finally asleep. It can feel like you’re failing in all departments.
Even if you had free time, it’s overwhelming to imagine how to make the most of it. All you know is something has to give for the sake of your family.
Explore
they say it takes a village, what’s the number to call?
It’s understandable to feel blindsided with a myriad of issues associated with growing a tiny human and adjusting to life as a parent. It can can triggering and transformative. It is a vulnerable and sacred time, and the world could be more sensitive to everything that comes with it.
identify
show up and be yourself.
I trust you as the expert of you.
My approach to perinatal counseling validates your experiences, and we’ll work together to prioritize immediate needs in order to then access deeper work.
This is a safe environment for you to express your feelings or thoughts, no matter what they are.
uncover
you can feel confident during pregnancy and in parenthood.
Everything we do together is focused on creating safe space for you to discover your own unique story and understand how it influences your experiences of and how you show up as a parent.
Hand in hand with your goals, we’ll get to the root of things so that you can feel freer in your life and enjoy the little things more.
I’m here to help with:
+ preparing for childbirth
+ postpartum Anxiety, depression or rage
+ grief & loss
+ traumatic birth experience
+ sense of self & relationships
Brainspotting for perinatal issues:
+ 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
Become more self-aware and build resiliency in yourself to achieve your goals.
02
Develop coping skills to be the parent you hoped and find more meaning in daily life.
03
Heal from painful experiences and less overwhelmed by it all.
04
Balance new roles as a parent, partner, person.
…then let’s get to work.
Click the button to schedule a free consultation.
because, At the end of the day:
when you are well, your whole family can be well.
-
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.
-
Short answer: take some sort of birthing class and do your own work, ie. physical preparation, emotional well-being, and informed decision-making.
Long answer: you can have the best birth plan in the world, but—as many can attest to, nothing is more common than that plan becoming unexpectedly complicated and going out the window quicker than anyone realized.
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 better understand yourself and have more flexible thinking, communicate openly with your partner or supports, and advocate for yourself.
-
There are no strict cut-offs here for when issues start or how long they last to be considered as perinatal. From a medical lens, these terms are important in relation to pregnancy and childbirth, but whatever your experience is, it’s valid here.
Perinatal mental health issues can manifest a lot of different ways and timing, whether before, during pregnancy, or the postpartum period, both, or they may persist. This can look like, but aren’t limited to anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or other mood disorders.