Pregnancy, Postpartum & Parenthood

What you may be experiencing

Worry during pregnancy

You might find yourself thinking repeatedly about the birth, your health, or whether you’ll know what to do as a parent. Changes in your body, previous experiences, or uncertainty about what comes next may be taking up more of your attention than you expected.

Feeling unlike yourself after birth

You may feel tearful, anxious, numb, or unusually angry. It might be difficult to rest even when you have the opportunity, or to feel the connection you expected with your baby. Anxiety and depression can occur during pregnancy or after birth. If these feelings are persistent, intense, or affecting daily life, we can discuss counseling support and the care you may need from your medical provider.

The ongoing changes of parenthood

As children grow, the responsibilities change. You might be trying to balance work and home, disagreeing with your partner about parenting, or missing interests and relationships you used to have more time for. Something your child does may also bring up feelings about your own childhood that surprise you.

Making sense of what this brings up

We can explore the expectations you had for this stage of life and where your actual experience has been different. You may be grieving a birth experience, a change in your relationship, or the loss of familiar routines and independence. There may also be pressure to feel grateful or capable when you’re struggling.

Becoming a parent can give new significance to the way you were cared for. We can work through painful memories or beliefs that come up, including fears about repeating something you experienced growing up. At the same time, we’ll pay attention to what you need now: rest, practical help, medical care, and people who can support you.

Your emotions and your body

Pregnancy, recovery after birth, and caring for children involve your body as well as your emotions. You may notice tension when someone offers advice, feel overwhelmed by noise or touch, or find it hard to settle when the house is finally quiet. We can explore what those moments are like and what feelings come with them.

Somatic work may include noticing physical sensations, grounding, or gentle movement that feels comfortable for you. We’ll take your stage of pregnancy or recovery and any guidance from your medical provider into account. If a difficult birth or another experience continues to affect you, we can also discuss whether trauma-focused work, including EMDR, would be appropriate.

What we can work toward

We can work on recognizing what you need and putting it into words, especially when asking for help brings up guilt. If a familiar parenting situation keeps feeling overwhelming, we can explore what it brings up for you and practice a different response. We’ll check in about how that feels at home and what still needs attention.