Pregnancy & Postpartum Therapy for Women in Texas and California
Schedule A Free ConsultationIt can feel surreal.
You may have imagined what it would feel like to look at a pregnancy test and watch those lines appear. Now that you’re here, the emotions may feel more complicated than you expected.
Pregnancy and impending motherhood can bring such a mix of emotions, from excitement to worry. There’s so much to learn and take in as you think about your baby’s development, the decisions ahead, and all the things you can’t fully control.
Once your baby arrives, another range of emotions can settle in as you begin learning who this new little person is and what they need from you. There are feeding decisions, interrupted sleep, questions about what your baby needs, and a completely different rhythm to everyday life.
If it feels overwhelming, it’s likely because there really is a lot to hold. Motherhood comes with changes that can bring up a lot of different feelings and emotions. Having someone to talk things through with can help you make sense of what you’re experiencing as you adjust to this stage of life. Online counseling for pregnancy and postpartum therapy can be one way to get that support.
I’d love to chat with you about what this season has been like for you.
When Pregnancy Feels Different Than You Imagined
Seeing a positive pregnancy test doesn’t always quiet the thoughts that came before it.
It can be hard to remember a time before you were paying close attention to every physical change, worrying about your baby’s development, checking all the apps, or reading Reddit just to feel a little less alone as you navigate this new milestone. Doctor’s appointments may bring some reassurance, but they can also leave you with more questions than answers.
If you’ve experienced a previous loss, allowing yourself to feel excited and hopeful can feel complicated. You might want to lean into all the positive feelings while recognizing there’s still a part of you holding back.
Pregnancy can bring up a lot at once, especially when excitement is sitting right alongside fear or uncertainty.
It can feel confusing when your head and heart don’t quite align. You may understand there are things you can’t control while still feeling unsettled by not knowing what comes next. Talking through those feelings can help you better understand what’s coming up for you and find ways to manage the uncertainty that comes with pregnancy.
Preparing for Parenthood Is More Than Preparing for a Baby
There are plenty of lists for what to buy before your baby arrives.
There are fewer conversations about what everyday life may actually look like once your baby is here.
This can be a helpful time to explore your expectations about parenthood and how they align with the support you’ll have around you. That might include thinking about how responsibilities could shift at home, what you may need from your partner or support system, and which parts of your current routine may need to change.
It’s hard to fully prepare for something you haven’t experienced yet, and to be honest, there’s no foolproof way to plan for every part of postpartum life. Going to therapy while pregnant gives you a chance to think through some of these changes ahead of time and can help make room for more realistic expectations.
Babies have their own needs, personalities, and rhythms after all, and sometimes none of it makes much sense while you’re in the middle of it.
And Then the Baby Is Here
At some point, all the planning and imagining turns into actually living it.
And suddenly, it can feel like you have no idea what’s going on.
You’re sleep deprived and utterly exhausted. Your baby may not sleep or eat the way you expected. Breastfeeding can feel like its own journey entirely, and somehow no one really prepared you for how complicated it could be. Seriously, how did this get missed in all the prep?
There are so many decisions to make about your baby’s care, along with plenty of opinions about what you should or shouldn’t be doing. It can feel like you’re supposed to instinctively know what you and your baby need, but this may be one of those times when nothing feels natural at all.
You can love your baby deeply and still wonder why this feels so hard.
Mothering doesn’t always feel natural. Bonding may take time. Your postpartum body may feel unfamiliar, and adjusting to how much your day, relationships, and sense of self have shifted can take time too.
These experiences deserve room in the conversation too. Postpartum counseling gives you a place to talk about what this adjustment has really been like for you, including the parts of motherhood that may be harder to put into words.
When Motherhood Feels Like a Lot
There’s a lot happening at once, and somehow all of it can feel important.
You’re trying to figure out what your baby needs while also figuring out what you need. You’re tired, your routine has changed, and there may be a running list in your head of things that need your attention before you’ve even had a chance to think about yourself.
And then there are the expectations.
What did you think you would be able to handle? What did you imagine feeding, sleep, your relationship, or even your recovery would look like? Sometimes the version you pictured and the version you’re actually living look very different.
What can make this season especially hard is having to slow down and do something different while you’re already adjusting to so much that feels new, unfamiliar, and unsteady. It can take time to figure out what helps you feel more grounded when everything around you still feels like it’s shifting.
It can be really hard to tell someone what you need when you’re exhausted and still trying to figure it out yourself. In our therapy sessions, we can spend time understanding what you need, where you may need more help, and how to communicate those needs so the people around you have a better chance of understanding how to support you.
Becoming a Mom Without Losing the Rest of You
Becoming a mother can change the way you see yourself.
The emotional and identity transition into motherhood is often referred to as matrescence. Just as adolescence marks a major developmental transition, matrescence describes the changes that can happen as someone grows into motherhood.
It can make sense to feel like you’re only a mom right now when so much of your focus has shifted to taking care of your baby. There may not have been much time to stop and check in with what you need when so much of the day revolves around someone else.
And while caring for your baby is incredibly important, so is acknowledging the change happening in you. This transition is part of the process too, and it’s often the piece that gets overlooked, missed, or simply wasn’t something anyone prepared you for.
Therapy can give you an opportunity to reflect on how motherhood is changing the way you see yourself while recognizing that there’s still room for the parts of you that matter outside of being a mom.
That doesn’t mean everything about who you were before needs to disappear.
Your world has expanded. It hasn’t erased the person who was already there.
When Parenthood Looks Different This Time Around
Having another baby can feel familiar and completely different at the same time.
You’ve done parts of this before, but now you’re doing it while already parenting another child. Your attention is divided, your days are fuller, and the things that once felt manageable may feel harder this time around.
It can be easy to compare this pregnancy or postpartum experience to the first one and wonder why it doesn’t feel the same. There can also be this expectation that because you’ve already done it once, you should know what to do or feel more prepared.
But you’re not the same person you were the first time around. Your experiences have changed, your family has changed, and what you need now may be different too.
Returning to Work After Maternity Leave
Going back to work can bring its own kind of adjustment.
Part of you may be ready to return to work and reconnect with that part of yourself, while another part of you wishes you could stay home with your baby. Both can be true.
There may be guilt when you leave in the morning, followed by another wave of guilt when being back at work feels good. At the same time, you’re learning a completely new routine and trying to fit work, childcare, feeding, sleep, and family life into days that somehow haven’t gotten any longer.
So much of the preparation leading up to this point was focused on pregnancy, labor and delivery, and getting through those first weeks with a newborn. Returning to work can feel like another major transition that no one really prepared you for.
Going back to work after having a baby can bring up feelings and questions you might not have anticipated. Postpartum therapy can be an opportunity to talk about what this change means for you and what might help you adjust.
When It May Be More Than the Adjustment
The early postpartum weeks can come with a lot of emotional changes, and it isn’t always easy to know what’s part of the adjustment and what may need a little more attention.
According to Postpartum Support International, the baby blues are common during the first couple of weeks after birth. You may feel more tearful, irritable, overwhelmed, or emotionally sensitive during this time, and those feelings typically begin to improve on their own.
If those feelings aren’t beginning to ease after the first two weeks, are getting harder instead of easier, or are making it difficult to get through the day, it may be worth paying closer attention to what you’re experiencing and reaching out for additional support.
Baby Blues
The baby blues can include tearfulness, irritability, mood changes, feeling overwhelmed, or feeling more emotionally sensitive than usual.
These feelings are common in the early postpartum weeks and typically start to ease on their own. If they’re becoming more intense, lasting beyond the first few weeks, or making it harder to get through the day, it may be worth reaching out for additional support.
Perinatal Depression
Depression during pregnancy or after having a baby doesn’t always look like constant sadness.
It can show up as feeling disconnected, irritable, overwhelmed, guilty, hopeless, or just not like yourself. Things you usually enjoy may not feel the same, and connecting with your baby can sometimes feel harder than you expected.
Perinatal mental health therapy can give us space to better understand how you’ve been feeling, what may be contributing to it, and how it’s affecting your everyday life.
Perinatal Anxiety
Anxiety during pregnancy or postpartum may feel like your mind rarely gets a break.
You may find yourself repeatedly worrying about your baby’s safety or development, questioning decisions you’ve already made, imagining things going wrong, or having a difficult time relaxing even when things seem okay.
Through postpartum anxiety therapy, we can look more closely at what’s contributing to that worry, how you’ve been responding to it, and what may help you feel more grounded.
Perinatal OCD & Intrusive Thoughts
Unwanted thoughts or images about something happening to your baby can be frightening, especially when they seem to appear without warning.
Perinatal OCD can involve repetitive intrusive thoughts along with checking, avoidance, reassurance seeking, or other behaviors used to try to make the anxiety go away.
Experiencing an unwanted intrusive thought is different from wanting the thought to happen. If intrusive thoughts are becoming frequent, distressing, or interfering with your ability to function, specialized support can help.
Postpartum Psychosis
Postpartum psychosis is different from postpartum depression, anxiety, and OCD and requires immediate medical attention.
Symptoms can include significant confusion, unusual beliefs or delusions, hallucinations, severe agitation, or behavior that is very different from someone’s usual functioning.
If you or someone you know may be experiencing postpartum psychosis, seek emergency medical care immediately or call 911. You can also call or text 988 for crisis support.
Online Pregnancy & Postpartum Therapy in Texas and California
Adding one more place to be can feel like a lot during pregnancy or early parenthood.
I provide online individual therapy to adults throughout Texas and California, so sessions can happen from home without adding another drive, another bag to pack, or another thing to coordinate.
Your baby can be nearby. Feeding can happen during the session. If your baby needs your attention during the session, that’s part of the reality of this season and doesn’t have to be pushed aside.
Online pregnancy and postpartum therapy can fit into this season without everything around you needing to be settled first. We can start with what’s been on your mind the most.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pregnancy & Postpartum Therapy
Do I have to have postpartum depression to work with you?
No. Pregnancy and postpartum therapy can also be helpful when you’re dealing with anxiety, overwhelm, changes in your relationship, expectations about motherhood, returning to work, or trying to adjust to how different life feels.
You don’t need to know exactly what to call what you’re experiencing before reaching out.
Can I start therapy while I’m pregnant?
Yes. Perinatal mental health includes pregnancy as well as the postpartum period.
Therapy during pregnancy can be helpful if you’re experiencing anxiety about the pregnancy, struggling with uncertainty, preparing for the transition into parenthood, or noticing that previous experiences are affecting how you’re feeling now.
What if this isn’t my first baby?
You can still benefit from support.
Each pregnancy, baby, postpartum recovery, and family transition can be different. What you need this time around may be different too.
Is it normal to miss my life before having a baby?
You can love your child and still miss parts of your life before motherhood.
Matrescence involves adjusting to a major change in identity. Part of that adjustment can include figuring out what motherhood means for you while also recognizing that the parts of your life that mattered before are still part of who you are.
Can therapy help when I’m returning to work after maternity leave?
Returning to work can bring guilt, sadness around separation, changes in routine, and conflicting feelings about enjoying work while also wishing you could spend more time at home.
Postpartum counseling can give you space to talk about what the transition actually means for you, especially when these weren’t feelings you expected to have.
Can perinatal anxiety happen even if I don’t feel depressed?
Yes. Anxiety and depression can happen separately.
For some women, anxiety may be more noticeable through persistent worry, racing thoughts, difficulty relaxing, feeling on edge, or repeatedly fearing that something may happen to the baby.
What if I’m having scary or intrusive thoughts?
Unwanted intrusive thoughts can happen with perinatal anxiety or OCD and can feel incredibly upsetting.
Having an unwanted thought isn’t the same as wanting to act on it. If these thoughts are frequent, distressing, or leading you to avoid situations or repeatedly look for reassurance, it’s important to talk with a qualified healthcare or mental health professional.
Do you provide couples therapy for new parents?
My practice provides individual therapy for adults rather than couples therapy.
Relationship changes can still be part of individual therapy, including communication, expressing wants and needs, adjusting expectations, and navigating how your relationship has changed since becoming parents.
How do I get started?
You can schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation so we can chat briefly about what you’re looking for, answer any questions you may have, and see whether working together feels like a good fit.
Additional Perinatal Mental Health Resources
Postpartum Support International provides information and resources for pregnancy, postpartum, and other perinatal mental health concerns.
They also offer free virtual support groups for a variety of pregnancy and postpartum experiences. If individual therapy doesn’t feel like the right fit or the timing isn’t right, these groups can still give you a way to connect with others who may understand some of what you’re going through.
You can explore their current support groups through Postpartum Support International.
You can also call the PSI HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773 or text HELP to the same number for information and support.
The HelpLine isn't an emergency or crisis line. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are concerned that you or someone else is in immediate danger, call or text 988 or seek emergency medical care.