Perinatal and Postpartum Mental Health Treatment in Washington, DC and New York

What is Perinatal Mental Health and How Can Perinatal Therapy Help?

The perinatal period for new moms lasts from the time of conception through the first year of giving birth. Perinatal mental health acknowledges the impact of hormonal fluctuations, the entire pregnancy period to post-birthing issues, and breastfeeding on a new mom’s mental health. The postpartum period itself includes the entire first year after giving birth.

For women with complex health issues, trying to get pregnant after loss or medical trauma can be full of anxiety and grief. The pregnancy experience looks different with a history of medical trauma. We are here to help you through the entire process, from IVF to postpartum care, adoption, surrogacy and beyond.

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can affect any new or soon-to-be mom.

In fact, 1 in 7 new moms experience mood or anxiety disorders. This may look like depression, panic, increased anxiety, obsessive thoughts, or even PTSD due to birth trauma. There is no shame or blame in having these experiences. They are much more common than many women realize and with medication and therapy, you can feel more like yourself, feel less anxious and overwhelmed, less depressed, and more present for yourself, your family, and your baby. As a therapist in the DC area, my practice specializes in these issues that women face every day, you are not alone!

Harmful assumptions of what pregnancy, labor, and motherhood “should” look like.

These assumptions may impact your feelings of depression or anxiety. Interpersonal psychotherapy techniques and cognitive behavioral tools can help challenge these assumptions:

• Pregnancy is a magical experience.

• Pregnancy always ends in a live birth.

• Pregnancy means I will have a healthy baby.

• Motherhood is enough fulfillment for me.

• I should be able to get pregnant the “normal” way.

• C Section means I took the easy way out or I failed.

• Natural birth is the only plan that is good or right.

• It is weak to have medication during birth.

• If I don’t bond with my baby right away, then I am not a good mom.

• I should be able to do it all on my own.

What are Common Factors That May Exacerbate My Risk for Postpartum Depression or Pregnancy Anxiety?

• Complications in pregnancy

• Birth complications

• Time spent in the NICU

• Challenges breastfeeding

• Health challenges for mother or baby

• The challenging, sensitive, or intense temperament of the baby

• Grief and loss surrounding pregnancy loss

• The trauma of a stillbirth

What’s the Difference Between Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression and How Can Postpartum Therapy for Depression Help?

Baby blues are extremely common, affecting 60-80% of new moms. This can last up to two weeks after childbirth and is caused by a lack of sleep and hormonal shifts. After two weeks postpartum, it is best practice to screen for depressive symptoms.

Rather than baby blues tearfulness and appropriate worry, new moms experiencing depression may feel more irritable, have lower self-esteem, have difficulty sleeping, fatigue, and lack appetite.

With medication and CBT-based Perinatal Therapy, new moms can get the support they need to adjust to the intense changes they’ve experienced and begin thriving with their families and babies.

What is Birth Trauma?

Birth trauma includes any event during the labor or birthing process that involves the actual death or serious injury as well as the threat of death or harm to the mother of her baby.

These experiences may include:

• Emergency C-section delivery

• Postpartum complications

• Premature birth

• Stillbirth

• NICU admission

• Long and intensive labor

• Poor response to pain management attempts, medication, or anesthesia

• Traumatic vaginal birth

• Severe pre-eclampsia

• Hyperemesis Gravidarum

You Feel Powerless and Invisible

You may feel like you had no support or reassurance during this birth trauma. You felt invisible like no one was listening to you. Your dignity felt taken and you felt abandoned. You feel overwhelming powerlessness and a lack of trust in the medical system. You are expected to feel only gratitude for a healthy baby but feel guilty for thinking that the trauma your mind and body endured was not worth it.

Difficulty Bonding with your baby

If you are navigating birth trauma, you may feel like it’s difficult to bond with your baby or avoid postpartum care with your OBGYN or pelvic PT. You may never want to get pregnant again and struggle with the idea of not expanding your family. There may be a strain on your intimate relationship with your partner and re-experience the trauma each year on your baby’s birthday.

You are not alone, Perinatal Therapy in Washington DC can help.

We specialize in working with women with complex chronic illness or pain navigating motherhood, infertility, pregnancy loss, birth trauma or anxiety during pregnancy. You aren’t alone in feeling this way and none of these experiences define who you are as a mother. Trauma-informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help you move past these stuck points and feel empowered in motherhood.

Infertility, Secondary Infertility and Miscarriages Impact Mental Health

The grief and loss you experience during a miscarriage can feel so isolating. There is a deep longing for what could have been and the dreams you allowed yourself to have. Infertility may leave you feeling like a failure, angry at your body for not working the way it is “supposed” to. Secondary infertility can feel like such an unexpected shock. You have a deep longing to expand your family and it feels so unfair that it isn’t happening.

You may feel as if you are falling behind in life

You feel behind your friends as they go on to expand their families. Life plans are derailed and you are feeling like everything is out of your control. Cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness techniques are helpful tools to help you cope in this difficult season of life, find support, and stop navigating this experience alone.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an Evidence-Based Treatment for Postpartum Depression and Perinatal Mental Health

Your expectations of motherhood are not aligned with reality. You are striving to be the perfect mother, partner, friend, sister, and co-worker. You may be navigating your feelings of grief, loss of identity, or feeling more irritable. CBT techniques and mindfulness in individual therapy or group therapy can provide new tools for you to stop simply surviving the day and get to a place of thriving.

The goals of trauma-informed CBT include:

• Recognize cognitive distortions

• Create authentically reframes that are more helpful replacement thought patterns

• Allow dialectical thinking to be present (acknowledging that two opposites can be true at the same time)

• Create new neural pathways in the brain

• Engage in different, new, and more helpful behaviors

• Turn down the volume on unpleasant and distressing emotions

• Increase feelings of acceptance

Begin Perinatal Therapy in Washington DC and New York

Perinatal and Postpartum health are both extremely important and no two experiences look the same. At my DC-based Therapy office, as a trained therapist I am here to guide you through this process of healing in order to regain control of your life and move forward in a positive way. Follow the steps below to get started on your journey to healing.

1. Get to know me here.

2. Fill out our convenient online mental health services contact form.

3. Begin your journey to healing.

Other Mental Health Services Offered at Greater Washington DC and New York City CBT Counseling for Women

I understand that women face a unique set of mental health challenges in today’s society and need specialized support. No two mental health journeys to recovery are the same and I offer care and support that is specific to each individual. These services include therapy for anxiety, depression, and PTSD in both Individual and Women’s Support Groups. I also specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, CPT for Medical Trauma, and Therapy for Chronic Illness. For more helpful information check out my blogs and videos!