Becoming a parent is “supposed to be” a beautiful time in one’s life. What is rarely talked about though is how hard it is! Your hormones are changing dramatically; your body is physically recovering from pregnancy, labor and delivery; there is a new child to get to know who relies on you; support systems aren’t what they need to be; work environments that are more focused on a return to productivity than your own well-being… the list can go on and on.

Becoming a parent changes your center of gravity and having solid support can help you find your center again. Some topics of conversation around parental mental health can include: 

• exploring who you are becoming as a parent;

• parenting strategies; 

• anxiety or fears about yourself, those around you or your child; 

• struggling to connect with your baby;

• your birth story; 

• and so much more. 

If you or your loved ones suspect you are experiencing “baby blues” or something more complicated, let’s chat. I am available for individual counseling for both birthing and non-birthing partners and couple’s counseling for couples navigating new roles as parents + partners.

My Experience and Training

Becoming a mother reinforced my interest and passion for this stage of life. My own experience of anxiety as a new mother led me down a social media rabbit hole of trying to find what was “best” for my children which only increased my anxiety, tendencies for perfectionism and exhausting over-functioning. Finding stability through each life-changing stage of trying to conceive, pregnancy, and postpartum can be difficult to access, rarely encouraged, and exhausting. Experiencing how life changingly wonderful and exhaustingly challenging becoming a parent can be, I sought out continuing education to provide the best evidence-based practice I can through perinatal mental health counseling. I am a member of Postpartum Support International (PSI). I have completed all requisite training and am currently preparing for the Perinatal Mental Health Certification exam through PSI.