First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes the baby in the baby carriage. And then we live happily ever after, right?
In reality, becoming a parent is a life-changing event that can trigger depression, anxiety, and unresolved trauma. Throw in unbalanced hormones, changes in brain chemistry, potentially huge transitions, and you have the perfect storm that can stir up old wounds, self-doubt, identity challenges, relationship struggles, and self-criticism. Trying to manage this stress can often lead to feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and alone. It can also leave you with difficulty thinking clearly or experiencing joy and connection. You don’t have to go through this alone.
Infertility Counseling
Struggling to conceive can leave you feeling confused, alone, like you don’t deserve what you’ve always wanted like you are not good enough like your body doesn’t work that way it is supposed to, and more. We may spend years of our life trying to avoid getting pregnant for whatever reason, and when we are ready to start a family, we just want it to be easy. When it isn’t, it can bring up feelings of shame, low self-worth, embarrassment, and more. And due to the shame, it can cause, it can make you feel like you can’t bring it up with others. Keeping it all in creates stress….and we all know stress isn’t good for trying to conceive. Let us help you learn to manage this stress as best as you can in this tough time.
Miscarriage and Infant Loss
The loss of a baby at any time is heartbreaking. You grieve the loss of the baby. And, you also grieve the loss of everything that that baby meant to you, to your family and to your future. You dream of who and what your baby will be. Every day, you see them. You hear that baby’s cry. You even know who this baby could have been. And when they are gone and you miss them. You miss all that they were supposed to be. And you miss all the pieces of yourself that were already their mama. This process of grief can feel different than other types in that it isn’t always something that our friends and family will completely understand. We want to give you space where you can feel heard and understood as you process your grief.
Traumatic Birth: Counseling for Birth Trauma Can Help
Most women head off to the hospital with somewhat of a birth plan before the arrival of their little one. And sometimes those plans are completely destroyed by circumstances way beyond your control. A hard and unexpected birth can literally show up in your mind and body just like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We also know that perinatal mood disorders are higher for parents who had a baby in the NICU. With a traumatic birth, we often need to process through the various events to gain insight into your emotions and work toward healing.
Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
Women often believe that they “should” feel happy and know exactly what to do after bringing a baby into this world. But it’s impossible to predict how life changes your relationships and how you feel about yourself. Some women already struggle with depression or anxiety prior to pregnancy, and postpartum mood disorder can feel familiar yet different than what they are used to. Some women are experiencing this for the first time and aren’t sure what it is.
Postpartum mood disorders can look like:
- Feeling down
- Constantly exhausted, yet you can’t sleep
- Feeling “crazy”
- Becoming more irritable than usual
- Problems thinking clearly
- Feeling worried or anxious and not knowing exactly why
- Unable to find joy in things that usually bring happiness
- Feeling panicked
- Crying all the time
- Wanting to hurt yourself or others
It’s important to know that you are not alone in what you’re going through – 1 in 7 women experience postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. Psychotherapy is highly effective in postpartum depression treatment. The sooner you seek help, the better. If it takes a village to raise a child, let me be part of your village. Mamas need to be taken care of too.
Attachment and Bonding During Postpartum
Often mamas believe that you are just supposed to feel connected to your little one, and sometimes that feeling isn’t there right from the moment of a positive pregnancy test, or even when the midwife or doctor lays that baby in your arms. Trauma from infertility, miscarriage, infant loss, traumatic birth, or other unprocessed traumas, as well as perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, can disrupt the ability of mama and baby to feel attached. That does not mean you will never bond. It just means that you will have to work on it. And I promise it’s worth it.
Postpartum Adjustment to Parenthood
The adjustments of pregnancy and motherhood shift the way you think and feel about yourself and often bring about changes in your identity, which can be both wonderful and also confusing and stressful. On top of that, the adjustment to your partnership can feel stressful, unexpected, and unbalanced. Let’s explore who you are now and be intentional about who you want to be.
You Can Feel Better, Take Care of Your Maternal Mental Health
Remember these things are normal and treatable. It’s easy to want to keep these feelings to yourself out of shame or embarrassment. Everyone needs and deserves support and connection, especially when life is not quite what you’d imagined. My approach is intentional, full of research-proven strategies, purposeful, solution-oriented, and tailored to your needs. Together we can find your way back to feeling more like yourself, able to meet the challenges and enjoy the pleasures of life again. You can feel better and even feel happiness and joy again. This can be an opportunity for growth, healing, self-exploration, developing an authentic sense of self, and creating a toolbox of skills that can improve your overall sense of well-being.
Radiant Living Therapists Who Specialize in Postpartum and Maternal Mental Health Counseling
(Not currently offering this service, but please reach out for a referral if you are interested in support)
Read More From the Radiant Living Therapy Blog:
- Calling All the Stressed Out Mamas – 3 Ways to Cope With the Uncertainty of the Times
- Infertility: How to Keep Your Sh!T Together and Find Your Pineapple Squad
Begin Therapy for Postpartum Problems or Get Help for Maternal Mental Health in Plymouth, MN
It’s simple to start therapy in our Plymouth, MN counseling office, or anywhere in the state with online therapy in Minnesota. You do not have to suffer through this alone. You can get help with a postpartum expert in maternal mental health issues. To get started, follow these simple steps:
- Schedule a free consultation
- Meet with a caring maternal mental health therapist
- Start enjoying life with your family, no matter what it looks like in this season
Other Counseling Services at Radiant Living Therapy
Often, relationships and fertility problems have many layers. We know these issues are complex. You are a whole person and therefore, you may need help in more than one area of your life. At our Plymouth, MN counseling office, our professional therapists also offer individual therapy, counseling for teens, EMDR for trauma therapy, DBT therapy, infertility counseling, counseling for men, counseling for therapists & other helping professionals, therapy for couples & marriage counseling, and more. Let us enhance your life in a meaningful and comprehensive way. We also offer supervision for therapists. No matter the need, we look forward to connecting with you!