Perinatal Mental Health & Early Parenting Support
Adding a baby to your family can be tender, transformative and far more challenging than people expect.
People sometimes feel numb, isolated, anxious, overwhelmed, teary, angry, fearful and like their world has been turned upside down. Joy can coincide with these emotions, and sometimes it isn’t present at all.
Whether you are trying to decide if parenthood is right for you, grieving through infertility, or deep in the throes of parenting many children, I’d be honored to support you. We weren’t meant to do this alone, and with support you can feel better.
Although I see individuals, this work that impacts the entire family system, with inter-generational impact. I work with parents of all genders and family structures. All are worthy of care and welcome.
Perinatal Mental Health
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The decision to become parents or have another baby
Fertility challenges: preserving future fertility, trying to conceive, exploring treatment, miscarriage and recurrent loss, IUI and IVF
Relationship stress and conflict during infertility
Grief, anger or a feeling of having been betrayed by your body
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Planning and preparing for baby, logistically and emotionally
Stress about pregnancy related health issues for you and/or baby
Changing relationship with your body and self-image
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Birth story processing
Worry about baby’s health, feeding, development or safety
Grief when your dreams and expectations don’t align with reality
Feeling checked-out, numb, disconnected, tearful or unlike yourself
Concerns that the baby doesn’t like you or feeling disconnected from them
Difficult and overwhelming thoughts:
Fear about harm coming to your baby
A brain on overdrive, that can’t shut off and won’t let you sleep
Thoughts like “I should be better at this” or “my baby deserves more”
Distressing thoughts that you want to go away
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Adjusting to changes in sleep, roles and routines, identity, and the day-in, day-out pressures of parenting babies and young children
Romantic relationship changes and stressors
Processing your childhood experiences in light of parenthood
Feelings about your current relationships to your parents or original family
Mood and anxiety changes you think you should be “over by now” given the age of your child
Overwhelm from balancing the needs of multiple children + everything else on your plate
If you did not give birth, you may see yourself as the person who needs to keep it all together. Beneath the surface, you may feel burned out, stressed and carrying a weight you rarely speak about. For you this could include:
worry, vigilance or stress around your family’s safety, health needs or finances
missing your old life: relationship with your partner, freedom and independence
complex feelings after your partner’s difficult or traumatic birth
short fuse, irritable, easily frustrated and less tolerant of infant crying
feeling checked-out or having increased desire to escape into work or hobbies
guilt or self-doubt
Dads & Partners
Early Parenting Support
I help parents find more ease, joy and connection in their relationship with their young child.
I am a trained Circle of Security Facilitator and have supported many parents in strengthening their bond and better understanding their child’s needs and behaviors. Circle of Security is not about parenting tips and tricks. Instead, parents create a foundation upon which everything else is built. Many parents find this work grounding, orienting and meaningful.
I co-facilitate groups for parents and incorporate these concepts into individual therapy.