Maternal Mental Health
Virtual & In person Therapy for Pregnant Women, New Mothers, and Seasoned Mothers
Do you often find yourself worrying about being a good mother? Have you struggled with infertility or miscarriage and are constantly having fear driven thoughts about how the pregnancy will turn out? Are you feeling mother burnout and desperately wanting to take a break and find some you time?
Maybe the thought of child birth fills you with fear. Perhaps you even feel shame for feeling sadness, rather than joy, about your pregnancy, and even if you do feel happy, maybe you’re still anxious about what the future holds. You might be thinking, ‘will I be a good parent?’ And maybe you have been a mother for what seems like so long, that you are finally realizing that it’s time you took care of yourself.
The phrase ‘Postpartum depression’ or PDD, has become a common phrase to categorize the mental health challenges of new moms. However, did you know that many woman also experience symptoms of depression and anxiety during pregnancy which can in turn, escalate symptoms postpartum? Also, ‘Postpartum anxiety’ is just as much a real and debilitating experience for many new moms as symptoms of depression, and often times symptoms of both are present.
Symptoms of PDD (postpartum depression) may include:
feeling lethargic
a loss of sleep
extreme irritability or anger
extreme sadness
feelings of shame and guilt
a lack of appetite
difficulty bonding with your child
thoughts of hurting yourself or you baby
Symptoms of PPA (postpartum anxiety) may include:
constant worry that is difficult to control
feelings of dread about things you fear will happen
difficulty falling and staying asleep
racing thoughts
physiological symptoms (heart palpitations, hyperventilation, sweating, nausea, shakiness or trembling)
difficulty concentrating
Symptoms of Prenatal depression & anxiety may include any of the above symptoms and can be caused by any of the following:
hormonal imbalance
previous miscarriages or difficult birth experiences
infertility challenges
history of depression
isolation, poor support
stressful living conditions or major life events
unplanned pregnancy
difficult childhood experiences and poor self-esteem
struggling with a pressure to ‘do things right’
You cannot predict how you will feel, think, and act when you become pregnant, whether you are having your first baby, or your fifth, every pregnancy is different and every child is different. It is not until you are in the thick of it that you can begin to identify how things will be. No matter where you are in your mental health, it is always a good idea to seek help. At Harp, all of our clinicians are both licensed mental health counselors, and mothers. We have both the clinical experience and maternal experience to provide the vital support that is needed during such an exciting but trying time. Our clinicians can help you process your thoughts and emotions, and support you in developing a plan to better manage your role as a mother and get back to feeling yourself again.
If you are pregnant, a new mom, or a seasoned mother, mental health support is always a good idea. In therapy you will have the space, and time, dedicated to moving you from anxiety and/or depression to finding calm and joy again. We invite you to contact us today for a free consultation. Together, we’ll identify the underlying issues that need to be addressed, and create a strategy for moving forward. Contact Harp today to see how we can help.