Empathic Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Treatment
Impacts of Perinatal Anxiety & Depression
Feeling on edge, panicky, or experiencing constant worry means you could be dealing with postpartum anxiety (PPA).
Postpartum depression (PPD) can leave you feeling like a shell of your former self. Your daily life involves a constant feeling of guilt, overwhelming sadness, and the inability to find any interest in things you use to enjoy.
Don’t shrug these feelings off and chalk them up to hormonal changes and the “baby blues.” Getting help for PPD, PPA, and PP OCD is crucial.
Symptoms of Postpartum Depression & Anxiety
Postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA) symptoms may begin during or after pregnancy. And neither mental health concern discriminates. One in five women globally experiences PPD and PPA. These issues affect millions of women of every age and race and three-quarters of them are not properly diagnosed or treated.
Postpartum depression can result from a combination of several things, including:
genetics
prior history of depression
hormone changes
stressful life events during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth
medical complications during childbirth
lack of emotional support from family, friends, or partner
After your baby arrives, sleep deprivation and isolation can do a number on your mental health as a new mom. But how do you know if you’re experiencing PPD or PPA and not just a little sad or tired?
There are some key signs and symptoms to look out for:
Postpartum depression symptoms:
overwhelming feelings of sadness
frequent crying
intense Irritability and anger
feeling numb
inability to connect with your baby
feelings of inadequacy as a mother
pervasive guilt
withdrawal from family and friends
loss of appetite
hopelessness
thoughts of death or suicide
If you relate to any of these symptoms, or even if you just feel like something is “off,” getting postpartum depression treatment in Houston should be your next move.
Postpartum anxiety symptoms:
constant worry about something bad happening
difficulty sleeping
inability to relax
racing thoughts
panic symptoms or attacks
muscle tension
heart palpitations
trouble breathing
fear that others are judging you
inability to delegate or share responsibility
feeling not good enough
After you have your baby, it’s very common to experience PPA. The good news is that it is highly treatable. I provide help for postpartum anxiety using evidence-based psychological treatments. Contact me to chat about whether my services would be the right fit for you.
“No one talks about the low moments — the pressure you feel, the incredible letdown every time you hear the baby cry. I've broken down I don't know how many times. Or I'll get angry about the crying, then sad about being angry, and then guilty, like, 'Why do I feel so sad when I have a beautiful baby?”
— Serena Williams
Help for Postpartum OCD
Another postpartum mental health concern I can address with you is postpartum OCD. You may feel like your mind is on overdrive and won’t stop tormenting you with scary thoughts about something bad happening to your baby.
You can’t shake the doubts that keep creeping in and wonder if you can ever return to your prior self when you didn’t worry about these kinds of things. You are constantly checking the baby, Google, and asking others for reassurance, but it’s never enough.
Or perhaps you find yourself trying to control how everyone interacts with your baby, creating friction and tension.
PP OCD is characterized by intrusive thoughts and worries that generate a lot of distress along with behavioral responses aimed at making you feel better.
I get it. I can help.
Using first-line treatment techniques for OCD, such as Exposure and Response Prevention (E/RP) I’ll work with you to identify and target your intrusive thoughts, feelings, and habitual responses to overcome postpartum OCD.
Pregnancy Stress Support
Symptoms of PPD and PPA can actually begin before you give birth. Whether you are dealing with a lack of support from loved ones, stressful life situations, anxious thoughts about becoming a mother, or a high-risk pregnancy, getting the mental health support you need is crucial.
Together, we can navigate your feelings of stress during pregnancy with compassion, and ease. I’ll help you learn and develop the tools and strategies you need to face and overcome depression, anxiety, and OCD both while pregnant and after giving birth.
““There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.”
— Jill Churchill
Dealing with Pregnancy Loss
Losing a baby is an almost indescribable trauma no woman should ever have to endure. Unfortunately, pregnancy loss is estimated to occur in 25% of pregnancies. The loss of a baby is often a trauma that goes unseen and unrecognized by society. It’s typically a taboo subject people are scared to talk about for fear of causing further pain.
However, working through your grief and pregnancy loss is critical to your mental health. There are a range of emotions you may be feeling and there’s no right or wrong way to grieve your loss. I’ve worked in several areas of perinatal and postpartum care directly and feel comfortable guiding you along your healing journey. No matter how long you need, I’m here to support you.
Postpartum Stress Support
Even if you don’t think you officially have PPD or PPA, you’re likely to experience some level of postpartum stress. Like many new moms, you may just push your feelings of overwhelm and tension to the back burner so you can focus on meeting everyone else’s needs. Putting yourself first is extremely important. Not just for you, but for your relationships with your family and child. I am passionate about helping women like you work through their challenges with postpartum stress. My compassionate, empathic therapy approach includes giving you the exact steps you need to take to begin feeling more like yourself again.
Reproductive and Birth Trauma Support in Calgary
There are many other experiences outside of PPD and PPA surrounding pregnancy and childbirth that qualify as birth trauma. You may need valuable support from things like:
traumatic delivery experiences
medical interventions and procedures
having a baby in the NICU
miscarriage
stillbirth
struggles to conceive
I have a passion for helping women navigate pregnancy anxiety, postpartum depression, OCD, and stress using calm, compassionate, and understanding postpartum support. If you experienced challenges during pregnancy and childbirth or are battling postpartum mental health struggles, I can help.
You can feel better. All you have to do is reach out.
Get Postpartum Support From a Qualified Specialist
When seeking postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression treatment in Calgary, it’s important to find a qualified specialist. You want a postpartum therapist who is specifically trained and experienced in the nuances of perinatal and reproductive mental health.
That’s where I come in.
I am certified in Perinatal Mental Health by Postpartum Support International (PMH-C), which is the gold standard in the perinatal field. For over a decade, I’ve helped women just like you overcome reproductive challenges. My passion for this work was ignited by working in the NICU. Since then, I’ve also founded counselling programs within:
Antenatal units
OB/GYN outpatient clinics
High-risk maternal-fetal medicine clinics
Postpartum units
NICUs
