Feeling overwhelmed? Not feeling like yourself?

Perinatal Counseling and Postpartum Therapy for Individuals & Couples Experiencing Mental Health Complications or Parenting-related Stressors.

At LifePath Therapy, “Empowerment” matters. It is the hallmark trait of our approach to perinatal therapy. Our therapists are collaborative, supportive, strengths-based, judgment-free, warm, and caring. We’re ready to support you during this period of transition and change. We’ll help you identify your innate strengths and capacities, explore helpful coping strategies, and create space to problem-solve right alongside you.

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” — Fred Rogers

Perinatal Mental Health Complications include:

• Pre- & Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

• Infertility

• Pregnancy and Infant Loss

• Birth Trauma

Pre- and Postpartum Depression and Anxiety

Pregnancy and caring for an infant bring enormous changes to parents’ lives. Your body changes. Your schedule changes. Your roles and relationships change. These changes can bring unexpected emotions and challenges. You may feel disconnected from baby. You may feel anxious or overwhelmed; every time you have a decision to make, you feel paralyzed with indecision. For new parents, it can be upsetting and frightening to have feelings about parenthood that don’t seem “right.”

Common pre- and postpartum depression and anxiety symptoms include:

• Sadness, hopelessness, crying spells

• Guilt, shame

• Irritability, anger

• Feeling empty or numb

• Lack of interest in baby or not feeling “bonded” with baby

• Feelings of inadequacy or insecurity

• Anxiety, fear

• Dizziness, chest pain, lightheadedness

• Intrusive thoughts and ruminating

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consider talking to your doctor or reaching out to a therapist to find additional perinatal counseling support. Talking to a therapist who specializes in dealing with perinatal issues can be validating, relieving, and enlightening.

Infertility

Is the path to building your family not going as expected? You may feel sadness, anger, or guilt as months go by without a pregnancy or baby. Coping with the stress and uncertainty of infertility can be overwhelming. It can cause distressing emotions and relationship conflicts. LifePath perinatal counseling therapists can provide space to process and cope with these stressors.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss

The death of a baby, regardless of gestational age or circumstance, is a profound loss. You may feel sad, hopeless, helpless, or angry. You may struggle to concentrate or comprehend what has happened. You may be asking why or how this could have happened. Beyond your internal experience, you may be challenged by family responsibilities or unhelpful responses from those around you. Therapy can provide a space to pause and be wholly you, with all the painful and difficult thoughts and feelings.

Birth Trauma

Your birthing experience may have been beautiful and momentous. You may also have felt very stressed or vulnerable during your labor and delivery. You had to have an unplanned C-section or emergency intervention. You had a long and difficult labor. Something unexpected or shocking happened. Complications during labor and delivery can become traumatic experiences.

Symptoms of birth trauma include:

• Reliving aspects of the trauma (flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts or images)

• Irritability, hypervigilance

• Avoiding feelings or memories

• Distressing beliefs and feelings (lack of safety or trust in others, blaming self)

You don’t have to walk alone. Lifepath therapists can help you regain feelings of safety and process traumatic experiences so you can feel more in control and connected to baby and loved ones.

Support Throughout the Parenting Journey

We know parenting challenges continue throughout our children’s lives. You may feel conflicted about work-life balance. You and your partner may disagree about parenting strategies. Or you may be a single parent, navigating the responsibilities of parenting on your own. You may even feel guilty for not feeling overjoyed by being a parent. We get it. In fact, we’ve helped parents just like you deal with these feelings. We can help you build more competence and confidence in this “parenting” role. How amazing would it be to feel more like the parent you imagined becoming?

You CAN feel more confident as a parent, regardless of perinatal complications or parenting stressors.