Becoming a parent is such an immense joy, and at the same time its hard to know who we are after such a colossal change.

You might be struggling with your identity postpartum if you :

• Have a hard time trusting yourself

• Feel lost in your role as a parent

• Find yourself resenting others

Therapy can help you bring more awareness to why and how you’re struggling. With that awareness you can rebuild your sense of self and evolve into a new version of yourself in parenthood.

Whatever your story, there is no judgement here whatsoever.

While I am not a medical doctor, I have worked with many people who have for whatever reason needed or decided to terminate a pregnancy, so you won’t have to educate me about your experience.

There are so many logistical, emotional, financial, etc. layers to sort through after TMFR. I will help you make space for and understand your grief, find what helps you cope through the worst, and support you as you decide what it looks like to move forward.

The experience of grief and loss is experienced differently when it comes to losing your baby because you are navigating something called ambiguous grief. Ambiguous grief is feels different because you will grieve a life you’d been imagining; an identity you were beginning to try on; a person you didn’t fully get to know yet. I can help you walk through your grief, process, and find ways to keep the memory of your baby present in your life moving forward.

Postpartum anxiety is sneaky and often goes unnoticed because moms are expected to always be thinking ahead and worrying if their family is OK.

You might be struggling with postpartum anxiety if:

• You struggle with turning your mind off

• You are constantly worrying about something or feel like you should be worrying about something

• Random scary thoughts about bad things happening pop into your mind

• You experience periods of shortness of breath and heart racing, or struggle with stomachaches not related to a medical condition

Some people who have struggled with mental health throughout their life begin therapy during pregnancy to help manage stress, anxiety or depression as their bodies change and they prepare to bring a baby home.

Other folks have read or heard from friends about how the postpartum period, often called the 4th Trimester, is harder than birth itself!

Starting to practice stress management and self-regulation skills before baby comes will help them feel second nature when things get tough.

Psychoeducation about common changes and challenges can also help you learn about warning signs and how you can get support.

Learning about local resources can help you have a list of contacts you can reach out to if need be so you don’t feel alone postpartum.

New research suggests that 61% of women who struggle with fertility experience high anxiety, and 56% experience depression.

Struggling with infertility and the process of fertility treatment can be an all-absorbing and lonely experience.

Tending to your mental health will help you navigate this wild time in your life and help better prepare you to be regulated and present for your growing family.