The path to becoming a parent, pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood are all times of great transition. Intense physical, emotional, relational, and hormonal changes are coupled with lack of sleep and a host of new expectations and responsibilities. It can be even more difficult if you are already vulnerable to anxiety or depression. It can be tough to admit that being a parent sometimes can be exhausting, overwhelming, dissatisfying, and stressful. Too often, I have seen that parents who share these struggles are dismissed by well-intentioned providers or family members and told what they’re experiencing is “normal” and “will get better.” When the magnitude of these transitions is combined with shame, guilt, isolation, and feelings of failure, it can seem unmanageable. But you are not alone.
I specialize in pregnancy- and fertility-related issues, reproductive mental health, and parenting at all stages of the life-cycle. This includes working with families experiencing any of the following:
- trying to have a child and fertility
- pre-fertility treatment assessments
- grief, loss, or guilt about miscarriage, termination, or infant loss
- worries about the health of a pregnancy (particularly after miscarriage or infertility)
- dealing with feelings about an unplanned pregnancy
- concerns regarding medication during pregnancy and postpartum
- having a history of a postpartum mood disorder
- antenatal (during pregnancy) depression and anxiety
- birth experiences
- postpartum mood disorders
- adjustment to parenting
- couple and family relationships
- sexual issues
- trauma