Therapy for Postpartum Anxiety

You have a new baby, congratulations! You might be feeling excited and happy.

But you might also feel scared, and sooo tired.

But maybe you can’t sleep, because your mind is racing, constantly thinking about your baby’s safety. Maybe you feel out of control and trapped by worry, or like everything has to be “right” to avoid something bad happening. It might feel really hard to leave the house or let someone else care for your baby. You’re suffering and this - this scary and isolating fear that makes your heart race and feels like holding your breath - is not what you expected. I understand, and I’m here to help you.

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My Approach to Postpartum Anxiety Therapy

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) like postpartum anxiety can begin in pregnancy and last through the first years of parenthood. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are common and treatable. You are not alone. 1 in 7 women struggle with symptoms of postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety. Anxiety can make you feel like you are failing, as if you are flawed or lacking in some way. Just so you know, there’s nothing you did or didn’t do to cause this, and this is not parenthood - this is postpartum anxiety. You can feel better, find peace, and enjoy being the parent you’ve always wanted to be.

New moms are hardwired to respond to distress in their babies and protect them. When your brain and body are in this constant state of high alert, you can become susceptible to anxiety. Postpartum anxiety can make you feel like everything has to be done “right” - being very rigid about your baby’s feeding or sleeping schedule, for example. You might feel constantly worried or preoccupied and find yourself spending a lot of time researching, trying to find the perfect way to go forward when you need to make a decision or try something new. Intrusive thoughts about something bad happening to you or your baby, or worries about your baby being sick might feel hard to shake. It’s normal to want to protect your vulnerable new baby. But when those worried thoughts take over and cause you pain and distress, therapy for postpartum anxiety can help.

As a therapist for postpartum anxiety, I use a combination of evidence-based methods, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based interventions, to help you learn different ways of thinking, reacting, and behaving - increasing your ability to tolerate uncomfortable emotions and your ability to be in the present moment and be at peace. 

I view my role as a therapist for postpartum anxiety as being a safe place for you to express your fears and feelings and to turn down the volume on scary and worried thoughts, letting them come and go without controlling your life. I help you develop and build the skills you need to cope with fears and worries so you can learn how to manage anxiety and feel in control of your thoughts and your life again. Stress and anxiety are part of life and part of motherhood - but strengthening healthy thinking patterns and behaviors and learning new ways to respond to stress and anxiety can make a huge difference. You can feel like yourself again. 

Through therapy for postpartum anxiety, we work together to empower you to find safety, calm, and peace as a mother. It’s my privilege to help you through this journey and help you find relief so you can be the parent you’ve always wanted to be. If you have questions about how therapy for postpartum anxiety works, contact me today for support.

Postpartum Anxiety FAQs

  • Postpartum anxiety is excessive worry and fear after giving birth. Symptoms of postpartum anxiety include:

    • Racing thoughts

    • Difficulty controlling worries

    • Inability to sit in one spot, feeling restless or on edge

    • Feeling like something bad is going to happen

    • Difficulty sleeping

    • Difficulty concentrating

    • Dizziness

    • Change in appetite and sleep patterns

    • Feeling irritable and overwhelmed

    • Uncharacteristic rage

    More important than fitting into a diagnosis is getting help and support if you aren’t feeling like yourself. You deserve support and you do not have to go through this alone. Postpartum anxiety therapy can help.

    If you feel that your thoughts are out of your control or that you cannot manage the intrusion, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

    If at any time you feel you or your baby are not safe, please call 911 or have someone take you to an emergency room.

    If you have been told that your thoughts are worrisome to others but they seem real and make sense to you, let someone close to you know how you are feeling and tell them it’s an emergency.

  • There are many factors that increase the chances that someone will experience postpartum anxiety. A change in hormones, lack of sleep, and feelings of responsibility, for example. Stressful events like a difficult pregnancy, a traumatic birth, or issues with breastfeeding can make you susceptible to anxiety, as can a personal or family history of depression or anxiety, previous pregnancy loss or loss of a child, having a baby with health conditions, or having multiples.

    If you’re struggling with postpartum anxiety, it’s important to know that there’s nothing you did or didn’t do to cause this and you can feel better with support. You are not a bad mom and you are the best mother for your child.

  • Therapy is highly effective in reducing anxiety. Together we can make sense of your thought and behavior patterns and reduce the stress that causes anxiety. We’ll work on:

    • Managing intrusive thoughts.

    • Controlling your worries and fears so they don’t control you.

    • Building up social support and coping skills.

    • Increasing your ability to tolerate uncomfortable feelings and feel at peace.

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YOUR therapist in Long Beach, California

Postpartum and early parenting can be so disorienting. I’m here to help you find some solid ground so you can bloom in motherhood.

Hi! I’m Molly.

Get help from a therapist for postpartum anxiety today!

I know how scary and isolating it can be to live with postpartum anxiety.

Are you ready for relief? Contact me for a free intro call today - I can help.