Therapy for Postpartum Depression in Long Beach, CA
Do you find yourself thinking “this is not what I expected”?
You might feel sad and can’t seem to shake the heaviness and feelings of exhaustion, even though you expected to feel full of happiness and excitement caring for your new baby. You knew you’d be tired, but this feels different than just being tired. You might find yourself feeling irritable and angry, or feeling very anxious and crying at the smallest things. You don’t feel like yourself and there’s an overwhelming feeling of isolation and loneliness. It’s hard to do the things you need to do on a daily basis and you feel like things are getting on top of you. It might feel like everything is hard to do, being around people is too much, and getting out of the house is too much. Maybe you’re afraid these feelings will never go away, and it’s hard to feel hopeful. I understand and I'm here to help.
My Approach to
Postpartum Depression Therapy
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) like postpartum depression can begin in pregnancy and last through the first years of parenthood. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are common and treatable. Postpartum depression is the most common of the perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. It is a complex mix of psychological, emotional, and physical changes that cause despair and sadness.
You are not alone. 80% of new mothers experience the “baby blues” and 1 in 5 experience depression or anxiety during pregnancy or postpartum. It’s not a fun group to belong to, but there are a lot of us. Just so you know, this is not parenthood - this is postpartum depression. You can feel better and enjoy being the parent you’ve always wanted to be.
My goal as a postpartum depression therapist is to help you feel joy, confidence, and connection. Together we can find better ways to cope with your feelings, solve problems, set realistic goals, and respond to situations in a positive way. Postpartum depression therapy is highly individualized and together we’ll create goals and make a plan to help you feel better. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you identify, evaluate, and change unhelpful patterns of thinking that impact your mood and behavior. I use mindfulness-based interventions to foster resilience and insight into thought patterns. Additionally, I utilize Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) to help us better understand your interpersonal needs, improve social support and communication patterns, and acquire new coping skills for your new role as a mother.
If you have questions about how therapy for postpartum depression can help you, contact me today for support.
Postpartum Depression Therapy FAQs
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The symptoms of postpartum depression include:
Irritability, feelings of anger and agitation.
Lack of interest in the baby.
Appetite and sleep disturbance (eating more or less than usual, sleep more or less than usual).
Frequent crying and feelings of sadness.
Feelings of guilt, shame, or hopelessness.
Loss of interest, joy or pleasure in things you used to enjoy.
Feeling overwhelmed, feeling like you can’t cope.
Inability to take care of yourself or your family, having a hard time completing daily tasks.
Isolation and social withdrawal.
If you feel hopeless and experience suicidal thoughts, 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 or behavior 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.
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There are many factors that can increase the chances that someone will experience postpartum depression, including genetic predisposition, history of depression, chronic sleep deprivation and fatigue, hormonal changes, medical complications, lack of support, and baby’s temperament.
There’s no one cause of postpartum depression. Physiological, psychological, and environmental factors all play a role. It’s important to know that there’s nothing you did or didn’t do and nothing about who you are as a person that caused postpartum depression. You are not a bad mom and you are the best mother for your child.
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Postpartum depression typically occurs one to three months after childbirth, however, symptoms of postpartum depression can show up any time from immediately following the birth to up to after three years.
The best thing to do is to trust your instincts. If you aren’t feeling like yourself and you feel like something is wrong during the first months or even years postpartum, a postpartum depression therapist can help you. If you have experienced a significant postpartum change in your mood, personality, functioning, or ability to cope, reach out for support.
More important than fitting into a diagnosis is getting help and support if you aren’t feeling like yourself. You deserve support, especially when the transition to motherhood is different than what you expected. Postpartum depression therapy can help.
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 depression today.
Even though postpartum depression is very common, not many women get the help and support they need. I understand how isolating, discouraging, and overwhelming postpartum depression can feel and you don’t have to do this alone, we can do it together.
Contact me for a free intro call today - I’m looking forward to meeting you.