“We have a secret in our culture, and it’s not that birth is painful, it’s that women are strong.” ~ Laura Stavoe  

Support After Delivery

Types of Support

Counseling

Counseling is for those struggling with significant anxiety, depression, or symptoms of trauma to the point where it is interfering with their daily life. In counseling, you can expect to find a safe, nonjudgemental, accepting, warm place where you can share your fears, lower your defenses, and receive help and support. The primary goal of counseling during postpartum is for mom to have a safe place to unload, unpack, and share her feelings, thoughts, and experiences with a caring person who is trained in helping people in this way. Other goals for therapy can include helping to process grief, loss, big changes, and relationship stressors; reduce stress, improve sleep, explore root causes for dis-ease, and to increase the support you have in your inner circle. Having a baby and becoming a parent is a massive life change, and mothers and new parents need much, much more support than they usually receive. Engaging in therapy during this time can help you process the changes and begin to integrate psychologically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. More

Coaching

Coaching during the postpartum period may look more like learning how to nourish and nurture yourself, rest and recover from delivery and pregnancy, and nourish, nurture, and bond with your baby. Postpartum is a sacred window that offers opportunities you will never have again. What happens during these times is incredibly important, and sometimes it helps to have a person who can walk through it with you. Many people feel anxious during this time because they know it is an important time, and they don’t want to ‘mess it up,’ or they feel overwhelmed or depressed. Many feel isolated or lonely. Many simply want a hand to hold — because postpartum is not a time to go it alone. Coaching during the postpartum time will rarely focus heavily on external goals; there will be plenty of time for that in a few weeks or months. Coaching during this time will include helping you tap into what matters to you most during this brief window and supporting you in bringing this into reality. More

Consultation

Consultation during the postpartum period is for people who have specific questions and or simply want a (or another) professional opinion. This is generally done in one hour or two, and generally without follow-up. Because I will not have background information on your situation (at least not that in-depth), info discussed will be “in general” as opposed to deeply individualized. Consultation during postpartum can be helpful for debriefing a birth experience, helping partners learn how they can best support their partners, helping extended family members best support a mother or new parents, discussing how to recover from hyperemesis gravidarum or other pregnancy related complications, or helping people determine which types of resources or therapies could be most helpful for different circumstances. More

Areas Of Specialization Within The Postpartum Period

  • Anxiety, fear, and overwhelm

  • Emotional and psychological support related to stress or complications before, during, or after pregnancy

  • Issues related to extended family dynamics

  • Helping mothers and parents through the massive changes that accompany postpartum, parenting a newborn, and becoming a parent, overall

  • Trauma related to pregnancy, birth, and/or parenting

  • Hyperemesis gravadarum

  • Self care and what this may look like as a new parent, within the context of your new family system

Do You Take Insurance?

Counseling is a reimbursable services, but I am “out of network” with insurance companies. This means I can give you a superbill for counseling services, and you can submit this directly to your insurance company. They will then reimburse you according to your specific plan benefits. I recommend contacting them and asking, “what are my out of network benefits for mental health services?” Many clients receive significant reimbursement.

Sadly, Coaching and Consultation are not services that are covered by health insurance plans. Some people have successfully used HSA for coaching and consultation, therefore it may be worthwhile to contact your HSA company to find out if they would cover services with me.

How Do I Get Started?

Click on the Counseling, Coaching, or Consultation pages (above or in the menu bar) for info about how to begin with each. If you are not sure which service would be the best fit for you, please contact me. I offer a free consult call to new clients and am happy to help determine if we could be a good fit for working together, and if so, which service may be the most helpful for you.