Postpartum Mental Health: depression & anxiety

Dealing with postpartum depression and anxiety can be really tough. It's a time when you're supposed to feel happy about your new baby, but instead, you might feel sad, worried, or even scared. This is more common than you might think, and it's okay to feel this way. Anxiety can make you feel nervous or panicky, and depression can leave you feeling extremely sad or even hopeless, both making it hard to enjoy life with your new baby

In our therapy sessions, we'll talk about what you're going through in a safe and understanding space. We'll look at why you're feeling anxious or depressed and how these feelings are affecting you. Understanding what anxiety is and why it's happening can be a big help. It's like shining a light on something that's been hidden in the dark.

Therapy can really help with these tough feelings. I use two kinds of therapy: IFS (Internal Family Systems) and CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy). IFS helps you understand and befriend different parts of yourself, like calming down the parts of you that are scared or worried. CBT is about changing the way you think, which can change the way you feel. It's like learning a new way to look at things so they're not so overwhelming.

We'll also work on setting boundaries, which means learning to say no and taking time for yourself. This is really important for new moms. We'll practice ways to communicate better with your family and friends, so they understand what you need. And a big part of our work will be about self-compassion, which means being kind to yourself. This can make a huge difference in how you feel.

Remember, reaching out for help is a brave and important step in taking care of both yourself and your baby. You're not alone in this, and therapy can be a big step towards feeling better.