Postpartum Depression Counselling

Having a baby is transition of seismic proportions on so many levels: it can feel like a “life earthquake” hit.  As a new mom or a new dad, whatever you’d previously thought of as “normal”, be it amounts of sleep, who your friends are, your roles in life, or how you feel day-to-day; it is all shaken up when baby arrives.

Even the most “ready” and resourced person can find the transition challenging and isolating. You might also feel ashamed or guilty of feeling anything but delighted and grateful 100% of the time for the beautiful new arrival. Yet difficult experiences are more common than a walk down Main Street would have you believe.

A range of experience

A few “ride the waves” relatively easily, others experience a range of difficulties including symptoms of depression and anxiety (see table below). While only a medical professional can diagnose Postpartum Depression/Anxiety, here is a further overview of symptoms.

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You could try a few self-assesment tools but regardless of categories and labels if you are worried about how you are feeling, reaching out for help is the first step towards feeling like yourself again. 

The path to healing

A big step to healing is being able to share your experience in a safe, caring space where you can talk candidly and be deeply listened to, and to know you are not alone. Together we will explore your experience and make space for emotions as they come. I will help you make sense of your experience and gain perspective. I will help you define your goals and we will make a plan we are both happy with. I can help you:

  • get relief from your suffering
  • feel like yourself again
  • feel more connected to your baby
  • feel at peace with your birthing experience

Beyond coping: thriving

Even if you are more or less coping day to day, you might ask yourself “who am I now?” “what do I like doing?”, “what on earth just happened to my life?”

Reflecting and integrating our experience can help avoid prolonged mental/emotional health challenges, and free us up to be in deeper, more authentic relationship with ourselves, our babies and our partners.

I can help you to:

  • be able to experience and express difficult emotions like anger in healthy ways
  • build awareness and skills so you can better navigate and deepen close relationships
  • create realistic expectations of yourself and others
  • create a support network, and relearn how to take care of yourself
  • explore and heal historical wounds that are getting in your way

Dads

The experience of new dads is often overlooked. Dads are typically not well supported in this period, rather feeling like they have to be the support themselves and know how to manage things. Navigating the shifting roles and (often conflicting) expectations from society can be challenging. 10% of men get Postpartum Depression.

With good support both moms and dads can feel better; you can regain a sense of joy and ease. Help is available. Call today.

Testimonial

Working with you has been an enormously valuable experience. You encouraged me to express myself in ways that were quite different from my regular talking and thinking modes and that started a new way of engaging with my emotions and my body, while making me feel totally safe.

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