Postpartum Depression Therapy
Is The Excitement Of Parenthood Overshadowed By Worry?
Are you a new mother who’s having a hard time navigating the changes in your body, your daily routine, or personal life as a parent? Has the joy of growing your family been interrupted by new and unexpected challenges that leave you stressed out, overwhelmed, or emotionally raw?
Perhaps you’re considering therapy for postpartum depression or anxiety that makes you feel inadequate or insecure about your new role.
Or maybe you’re an expecting father who’s spending so much time trying to be an attentive partner that you haven’t been able to adjust to things yourself.
Pregnancy And Childbirth Can Be An Exciting Time
However, it’s also a period of massive change that can be scary, overwhelming, and even traumatic. The natural physical transformation of your body is unlike anything you’ll ever experience outside of childbirth. Extreme hormonal shifts make every day an emotional rollercoaster.
You experience fatigue, morning sickness, sleep problems, and other somatic symptoms. Work-life balance becomes more crucial than ever—or careers and personal ambitions get put on hold. Even relationships face challenges as partners try to figure out their new roles and how to support each other.
All that stress can transform the excitement and joy of parenthood into worry, but there is a place where you can find support and relief. Our caring and compassionate postpartum therapists at Bozeman Counseling Center are here to help new and expecting mothers and fathers—just like you—navigate all aspects of pregnancy.
Are you ready to schedule or have any questions? Send us a message
Many New Parents Have Difficult Experiences With Pregnancy
Oftentimes in our culture, women and new parents are told that pregnancy and parenthood are amazing experiences—beautiful times to be cherished. However, the realities for a lot of new parents can be much harsher and more difficult, which leaves them feeling inadequate and confused as to why their experience was different.
Women with past infertility issues or prior miscarriages frequently experience emotional confusion with the arrival of a new pregnancy. New and expecting mothers worry about their baby’s health and safety while simultaneously feeling joy and anticipation. And some mothers have complicated births and feel robbed of the beautiful experience they imagined, planned for, or witnessed others have.
Postpartum Therapy Is A Chance To Let Go Of Expectations
Many new mothers feel a sense of embarrassment or even shame around their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience. Social media is full of images of smiling, loving pregnancy pics and happy new mothers. Television shows and movies paint rosy, unrealistic portrayals of happy families and flawless parenting.
Sometimes, loved ones and even society can misunderstand and marginalize a woman’s suffering, especially concerning infertility and miscarriages. Plus, no woman wants to admit to herself or anyone else that she’s struggling because, well...women are expected to be strong, impervious.
For those having trouble with their pregnancy or parenthood, all of these pressures and expectations can leave them feeling alone and insecure. At Bozeman Counseling Center, therapy gives you a chance to let go of the shame, guilt, and impractical expectations so you can begin connecting to the joy of pregnancy and postpartum life.
Postpartum Therapy Offers Parents Support Throughout Their Pregnancy
Women often feel like they need to "figure it all out" on their own. As a result, they end up taking on the emotional, mental, and physical burden of all things related to creating and caring for their family. Of course, this can lead to greater levels of postpartum depression, anxiety, stress, and relationship issues, which is one of the reasons why therapy can be so important.
Postpartum counseling validates your experiences and helps you understand what’s going on while offering you ways to relieve some of the pressure. It gives you space to express yourself and unpack painful experiences that often don’t get the support they deserve, such as infertility issues or pregnancy loss.
Having a child is also a huge transition for men, and sometimes, they don’t get enough support because they feel all the attention should go to their pregnant partner. Postpartum therapy provides new fathers with a chance to focus on caring for themselves and navigating the unique changes in their own lives. That self-care, in turn, enables men to be more supportive toward their partners.
How Is Postpartum Counseling Helpful?
Oftentimes, people will seek treatment to address things, like depression, anxiety, stress, and other postpartum issues. However, counseling can support new mothers and fathers throughout the entirety of the pregnancy experience.
Our postpartum counselors provide a safe, supportive place for you to process all of the confusing and even contradictory emotions you might run into. We’ll look at a host of concerns that can pop up during and after pregnancy, such as disordered eating, body image issues, and relationship changes with partners.
We’ll also help you explore your personal attachment style so you can be prepared for challenges that might arise while raising your own child. If you’re having a second or subsequent child, we’ll support you in building healthy coping skills for managing the mental, physical, and emotional stress of caring for multiple children.
We can also guide you through the return-to-work process and equip you with strategies for balancing your career with being a present and involved parent. So, helping new mothers with depression and anxiety is only a fraction of what postpartum counseling is about.
What Are Some Of The Tools We Use In Postpartum Therapy?
Part of what we do is logistics-based. For instance, we might work on figuring out how to split life admin tasks equally between both partners. We can help parents define and set extended family boundaries and teach them how to ask for help. We also utilize emotional regulation skills and mindfulness techniques for reducing stress and anxiety.
Attachment Theory and Attachment-Based Therapy is great for helping new mothers understand their adult attachment style (as well as the attachments they had with their own parents) and how those dynamics may come into play with their newborn.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy allows people to explore how different parts of themselves act as protectors and managers to keep them safe while ultimately preventing them from healing and living authentically.
We also use the latest brain science research and somatic approaches to help new moms understand their nervous systems and how the body keeps track of past and current overwhelming situations.
We Don’t Want You To Carry This Weight Alone
Being a new mom is one of life’s biggest transitions—and sometimes, the road can get bumpy. But with counseling and support, the ride does get smoother.
Postpartum counseling gives you a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can be real about your journey through pregnancy and motherhood. At the same time, you’ll discover knowledge, resources, and personal insight that can set you up for a less stressful and more rewarding experience as a parent.
Do You Still Have Questions Or Concerns About Postpartum Therapy?
What if I end up becoming so depressed I can't take care of my new child?
During pregnancy, the hormone changes alone are enough to wreak havoc on your emotions, which explains why postpartum depression is such a common occurrence for women. However, counseling is an effective way to transition more smoothly while accruing the skills, tools, and resources needed to prepare for what lies ahead. Being proactive in understanding the emotional, physical, and mental changes to come can really help you prepare and plan for this major life event.
I worry my schedule is too busy to attend sessions consistently.
Our online postpartum therapy services at Bozeman Counseling Center offer the perfect option for new mothers strapped for time. If you prefer to meet in person, you can even bring your infant to sessions for the first few months after they’re born to make life easier. The truth is that counseling can be the most important form of self-care for pregnant and new mothers, so we want to find something that works for you.
None of my friends who were pregnant needed therapy, so what’s wrong with me?
Even though it’s common, it’s rarely helpful to compare yourself to other people. You are unique and have unique needs just as your new baby will have unique needs. Recognizing that you’d benefit from extra support takes courage and is a huge sign of strength.
Your new baby needs you to be as emotionally healthy as possible, and counseling can be incredibly helpful. After all, mothers who take care of themselves and model positive behaviors make better parents.
Let Us Help You Enjoy A Smoother Transition Into Parenthood
If you are stressed out, doubting yourself, or running into unexpected challenges with your pregnancy or motherhood, our postpartum therapists at Bozeman Counseling Center are here for you. Please Contact Us or call (406) 624-6007 for your free, 15-minute consultation. Or get started by scheduling your first online or in-person postpartum therapy session today.
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