Perinatal Mental Health
Pregnancy.
I hold a Perinatal Mental Health certification (PMH-C) with extensive training and experience working with the perinatal population. I love working with and supporting pregnant and postpartum people as well as those experiencing infertility and loss. I am an abortion-affirming clinician who supports reproductive justice and bodily autonomy.
There are few events as life-changing as pregnancy and birth. For many it can also be a time of vulnerability and change. I help clients prepare for their birth and postpartum period so that they feel empowered and grounded as they enter into this new chapter.
Birth.
I create space for clients to process their birth experience. Many clients have intense or conflicting feelings about their birth or birth trauma. I find there is great power in telling our birth stories and making sense and meaning out of the experience within a space that is warm and affirming.
Postpartum.
The birth of a child can disrupt or shift our sense of self. I help clients integrate their new identity as a parent and process changes to their life since becoming a parent. For many, becoming a parent changes everything from client's relationship to themselves, their partners, their work, and the lens through which they see the world. Therapy can be an especially helpful place to integrate all of these shifts so that clients feel more grounded in their sense of self.
Feminist, Anti-Oppression Lens.
My work is informed by a feminist lens which means I acknowledge how larger systemic factors impact clients lives. I am acutely aware of the role medical racism plays, particularly for Black women and their birth experiences and outcomes. I also recognize the systemic failings of our culture when it comes to lack of paid parental leave and affordable childcare, challenges and lack of support for breast/chest feeding, and the unrealistic and damaging expectation that we are expected to "bounce back" post-birth within a culture that fails to honor the importance of rest during the fourth trimester. Much of my awareness around these issues is informed by more own lived experiences as a mother.
Unsurprisingly, it is not uncommon to experience increased anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, rage, or hopelessness during the pregnancy or postpartum periods. 1 in 4 people will experience a perinatal mood & anxiety disorder between pregnancy and the first year following birth. These conditions are treatable and relief and recovery is possible.
Adjustment to Parenthood.
The birth of a child can be a magical time it can also be a time of incredible challenge. I see it as my job to hold both of these realities with clients. Becoming a parent can also be trigger and stir up trauma related to our own childhood. I help clients unpack this so that they can more forward to parent with more intentionality and in alignment to their values. There is no better time to work towards dismantling patterns of generational trauma and build a foundation for generational healing.
