Understanding Perinatal Mental Health: A Comprehensive Guide
As a counselor specializing in perinatal mental health, I understand how crucial it is to address the emotional and psychological challenges that come with pregnancy and the postpartum period. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what perinatal mental health encompasses, common conditions that can arise, and how seeking support can make a significant difference in…
Holiday Tips for Moms
The holidays are times of many different emotions: happiness, joy, togetherness. However, holidays can also be complicated. You may experience challenging emotions such as anger, grief, guilt, fear, or isolation. For moms, surviving the holiday season may look different than it did before, and old coping skills may not work as well. If you relate…
Personal Stories: Real Experiences with Perinatal Mental Health and EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a powerful tool for addressing a range of mental health issues, including those related to perinatal mental health. When distressing situations occur, our brains are not always able to process them properly. As a result, there is a chance of developing a negative belief, which can negatively…
Values for Moms
What are Values? Values are important, consistent beliefs that we have that play a part in the decisions that we make. When we aren’t living within our value sets, we are more prone to depression and other mental health issues, and when we are living within our value sets, we feel most fulfilled and happy….
Grief in Motherhood
Motherhood is a time of great joy for many people, and for many people, can also bring grief. Oftentimes, people link “grief” and “death,” and although this can be true, this is a narrow definition of the word. Grief can occur whenever anything is lost, not just a person. Grief in motherhood is a very…
EMDR Therapy – What Is It and How is It Beneficial?
EMDR Therapy stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. EMDR is a treatment that desensitizes an individual to a traumatic and/or stressful event they have been through by using bilateral stimulation. Bilateral stimulation is stimulating the left and right sides of your brain back and forth. This helps to desensitize the individual. This can be done…
Intimacy and Quality Time After Starting a Family
A challenge that arises after giving birth and raising a family is carving out time to spend with your spouse/partner. Many situations and aspects of parenthood make intimacy and quality time difficult to accomplish. Reasons why intimacy may be a challenge for you… Whether your struggles are listed above or there are other reasons specific…
Understanding Perinatal OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
Before we discuss specifics about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), it is important to know mental health symptoms such as irritability, intrusive thoughts, and constant worry as well as others fall under the symptomology for multiple diagnoses. All PMADs or Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders have symptoms that can cause a great deal of distress. Identifying…
Learning to Regulate Emotions with ABC PLEASE Skill
In our journey through skills to regulate emotions, ABC PLEASE can be an incredibly helpful acronym. Remembering to do these things and prioritizing caring for yourself in these ways can help reduce the ups and downs of emotions felt throughout the day. Of course, some ‘ups and downs’ are normal and healthy. However, when you…
Dealing with Emotions – How to Use Opposite Action to Gain Peace
In my previous blog post, we discussed “checking the facts” of a situation to make sure that your emotions match up with what is happening around you. I would recommend that you read that post before moving forward with this one: here we will talk about what to do if your emotions and their intensity…
Regulating Emotions with the Checking the Facts Skill
Many of our emotions are related to our thoughts and interpretations of events that are happening around us, and they can also have a big effect on what we think about the events going on around us. One helpful tool to examine our emotions and make sure that they truly do match the situation around…
How to have control in motherhood? A new perspective
Motherhood can feel chaotic, busy, and full of surprises at times. Other times, motherhood can feel incredibly vulnerable in that it often feels like we have no control over anything. Our schedule, our food, our sleep, to name a few things. Having control in motherhood can sometimes feel so unattainable, it leaves us feeling hopeless,…
What is a Pregnancy/Postpartum Intensive Outpatient Program?
If you’ve found yourself here, reading this post, chances are that you’ve heard the term IOP before. Maybe a family member has mentioned it or you’ve heard it in passing within therapy spaces. Let’s dive into IOP further and answer the question “What is a perinatal intensive outpatient program?” as well as share about the…
Communicating Your Boundaries – When you Receive Pushback
So you utilized effective communication to set a boundary, and the recipient didn’t like it. Now what? It’s not uncommon for there to be pushback when you set a boundary or utilize effective communication, especially when it is new. You are starting to change the dynamics of your relationship with the other person, and change…
5 Ways to Improve Communication
5 ways to improve communication with your partner. Five tenets for improving communication in a relationship.
Effective Communication
Communication, now more than ever as a new parent, may be a struggle for you as there are more demands placed on you and you have limited time.
Addressing Negative Filters
Addressing Negative Filters If you have read the previous week’s post, thanks so much for being here! If not, and you don’t know what negative filters are or are not sure whether you would benefit from reducing them, please go back and read last week’s post! While there are many different kinds of negative filters,…
Negative Filters
Negative filters are thought processes that many of us experience at one point or another as we go through our lives. They change how we perceive and think about the world and can alter our perspective.
Supporting Friends with Perinatal Anxiety or Depression
Supporting friends with perinatal anxiety or depression can be challenging. For those watching someone experiencing perinatal anxiety or depression it can be hard to know what to do.
Steps for Healing Perinatal Anxiety
Just last week I came up with an acronym for helping to remember how to deal with anxiety. The acronym is SOFLO.
Individual and Group Counseling
Learn the benefits of Individual and Group Counseling and which may be best for you.
Breastfeeding Effects on Mental Health
Breastfeeding has been linked to positive effects on mental health and psychological and cognitive development.
Talking to Kids About Tragedies
Figuring out how to talk to your kids and handle emotions around recent school tragedies can seem like a weighty task.
Formula Shortage and Moms’ Mental Health
The formula shortage is affecting moms’ mental health. New parents, especially moms, are feeling the effects.
Infant Sleep and Mental Health Link
Research has shown that there is a link between infants’ and toddlers’ sleep patterns and mental health disorders.
Choosing the Right OB for You
Choosing the best OB for you can be a daunting task. Do you want a sole practitioner, a mid-wife, a bigger practice? Tips for choosing an OB.
Making the Most of Affirmations
Making the most of affirmations entails carefully thought-out statements and developing a routine.
Top 3 Mental Health Tips for Women
These top 3 mental health health tips for women may surprise you. Staying in good mental health starts with good physical health.
Stay at Home Parent Survival Tips
Being a stay-at-home parent may be one of the hardest jobs, period. As a stay-at-home parent you generally not only have the duties of caring for the kids, but housework, laundry, grocery shopping, and food preparation, not to mention keeping track of family budget, expenses, perhaps lawn and home maintenance. You are basically working 24/7.
9 Tips for Juggling Family & Career
9 Ways to Help Manage Family and a Career Trying to meet demands of a career as well as your family can be stressful for many parents. You work all day at the office (or in your home office) and then you may need to make dinner and clean the kitchen, help with homework, shuttle…
Misconceptions about Intrusive Thoughts
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts, images, impulses, or urges that occur spontaneously or that may be cued by external or internal stimuli. They are associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and can also be common symptoms of other anxiety disorders.
Winter Blues? 11 Ways to Boost Mood
When are winter blues more? Find out signs of depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and how to lift your spirits during the winter months.
Mental Health After Miscarriage
In the United States about 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. This means two in ten women will experience the loss of child to miscarriage.
Supporting Friends with Infertility
Learning that a friend or family member is experiencing infertility can bring up many questions, especially if you are pregnant, already have children, and/or haven’t experienced infertility yourself.
Male Perinatal & Postpartum Depression
Men and partners of expectant mothers may also experience perinatal and postpartum depression and anxiety.
Infertility Support
Infertility Support – Support for couples experiencing infertility. Infertility effects mental health of women and men. Find resources for support.
Postpartum Body Image
Seeing the National Eating Disorders Association’s Body Acceptance Week’s posts spurred me to thinking about body image and body acceptance and how this can be particularly hard for postpartum women.
Effects of Postpartum Depression on Children
Near and Long-Term Effects of Postpartum Depression on Children and Mother & Infant Relationship
Self-Acceptance and Emotional Well-Being
Self-acceptance is defined as “acceptance of one’s physical and mental attributes, positive and negative”. Self-acceptance includes acceptance of one’s physical attributes, self-protection from outside negative criticism, and believing in one’s own abilities.
Setting Boundaries with Family
Setting boundaries with family can be challenging, especially during the holiday season.
Why Some Develop PTSD
PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder, is a mental condition triggered by a scary event. What you can do to prevent PTSD after a trauma.
Recovering from Birth Trauma
A traumatic birth experience, no matter what the story, can have long-lasting impact on mother, child, baby, partner, and whole family if ignored or untreated.
Postnatal PTSD
In today’s post I examine some causes of postnatal PTSD or birth trauma, specific problems associated with postnatal PTSD, and consequences of ignoring, misdiagnosing, and failure to treat birth trauma related PTSD.
Depression or PTSD?
Many symptoms could be attributed to depression or PTSD. Is what you are experiencing depression or PTSD. Learn the differences in this post.
A birth story
Every mother has a birth story. But not all stories are the same and what one mother may experience as stressful, another may experience as traumatic.
Help for Postpartum Depression
After birth of your baby, or even before, your body and body chemistry undergoes many changes. Hormonal changes can cause imbalances that lead to symptoms of depression including conditions we know as baby blues, prenatal depression, and postpartum depression.
Top 10 Travel Ideas for Families
Your top 10 travel ideas for families. These are a few favorite travel destinations to bring you ideas for family-friendly vacations that won’t break the bank.
Talking About Needs with a SO
Talking about your needs with your significant after after welcoming a baby can be challenging when sleep depraved and exhausted.
Stop Doing It All and Say No
As parents we sometimes feel the pressure to contribute time to lots of different things. Our parents and extended family, work activities or events, school events, church activities, neighborhood events, and more can zap time and energy.
Postpartum Exercises, Solo & w/ Baby
Postpartum exercise is important not only for physical, but for mental health. A postpartum exercise routine reduces chance of postpartum depression.
12 Mental Health Tips for Parents
Parents can’t be good parents, significant others, employees, or happy people without the basics being taken care of. Make sure you are eating healthy, regular meals, drinking plenty of water, and getting good sleep. Nature walks, active games (even duck, duck, goose), and yoga, can be great ways to stay moving.
9 Unexpected Challenges for New Mothers
New mothers may expect exhaustion, challenges with feeding, sleeping, and bouts of crying (by mom and baby). I’ve created a list of 9 challenges you may not have expected after your birth.
Navigating Newborn Visitors & Considerations with COVID-19
You’re back from the hospital after the birth of your baby. Everyone—grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, neighbors, friends—all want to see the new bundle of joy. And you want them to meet your baby. You’ve had a life-changing event and you may want to share that with friends and family. But how do you balance company, your own needs as a new mom, as well as that of your nuclear family? Not to mention, how do you keep you and your baby free from exposure to COVID.
Depression Can Occur Before Your Birth
Perinatal depression includes postpartum depression and the lesser known perinatal depression. Both are treatable with medication and/or talk therapy. Learn more and tips for improving depression symptoms.
Protecting your Mental Health: Ohio Pregnant and Postpartum Moms
Prioritizing your Mental Health: Ohio Pregnant and Postpartum Moms Happy 2021! Here we are… new year, same pandemic. I think it is incredibly safe to say that we have all felt the weight of COVID-19 in some way, shape, or form over the past 10 months. Whether we have had the virus ourselves, had a…
Support After Birth Trauma
Support After a Traumatic Birth Birth trauma is one of those things that many of us say, “oh, that won’t happen to me.” As pregnant moms to be, we often envision what the birth process will be like. We think about our birth wishes, often times writing them out, along with the alternate possibilities woven…
The Good Enough Mother
The Good Enough Mother Am I a good enough mother? Wow, the weight this question holds is HEAVY. This is a common, frequent thought for so many of us moms out there. Whether you are pregnant, postpartum, have teens, or have adult children, this thought is likely still lingering somewhere in the back of our…
Postpartum Depression Therapy After the 1st Year
Can You Get Postpartum Depression After the First Year? Over the past few months, I have gotten a lot of calls from moms who have “older” kiddos, who have already had their first birthday. A lot of these moms currently have toddlers, sometimes a 3 or 4 year old. The script goes like this, “I…
Overcoming Breastfeeding Challenges as a New Mom
Overcoming Breastfeeding Challenges as a New Mom Last week was National Breastfeeding Week, so what better topic to discuss for a blog post this week? Breastfeeding is often no walk in the park – for new moms, seasoned moms, and babies alike. Engorgement, mastitis, thrush, milk blebs, oversupply, undersupply, tongue ties, the list goes on!…
Conversations to have with your Partner when you’re Expecting
Conversations to Have with Your Partner when Expecting You are expecting a baby – congratulations! This can be one of the most exciting times in life. On the flip side, this can also be one of the scariest, most nerve wracking, anxiety provoking times to say the least. Conversations about expectations and how things will…
Early Warning Signs of Postpartum Depression/Anxiety/OCD
Early Warning Signs of Postpartum Depression/Anxiety/OCD Adjusting to life with a newborn can feel overwhelming at times, to say the least. Not only are you likely recovering from childbirth, but you might be experiencing a hormonal roller coaster, engorged breasts, hot flashes, and physical pain. There is a lot happening physically, mentally, and emotionally when…
Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression & Anxiety
Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression & Anxiety You’re thinking about your mental health. You know it’s a priority. You’re trying to stay in tune with it and make sure you are healthy. Maybe you’re pregnant, thinking about being pregnant, or recently gave birth. If that’s you, or if you know someone in that boat, then…
Should I Take Medication for My Mental Health?
Should I Take Medications for my Mental Health? This is SUCH a common question I get as a therapist. Who, what, when, were, why to take medication? Is medication right for me? Will I be taking it forever? Will it be my crutch? The questions circle around you and can start to feel overwhelming. I…
Online Therapy: Is It Right for Me?
Online Therapy: Is it Right for Me? Online therapy is an “up and coming” method of receiving counseling services that more and more therapists are offering as time passes. Online therapy is not for everyone, however the vast majority of individuals will benefit from online therapy just the same as they would in a brick…
What To Expect…
What to Expect in a Therapy Session So you’ve made the decision to go to therapy – but you have no clue what to expect. We’ve all seen the movies where the client is (stereotypically) laying on the couch, talking about his problems, while the therapist remains silent and writes things down. Therapy can be…