Perinatal Wellness Program
Specialized therapeutic and wellness services for parents during and post pregnancy
"I'm not supposed to feel this way."
Many mothers experiencing challenges postpartum say this and it doesn't surprise me. (Men and non mother-identifying partners experience postpartum depression too!) Are you wondering why you're not happily in love with your new baby every second of everyday? Are you experiencing painful mood swings on a daily basis? Sometimes feeling terrified of your newborn and the new life you have now? Do you feel loss thinking about the way your life used to be? Even simple things like taking a walk, going for a job or running to the grocery store feel overwhelming to you. Are scary thoughts overrunning your mind and you're finding yourself unable to sleep or relax? Do you fear the new responsibility you have, worrying that you won't be able to manage on your own?
We have heard this all before and not just once or twice, but from many new parents. Most parents don't talk about the difficult adjustments of the postpartum period and they talk even less about postpartum depression. Postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA) can happen to anyone. No one is immune. Doctors, therapists, teachers and stay at home moms are all vulnerable to postpartum depression because we're all imperfect human beings who have experienced our own life challenges. Though some mood swings and sadness can be normal during the postpartum period, it is not normal to feel unable to care for yourself or your new baby. It is not normal to want to avoid your baby. It is not normal to have unwelcome, distressing thoughts. And it is definitely not normal to feel so sad that you can't function. These are symptoms of a perinatal mood disorder, and you can work with a therapist to explore the opportunity you have to move forward in a really healthy way for yourself and your baby. With help you can learn to transition to healthy attachment and mood regulation within yourself and between you and your baby.
There's hope for a brighter tomorrow
PPD / PPA is common and treatable. The sooner parents seek treatment, the higher the rates of recovery and the more quickly they recover. A key part of treatment is counseling. Counseling is a healthy and active way to take care of yourself. We all go through tough times. As a parent, there are few life changes that are as significant as becoming a mother. It is a lot to process. We all get stuck sometimes. Getting stuck here and needing extra help does not make you a bad mother, rather, acknowledging your needs and asking for them makes you incredibly strong and it's a great start in modeling resiliency and healthy attachment for your child!
"Do I have postpartum depression?"
Click to complete this short quiz to see if you may be a candidate for therapy.
"I can't feel this way. I'm supposed to be happy. I need to be a good mom. If I just pretend like it's not there, maybe it will go away."
Chances are, it won't go away by itself without support. The truth is, PPD/ PPA is a REAL and TREATABLE illness. Having PPD/ PPA does not make you a bad mom. The longer your PPD/ PPA goes untreated, the more it will impact your life. This includes potential impact on your family. Untreated depression is not just unhealthy for you, it is also unhealthy for your loved ones and your new baby. You can find the internal good enough mother within for both yourself and your baby.
Don't give up. We can help you transform this pain to empowerment.
How can we help?
Our approach to treating PPD/ PPA is first on symptom relief. We know how much you want to get to enjoying your baby and your new role as mom (or mom again). We will arm you with the tools to reduce your symptoms as much as possible. We will discuss your daily routine, medication, your diet/ exercise, you support system and sleep to develop a plan to get you some relief. This may be the time where we make additional treatment recommendations, help you get your partner or other support person on board or begin to collaborate with other providers you may be seeing. Any treatment recommendations that are made, are just recommendations.* We can then work towards making sense of things, developing insight, addressing your relationship with your newborn and making bigger life changes that may be necessary.
We may also recommend group therapy. MSC offers several options for groups focused on perinatal mental health so you can heal!