Insightful Parenting
counseling for the postpartum period and beyond
You dreamed of becoming a parent. And while you wouldn’t trade it, you are surprised by your experience. Maybe it’s constant worry or intrusive thoughts. Maybe it’s feeling so lonely despite the fact that you never have a moment to yourself. Or perhaps you’re looking for ways to support your child’s mental health. Parenting presents you with many challenges and counseling can help.
Address mood issues interfering with enjoying motherhood, at all stages.
Anxiety and depression
The worry is constant. You worry about things going wrong all the time. It seems like your mind is constantly occupied with one concern or another. It interferes with your sleep or even if you have the chance to rest you can’t be still enough to be calm.
Is it hard to think of what would even make you happy? You remember enjoying things, but even the idea of participating in the activities that once made you laugh now seem like a chore. While you knew life would change in motherhood, you had no idea it would rob you of all the happiness you once experienced.
While motherhood certainly changes your brain and the importance of your children, counseling can help you find ways to decrease the intensity and frequency of your anxiety and know how to manage it when anxiety does occur.
Listen to my discussion with OBGYN Dr. Angela on postpartum depression vs. postpartum blues.
Integrating motherhood into your sense of self while still nurturing other important components of your life.
You + baby = ?
You desperately wanted to be a mom. Maybe your road to motherhood included fertility treatments, adoption, miscarriages along the way, or other massive amounts of effort to become a mom. But just because you worked so hard to become a mom doesn’t mean the rest of it comes easy.
I WORK WITH WOMEN WHO ARE:
feeling overwhelmed by the demands of motherhood
feeling lonely, even though you are never by yourself
needing more support from your partner, but not getting it
strengthening bonding with your baby and secure attachment
making decisions about when, how and whether to return to work
feeling uncomfortable with the idea of leaving the baby with anyone else (even your partner)
having a hard time expressing your needs and asking (or receiving) help from others
experiencing uncomfortable and unpredictable mood swings
missing “who you used to be”
managing other life transitions
wanting individualized support for your unique situation
Kids’ mental health
Being a kid or a teenager today can be hard, seriously. While we hope childhood is filled with care free days of play, we know the reality for many children is different. Children encounter worries, sadness, and experience major life changes that are unsettling. Counseling for parents can equip you with a tool box to give your children the social emotional skills needed to be confident and capable in life. While many of the challenges children face are temporary developmental hiccups, gaining new ways of thinking and relating can resolve current struggles while also preparing them for future needs.
It’s easy to explain so much of adolescent behavior as normal. “Oh, they’re just moody.” But maybe sometimes you’re not so sure. You knew there would be changes and challenges, but you had no idea it would be like this.
You love your child, but maybe you feel like you struggle to communicate effectively, you worry about their decision making, or you just want to help them build resiliency and grit.
Counseling can give you new skills for parenting and to support your children’s mental health.