Postpartum Therapy in Portland, OR & Washington

Some concerns you might experience postpartum include:

• working through a birth story that resulted in grief and/or trauma

• facilitating reconnection to sense of self after birth

• working through intergenerational family patterns, memories and trauma that resurface when becoming a parent

• challenges adjusting to and juggling various new roles

• coping with intrusive thoughts

• support with postpartum mood disorders such as depression, irritability and anxiety

• body image concerns

Those first few months with a newborn are so tender and sweet and can also be overwhelming, isolating and scary. Our culture places a lot of emphasis on pregnancy, prenatal care and preparing for labor/birth but falls short in equipping new parents with hard skills and a realistic idea of how hard, confusing and unpredictable the postpartum period can be. There’s this expectation that the infant and parent learn their new roles with ease, instinctively “know” what to do and that meeting your baby will be “bliss”…I’ve had many parent’s tell me this is not their experience!

Therapy can help you adjust to parenthood, manage postpartum mood and physical changes, communicate about parenting values and expectations and identify needs. Working together with a supportive therapist can be an essential component to postpartum healing and well-being.

I am passionate about helping new parents/caregivers navigate the immediate postpartum period, also known as the fourth trimester.

My approach focuses on your unique experiences and perspectives, honoring your individuality as you navigate the joys and difficulties of early parenthood. I will work collaboratively with you to address postpartum emotions, coping strategies, and relationship dynamics, ensuring that you feel supported in building resilience and emotional well-being during this transformative phase of life.

As a client-centered therapist, I am committed to walking alongside postpartum clients on their journey. My goal is to help you feel empowered and confident in your ability to care for yourself and your newborn.

The adjustment to parenthood can create both a profound sense of intimacy and tension in a relationship. Lack of sleep, different parenting values, processing pregnancy and birth challenges, figuring out new roles and adding a new person to the already established family dynamic, can either make or break a relationship.

When I became a mother myself, I realized firsthand just how challenging parenthood is and the immense lack of societal support in uplifting new parents. Parenthood is an incredibly vulnerable and life-altering transition and a massive undertaking even with a strong support system. Unfortunately, our culture does not often openly talk about the latter experiences and I am deeply passionate about changing this narrative in my work with new parents in those very raw, first few months after birth.

When working with couples, I use Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and The Gottman Method to support increased understanding and the development of sustainable and effective communication skills.