Perinatal Mental Health Therapy & Support

The Emotional Complexity of Pregnancy and New Parenthood

Pregnancy and new parenthood are often described as joyful milestones — and they can be. But they can also bring a level of emotional intensity, fear, and uncertainty that no one adequately warned you about. If you’re struggling, you are not alone, and you are not failing.

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) affect up to 1 in 5 women during pregnancy or in the first year postpartum. They are the most common complication of pregnancy, and they are also among the most treatable — with the right support. Yet so many people suffer in silence, wondering if something is wrong with them, or waiting for things to improve on their own.

I work with clients virtually across New York, Connecticut, and Florida, and perinatal mental health is at the center of my clinical specialty. This is not a side offering — it is the work I am trained for, passionate about, and committed to.

You don’t have to be experiencing extreme symptoms of a PMAD to seek therapy, however. New parenthood is one of the biggest life transitions we will experience, and in this process you might find you feel disconnected from yourself or others. Therapy can help untangle the identity web so you can feel more like yourself as you navigate and integrate this new identity.

Who I Work With

I support people across the full perinatal period, from periconception through the first year postpartum:

• Anxiety during pregnancy (prenatal anxiety)
• Postpartum depression
• Postpartum anxiety
• Postpartum OCD
• Birth trauma and perinatal PTSD
• Perinatal grief — loss during pregnancy or the postpartum period (see also: pregnancy loss & grief counseling)
• Difficulty bonding with baby
• NICU experience and its lasting emotional impact
• The identity shift of becoming a parent — whether with a first child or a subsequent one
• Perinatal mood changes in partners, who are often left out of the conversation entirely

What Therapy for Perinatal Mental Health Looks Like

Our work together begins where you are right now. There is no checklist to complete and no timeline to follow. I draw from evidence-based approaches that are specifically suited to the perinatal period:

Processing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Whether you’re experiencing depression during pregnancy, postpartum anxiety, or something you can’t quite name, we work together to understand what’s happening and why — and to build practical strategies that support you through it. You don’t have to wait until you’re in crisis to get help.

Managing intrusive thoughts. Postpartum OCD is one of the most misunderstood and most distressing experiences a new parent can have. A pattern of intense, unwanted, disturbing thoughts about harm coming to your baby is a symptom of anxiety, not a reflection of your character. When paired with compulsive rituals designed to alleviate the distress caused by the thoughts, it’s a recipe for impaired functioning in all aspects of life. I provide a space to name what’s happening without shame, and to work through it with evidence-based treatment.

Recovering from birth trauma and PTSD. A difficult or frightening birth experience can leave you with responses that feel out of proportion to what’s happening now — hypervigilance, avoidance, flashbacks, or a sense of disconnection. Trauma-informed therapy creates space to process what happened at a pace that feels safe for you.

Navigating the identity shift of parenthood. Becoming a parent — no matter how much you wanted it — changes who you are and how you understand yourself. That shift can be disorienting, even when things are going well. I help you explore these changes with curiosity and compassion rather than pressure to feel a certain way.

Supporting your relationship through this transition. New parenthood can put strain on even strong partnerships. We can work on communication, emotional connection, and navigating the significant adjustments that come with bringing a child into your lives.

Why Specialized Training Matters

PMADs are not just “feeling sad” or “being anxious.” They are clinical conditions that require clinical knowledge to identify and treat effectively. A therapist without specific perinatal training may inadvertently normalize your suffering, miss a PMAD entirely, or misapply general therapy approaches that aren’t suited to the perinatal period.

I hold the PMH-C certification (PSI11877) from Postpartum Support International — the leading organization for perinatal mental health training and advocacy worldwide. This certification reflects specialized clinical training in PMADs, including depression, anxiety, OCD, birth trauma, and psychosis. It means you don’t have to educate me on what you’re experiencing. I already understand the terrain. You just have to tell me where you are.