Postpartum Counselling
You are exhausted. This is not what you thought motherhood would be. What happened to that perfect image of your baby sleeping soundly in your arms as you smiled contentedly? Are you wondering why you are not feeling the joy and bliss that you anticipated before having your child? Do you feel guilty for missing the freedom of the life you used to have? Do you have doubts that you are not a good mother? Do you feel isolated and resentful that other parents seem to have more support than you? These feelings can be hard to share because you fear that others will judge you.
You feel so lost and isolated.
All these are normal feelings in the early days, weeks and even months of being a new mother, which might be a totally different experience than you imagined. Women go through tremendous physical and emotional changes after the arrival of a baby. Postpartum depression and anxiety are the most common postpartum mood disorders, affecting 10-15% of new mothers. Common postpartum depression signs and symptoms include mood swings, irritability, sadness, crying, trouble making simple decisions, changes in appetite and sleep, insomnia, fatigue, feeling hopeless and feeling completely overwhelmed. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish postpartum depression and anxiety from the “baby blues,” which usually last a few days to a couple of weeks. Some mothers may also struggle with postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder, psychosis, mania, etc.; however, these conditions are much less common.
Birth traumas need to be acknowledged and processed.
The experience of labour and delivery seldom goes exactly as planned. Some women experience significant stress, loss of control, and traumatic births in which they feared for their own or their babies’ lives. Symptoms like intrusive thoughts, nightmares, anxiety and panic may be signs of postpartum PTSD. Women may also experience postpartum depression and anxiety. We are here to help you process your birth experience to bring healing so that you can accept and find ways to heal from it. Once you are able to process your feelings and experiences, we will help you to embrace your time with your baby and gain confidence as a mother.
You are the best mother your child can have.
The good news is that postpartum depression and anxiety are treatable. We are here to help. You are not alone. We offer individual counselling and couples therapy to help you reclaim joy and thrive as you continue on the motherhood and parenthood journey.
How can counselling help you cope with postpartum depression and anxiety?
explore stressors in your transition to motherhood and in giving birth
process any prenatal and birth trauma
grieve the loss of your previous role and identity
strengthen relationships with your baby, partner, families and friends
develop new coping strategies and self-care practices including self-compassion
discover your inner strengths and improve your self-confidence
Couples therapy for postpartum and early parenthood
The challenging period following the birth of a baby and the transition to parenthood can take a toll on your relationship. Many new parents feel like they are constantly in survival mode and feel disconnected from each other. Couples therapy can help you reconnect and learn to be more responsive and communicate your needs to each other during this major transition in your life together.
