It’s Ok To Not Be Ok When Dealing With Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
You’ve just welcomed a new baby into your family, and you feel like you “should” be happier. There’s something that doesn’t feel quite right, and you’re beginning to question if you can do this parenting thing. You know you love your baby, but you’re also exhausted, crying a lot, on the emotional roller coaster, and feeling out of control of your thoughts and feelings. You wonder when things will get better, and you feel ashamed and embarrassed that the infant stage (i.e. the fourth trimester) has been so freaking hard.
Why Didn't Anyone Tell You How Hard Postpartum Would Be?
You’re starting to wonder why no one clued you into how tired you’d feel, how scary it would be trying to care for a tiny human, the struggles of breastfeeding, the anxiety of making the right decisions, and that your whole life has literally changed in an instant.
Honestly, I think it’s because there aren’t adequate words to describe just how difficult it is to be a new mom or dad. Truthfully you deserve a medal for showering and brushing your teeth. It’s hard to feel like you’re doing a good job, or even adequate, when you’ve got judgy eyes lady at the grocery store watching every move you make and leaving you wondering if you know anything about taking care of your baby.
You’re Doing an Amazing Job, Even When it Doesn’t Feel Like it
It starts out as an anxious thought, a sad feeling, a scary idea you can’t get out of your head, and the whole day becomes overwhelming and feels like a crap shoot. On other days you feel perfectly capable and like you can tackle feedings, baths, bedtime, and naps like a champ.
All of that is normal, and you are not alone. No matter where you are on a given day, you’re doing a great job and you do have the strength to get through this. We can help you feel better and figure out what’s going on!
First Step, Let’s Figure Out Where You Are, and Then We’ll Know How to Help You With Postpartum Therapy
New parents come to therapy because they’re able to admit they’re struggling and need help, but they’re not really sure if it’s a normal adjustment to the particularly difficult transition of having a baby, if it’s hormonal and will balance out like baby blues, or if there’s a clinical diagnosis of postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety.
Some moms even wonder if they are “crazy” or will hurt their babies or themselves. (The good news is this is a very small percentage of new moms and we can assess for that as well, although it would be extremely rare). Wherever you are on this spectrum of symptoms, we have the knowledge and expertise to help you.
We Can Help You Understand Your Postpartum Symptoms
After doing an initial session, which will include the therapist asking questions to understand your history and symptoms, and after giving you a couple of questionnaires, your therapist will give feedback and recommendations on the type of help you need and develop a plan with you. Parents often feel relieved to understand where they are and have a plan in place to heal and deal with their pain and anxiety.
Individual and Couples Therapy is SUPER Helpful!
We work with individuals (did you know both moms and dads can have postpartum mood disorders?), as well as couples to move through this journey. Your marriage has been affected not only by all these changes, but by the struggle to support each other while also eating, showering, and peeing alone.
Working on both individual symptoms/coping skills and the marital relationship has amazing results in relieving fear and sadness and enhancing your relationship. Those who attend couples therapy often leave feeling grateful and share that their marriage would never be this solid without going through such a trying experience and coming out stronger on the other side.
Why Working with an Expert Postpartum Therapist is Essential
It’s extremely important to work with a therapist who has the expertise and certified training in postpartum depression and anxiety disorders. This is a specialized area of mental health and should be treated with care and compassion using proven techniques to help you heal. There are many therapists who can offer support and discuss self-care, but diagnosing and alleviating symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety requires experience, knowledge, and advanced training.
Getting Started
Your first session will be an assessment session, with your therapist spending some time getting to know you, building a trusting relationship with you, and learning more about your symptoms and their intensity and duration.
Arriving at a diagnosis will be important in how treatment will proceed, and recommendations will be made from there. Erika Labuzan-Lopez oversees all postpartum anxiety and mood disorder cases at the practice as a certified treatment provider, and adjustments may be made to diagnosis and treatment as therapy progresses.
We’ll Work With Your Team
We will discuss all these options with you we believe you deserve to be an active participant in your care. No matter which therapist you work with, we are dedicated to being involved with the other members of your treatment team (OB, NP, acupuncturist, chiropractor, psychiatrist, PCP, etc.) and will regularly consult with your permission. We’ve found this to be a great approach to providing the best care possible.
To learn more about postpartum therapy and new parenthood, read our posts here.
What you’re going through feels like it’ll never get better, but we’re here to help you recover as soon as possible. It’s ok that you don’t feel ok right now, but you don’t have to stay stuck there. We will walk with you, your relationship, and your support system using our knowledge and compassion to heal. It’s time to let us be there for you.
Begin Postpartum Therapy in League City, TX
We know having a baby can bring struggles you weren’t anticipating. At the Center for Couples Counseling, we want to help you get back on the right track to healing from your postpartum depression and anxiety. To get started with in-person or online postpartum therapy follow these simple steps:
Meet with one of our skilled therapists
Learn to heal in your postpartum journey.
Other Services Offered at Center for Couples Counseling
Our team understands you might be facing different mental health challenges. Our Texas practice offers both in-person and online therapy for individual therapy, infertility counseling, couples therapy, therapy for self-care and burnout, infidelity counseling and affair recovery, and therapy for perfectionism. For more about us check out our FAQs and blog!
