Postpartum & Parent Therapy
Postpartum Therapy
Many do not understand the emotional toll that the postpartum period takes on new moms and parents until they experience it themselves. Most new mothers experience the “baby blues” in the first few weeks postpartum with many experiencing extreme loneliness, rapid emotional shifts, lack of sleep, physical pain from breastfeeding and wounds healing, pressure from outside sources to do things certain ways, and so much more. The addition of diagnosable postpartum anxiety, OCD and depression add significant other stressors on the new parents.
Do I have postpartum depression, anxiety or OCD?
The reported rates of women experiencing either postpartum anxiety or depression are close to 20% of women. Studies are also showing many women experience postpartum OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Postpartum depression is usually diagnosed if the “baby blues” do not resolve after a few weeks post birth. It is encompassed by feeling incredibly sad, crying or being incredibly emotional, difficulty connecting with your baby, feeling lonely and empty, and more. Postpartum anxiety is encompassed by clinically significant worry about the baby and postpartum journey rather than sadness per se. Other symptoms include difficulty relaxing, letting go, whirling thoughts, and more. Postpartum OCD is characterized by disturbing thoughts of harming oneself or your baby, avoiding certain triggers like being away at night or holding the baby when it cries, many times people will also stay awake all night watching the baby to make sure they are breathing. Many women experiencing postpartum OCD feel significant shame because the thoughts are so disturbing and even frightening.
The sudden drop in hormones play a role in all of these diagnoses, as well as the lack of sleep, sudden change in identity and independence, and change to one’s relationship. Breastfeeding can sometimes even trigger intense mood shifts. Something else that unites all of these diagnoses is the need for a supportive partner or family, and if one does not have that, the stress of new parenthood can significantly increase mental health symptoms and relational difficulty. Treatment of postpartum OCD, depression, and anxiety often includes therapy, and sometimes medication as well. At Therapy With Manon, we will take a holistic approach to these issues, meaning we will work on coping skills, deep rooted emotions, validating and normalizing these symptoms, use exposure and response prevention techniques, include your support partners in treatment if needed, and ensure that you are receiving the medical, psychiatric, and nutritional help that you need as well. Sometimes a part of treatment is also parent therapy.
Parent Therapy
Having children changes the dynamic of a relationship, and it sometimes feels impossible to regain the connection that you had prior to children. When a baby comes into the mix, life is turned upside down and sometimes it doesn’t slow down until the kids go to college. That’s where parent therapy comes in. Whether your children are in high school or you have a newborn, we will work on processing through the emotions of both parents, identifying what ways each partner needs support, and identify how to implement this support so that there is a sense of equity within the parenting journey. Many times, learning the proper modes of communication, love languages, and how to find more patience is incredibly effective for parent therapy. I work with pregnant parents wanting to learn how to best support one another before the baby comes, newly postpartum parents, and seasoned parents. We will use some emotionally focused therapy, attachment theory, and relational life therapy.