Perinatal Mental Health Therapy in Minnesota
You Don't Have to Navigate This Alone
When I was newly postpartum I found myself constantly comparing myself to other moms who made everything about postpartum look easy and wondering "what was wrong with me" that I couldn't figure it out. It stole my ability to enjoy the experience of meeting my new little one and focus on letting my body heal.
Now, I welcome the changes that come with a new little one, because I know that with change comes growth and opportunity and this season goes so quickly. When I learned to set boundaries for myself and others, implemented strategies to help me stop comparing my beginnings to someone else's middle, accept that my journey to motherhood can look different than those around me and that doesn't mean I'm a bad mom, or that when I'm not perfect at something immediately it doesn't mean I'm a failure. I found freedom to enjoy the beautiful chaos that is motherhood. I can hold on to my expectations loosely while also enjoying the process of becoming the mom that I wanted to be. That shift changed everything for me, and it's exactly what I want for other moms.
I specialize in online perinatal mental health therapy for expecting and new moms throughout the Twin Cities and all of Minnesota.
Common Signs This Is Perinatal Mental Health Struggles
Here are the signs I see most often in the moms I work with:
- Constant comparison to other moms and wondering "what was wrong with me"
- Anxiety that steals the joy of meeting and bonding with your baby
- Difficulty letting your body rest and heal
- Overwhelm about becoming the mom you want to be
- Guilt about not feeling the happiness you expected
- Postpartum anxiety, depression, or identity shifts that leave you feeling disconnected from yourself
- Difficulties processing and/or accepting a challenging birth experience
If these feel familiar, please know this: you are not broken or failing. The perinatal season is a huge transition, and your feelings are valid.
Why Perinatal Mental Health Challenges Hit Perfectionist Moms So Hard
As a specialist in maternal mental health in MN, I see how the lack of control in birth and early motherhood can trigger a spiral of guilt. You're used to succeeding when you set your mind to something. Pregnancy, birth, and new motherhood ask your body and identity to change on a timeline you can't fully control. Comparison, exhaustion, and worry can make it feel like everyone else is handling this season with ease. When your reality doesn't match the picture you hoped for, it's easy to assume the problem is you. It isn't.
How Therapy Helps: My Approach
I use DBT, CBT, mindfulness, and trauma-informed care, all evidence-based approaches tailored to the unique pressures of pregnancy and early motherhood.
You can expect a place where you won't feel judged for choosing to sleep train or co-sleep, purees or baby-led weaning, breastfed or formula. I'm a mom too — nothing you share will shock me. We create a completely non-judgmental space where we meet you exactly where you are in your season. Together we focus on practical ways to stop the comparison spiral, set boundaries that protect your healing and energy, hold your expectations loosely, and reconnect with yourself and your baby in the middle of the beautiful chaos.
What a Session Looks Like
Our online perinatal mental health therapy sessions are 50 minutes and can be weekly or every other week, whatever fits your busy life best. In each session we review your week, focus on what matters most to you that day, practice new tools, talk through any barriers getting in the way, track your progress, and end with a short grounding activity so you can step back into your day feeling calmer. Homework is always optional and never a requirement. This is your space, at your pace.