Perinatal and Postpartum Counseling

Becoming a parent requires a couple to make major alterations in their lifestyle and relationship to accommodate the needs and demands of a new baby. It is a major life transition and a crucial period of psychological and social adjustment that often triggers a flood of overwhelm. It is my desire to provide a safe place for you to bare your most honest struggles and sort through the paradox of emotion parenthood surfaces in you. Together we could delve into a multitude of issues, including:

• Fertility Challenges - The journey to conception can take a mental and physical toll women and their partners. In counseling we address issues of communication within the relationship and process the highs and lows of this often turbulent season, with the the overarching goal of fostering a sense of closeness and intimacy between you and your partner that will give you a greater sense of strength and peace as you wait with hope for new life.
• Attachment and Bonding - Attachment styles impact relationship development in infancy and throughout the lifecycle. We will identify your attachment style and its impact on your relationships, examine your values and desires, and seek to foster the kind of relationship you desire to have with your child. We will work to increase your understanding of the importance of attachment and bonding and examine attachment-based parenting skills that will promote and support the formation of healthy and secure attachments.
• Birth Trauma Resolution - For some women the experience of giving birth leaves them feeling violated, defeated or even traumatized. Solace Center is a safe place to process and reframe your experience in an empowering and meaningful way.
• Grief and Loss - If you have lost a baby in utero or suffered a stillbirth or infant death, there may be lingering feelings of anger, guilt and traumatic memories that deserve attention and care. At Solace Center you will be met with sensitivity, patience, and compassion as you seek to accept and cope with your loss, honor your baby’s life and take steps toward healing.
• Perinatal and Postpartum Depression and Anxiety - Having a baby is stressful—no matter how much you’ve looked forward to it or how much you love your child. Baby blues are perfectly normal, but if your symptoms don’t go away after a few weeks or get worse, you may have postpartum depression. Postpartum depression can interfere with your ability to take care of your child, so it’s important to get help right away. With treatment and support, you can overcome the darkness and find peace and fulfillment in motherhood.
• Preparing Abuse Survivors for Birth - Research has shown that women who have been sexually abused as children may experience heightened anxiety and depression during pregnancy, have pronounced concerns and fears surrounding the experience of birth, and have a more difficult adjustment to early parenting. For women in this situation, the likelihood of experiencing a Postpartum Mood Disorder may be increased. Counseling and support for pregnant female survivors of sexual abuse can help prepare a woman to give birth with less anxiety and trauma than may otherwise be experienced.
• Childbirth Education - Pregnancy gives you a wonderful opportunity to spend 9 months evaluating what you want from your birth experience as well as what type of parent you desire to be. Roots Childbirth Classes are offered for those interested in holistically preparing (mind, body and spirit) for labor, delivery and the postpartum period. Roots Childbirth classes are evidence-based, Christ-centered and perfect for any birth plan or birth setting.