Perinatal and Trauma Therapy for Women in Chesapeake, VA
Therapy for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and the tender work of becoming a mother
Hi, I’m Karen Carroll. I help women who feel anxious about pregnancy, afraid of another pregnancy, overwhelmed by birth trauma, or stuck in the heavy, isolating weight of postpartum depression and anxiety. If your body is tense all the time, your mind won’t stop running worst-case scenarios, you feel like you're walking through sludge, and you have to keep masking just to get through the day - because who has time for feelings? - you’re in the right place.
Perinatal and Trauma Therapy for Women in Chesapeake, VA
Therapy for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and the tender work of becoming a mother.
Hi, I’m Karen Carroll. I help women who feel anxious about pregnancy, afraid of another pregnancy, overwhelmed by birth trauma, or stuck in the heavy, isolating weight of postpartum depression and anxiety. If your body is tense all the time, your mind won’t stop running worst-case scenarios, you feel like you're walking through sludge, and you have to keep masking just to get through the day - because who has time for feelings? - you’re in the right place.
Licensed Professional Counselor with Midwifery Experience
Depth of Experience
Care from a therapist who has supported women through labor, birth, and postpartum for decades.
Whole-Person Care
Attention to unique care for you that attends to your thoughts, physiology, and the spectrum of hope.
Therapy Your Way
LPC providing telehealth counseling throughout Virginia. Your clothes. Your space. No commute required!
Because healing changes more than symptoms
This Work Is Personal and It Matters
I’ve spent my career caring for women through some of the most tender and vulnerable seasons of life. I’ve seen the quiet heartbreak of mental health that goes unaddressed. I’ve watched women try to muscle through anxiety or depression with a tight smile and a steady “I’m fine,” while their bodies tell a more honest story: tight shoulders, a clenched jaw, shallow sleep, tears "for no reason" in the car or shower or at 2:00 am., and feet that won't obey the need to move.
Without the right support, pregnancy can become more exhausting, more complicated, and more lonely than it should ever be.
When that kind of strain carries on, it doesn’t stay in the mind. It shows up in the body, in more triage calls, more fear around symptoms, less rest, and labor that can feel harder to enter, move through, and trust. And when the birth space is harsh, that pain can deepen. A woman may leave feeling dismissed, frightened, or deeply disappointed, and postpartum often comes with even less margin to recover well.
This isn’t about blame. It’s about care, protection, and giving women and babies a steadier beginning.
Care for the whole person
Therapy That Makes Room for Your Mind, Body, and Spirit
In our work together, we don't just talk about what's happening. We look at how it’s living in your body, what your nervous system has learned over your lifetime, how your body holds your story, and what helps you feel safe enough to begin healing.
I use trauma-informed, strengths-based counseling that may include EMDR when it’s clinically appropriate, along with somatic therapy, mindfulness, and modalities like CBT, and ACT. That means we slow things down and we may notice:
- the tightness in your chest
- the knot in your stomach
- the shallow breath before an appointment, or
- the way your shoulders lift when you talk about labor.
We work with those responses gently, steadily, and without rushing.
We move at a pace that feels respectful and workable. No forcing. No pushing past what your system can hold. (Stretching, but not pushing!)
If your faith is an important part of your life, we can include that in a way that feels honest and supportive. Not performative. Not pressured. Just grounded care that makes room for your beliefs, your questions, your grief, and your real life.
My role is not to hand you easy answers. My role is to help you feel more grounded, more understood, and more supported as you discover the answers within you and do the hard work of healing.
understanding the whole season
Care Shaped by Years in Women's Health and Perinatal Care
I bring experience from labor and delivery, the NICU, midwifery, and counseling into the therapy relationship. You don’t have to explain the medical side of your story from scratch. I understand the weight of a complicated pregnancy, a frightening birth, postpartum recovery, and the way those experiences can linger long after the discharge papers are signed.
I know what it means when the pregnancy felt medically intense, when the birth changed shape without warning, when the postpartum period felt lonely and raw, or when your body seemed to recover at a much slower pace than anyone expected. Those experiences matter. They leave marks. And they deserve attention that is thoughtful, compassionate, and clinically grounded.
I provide telehealth counseling throughout Virginia for adult women at all reproductive stages, including before & during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. Online therapy can make it easier to get support without adding another layer of burden to your day.
If you've never done it before, how do you know where you're going?
Let's Take the Next Step Together
Step one
Bring It.
You already know what feels hard, what's been draining you, and where you feel stuck.
Step two
Tell It.
Bring your story and slow down enough to understand what your mind and body have been trying to say.
Step three
Heal It.
Your trained therapist will respectfully support you as you uncover thought patterns, learn new skills, and apply coping strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of therapist are you and what is your approach?
I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a background as a NICU nurse, labor & delivery nurse, and Certified Nurse-Midwife. My approach is trauma-informed, strengths-based, and grounded in both clinical training and real-world birth experience. I integrate EMDR (when appropriate), somatic therapy, mindfulness, and evidence-based approaches like CBT and ACT to help you process what you’ve been through and feel more steady in your body. Our goal is not just to “manage” or avoid symptoms.
Do you include faith or Christian counseling in your work?
Yes, if that’s important to you. I offer faith-honoring counseling that can gently integrate your beliefs into the work in a way that feels authentic and supportive. There is no pressure to approach therapy this way. I understand that this can be another area of wounding for many. Christian counseling integration is always guided by your preferences and comfort.
How is your background as a nurse and midwife different from a typical therapist?
Most therapists understand mental health. (I mean, that's our job, right?) I also understand the medical, physical, and emotional realities of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum from the inside. I’ve been in delivery rooms, NICUs, and alongside women in vulnerable moments. That means you don’t have to explain the basics or feel misunderstood. We can go deeper, faster, into the parts that are actually affecting you.
I’ve tried therapy before and it didn’t help. How is this different?
If therapy felt surface-level or overly focused on thinking patterns, you’re not alone. Many women I work with felt stuck in that kind of approach. Here, we also work with your nervous system because fear, trauma, and anxiety around pregnancy and motherhood don’t just live in your thoughts. This allows for deeper processing so you can actually feel calmer, more present, and less like your body is constantly bracing.
Do you offer virtual therapy sessions in Virginia?
Yes! I provide secure telehealth sessions for women across Virginia. This makes it easier to access consistent support without having to travel, especially during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, or while caring for a baby. Lounge pants, anyone?
Do you take insurance or is this private pay therapy?
I am a private pay therapist and do not bill insurance directly. This allows for more personalized care without restrictions from insurance companies. You can use your HSA or FSA and I can provide a superbill if you’d like to pursue out-of-network reimbursement, depending on your plan.
What are your therapy fees?
The intake session is $200, and ongoing 50-minute sessions are $160. I believe in being transparent so you know exactly what to expect. I also offer a Birth Worker Support Program for those in helping roles who are carrying the weight of supporting others through pregnancy and birth.
How do I know if you’re the right therapist for me?
If you want a therapist who understands both the clinical and lived realities of pregnancy and birth and who can help you feel safer and more grounded in your body, this may be a strong fit. The best next step is a free 15-minute consultation where we can talk through what you’re looking for and get a feel for the fit.