Support for Pregnancy, Motherhood, and Healing
Resources for perinatal mental health,
trauma recovery, and emotional support
Start here!
Begin with the resource that best fits what you’re carrying right now. New articles will be added regularly.
Fear of pregnancy or motherhood - Coming soon
Postpartum emotional adjustment - Coming Soon
Self-assessment
Pregnancy & Postpartum Mood Self-Check
This self‑check is for pregnant and postpartum women who are wondering if what they are feeling is “normal stress” or something more. It is not a diagnosis, but it can help you notice patterns in your mood and stress and decide whether it might be time to reach out for support.
In the past 2 weeks:
- Have you been feeling sad, down, or empty more days than not?
- Do you feel on edge, anxious, or like your thoughts cannot settle?
- Have you noticed feeling more irritable or angry with people around you?
- Are you having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or wanting to sleep all the time?
- Has your appetite changed a lot, either not wanting to eat or eating much more than usual?
- Do you feel numb, checked out, or disconnected from yourself, your pregnancy, or your baby?
- Are you having upsetting or scary thoughts that keep popping up, even if you do not want them?
- Do you feel overwhelmed by everyday tasks that used to feel manageable?
- Do you feel more guilt, shame, or like you are “not a good enough mother” most days?
- Have you had thoughts that your family might be better off without you, or thoughts of hurting yourself?
What to do with your answers:
If you answered "yes" to several of these questions, especially if the feelings have been strong or getting worse, consider:
- Bringing this list to your next prenatal or postpartum visit and sharing your answers.
- Reaching out to a perinatal therapist to talk about what you are experiencing and what support could look like.
If you're having thoughts of hurting yourself or others, or feeling like you might act on scary thoughts, please treat this as an emergency and seek immediate help from one of the listed resources.
Ever-evolving -
Recommended Books: A Short List
I have not included any hyperlinks so as not to influence your choice of book seller. Feel free to use the information here to visit your favorite retailer or library.
Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: A Healing Guide to the Secret Fears of New Mothers
by Karen Kleiman
Good Mothers Have Scary Thoughts is packed with world-class guidance, simple exercises, and nearly 50 stigma-busting cartoons from the viral #speakthesecret campaign that help new moms validate their feelings, share their fears, and start feeling better.
Dropping the Baby and Other Scary Thoughts
by Karen Kleiman, Amy Wenzel, Hilary Waller & Abby Adler Mandel
This accessible guide addresses the nature of the intrusive and unwanted thoughts that can be common in new parenthood, and offers practical answers and advice on how to tackle these. The revised edition (2020) explains exactly what these negative thoughts are, why they come about, and what can be done about them.
Not Your Mother’s Postpartum Book: Normalizing Post-Baby Mental Health Struggles, Navigating #MOMLife, and Finding Strength Amid the Chaos
by Caitlin Slavens & Chelsea Bodie
Normalizing everything you deal with as a mom — the good, the bad, and the truth. This is a refreshingly candid resource jam-packed with expert insights and real stories of motherhood from psychologists Chelsea Bodie and Caitlin Slavens.
Transformed By Birth: Cultivating Openness, Resilience, and Strength for the Life-Changing Journey from Pregnancy to Parenthood
by Britta Bushnell, PhD
Transformed by Birth helps you clear away unwanted beliefs and behaviors so you can open to the meaning and power of this uniquely life-changing experience. It offers daily practices, rituals, exercises, and more to help you cultivate resilience, power, and connection during this transformative time.
Matrescence: On Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood
by Lucy Jones
An important, moving, passionate and passionately written inquiry—personal and scientific—into what happens—mentally, spiritually, physically, during the process of becoming a mother, from pregnancy and childbirth to early motherhood and what this profound process tells us about the way we live now.
Mother Brain: How Neuroscience is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood
by Chelsea Conaboy
The story that exists in the science today is far more meaningful than the idea that mothers spring into being by instinct. Weaving the latest neuroscience and social psychology together with new reporting, Conaboy reveals unexpected upsides, generations of scientific neglect, and a powerful new narrative of parenthood.
Common Questions About Therapy
Find clear answers to frequent concerns about trauma-informed therapy services designed for anxious moms and moms-to-be. Understand how this kind of support can help you feel calmer, more present, and more connected to yourself and the people you love.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does online therapy work?
Sessions are held by secure video from a private space in your home or wherever you feel most comfortable (as long as you are in the State of Virginia). We meet at a set time, you click a link, and we talk face to face on screen, just like an in‑person session without the commute! I will walk you through the tech step by step so it feels simple, even if you are not “good with technology.”
What happens during the free consultation call?
The consultation is a 15-minute video or phone call where you can briefly share what you are looking for and ask any questions about how I work. I will let you know whether I am a good fit for what you are carrying and what therapy with me might look like. There is no pressure to decide on the spot. The goal is for you to get a clear sense of me and for us both to see whether it feels like a good match before scheduling a first session.
What can I expect during my first session?
Your first session is mosly about getting to know you, not diving into deep work just yet. (So you can relax. We're not going to dive right into the biggest pain point.) I will ask about what lead you here, what life looks like right now, and what you are hoping will feel different. We will talk about your history, current symptoms and supports, and begin to outline a plan that fits your nervous system, schedule, and season of life.
Is therapy confidential and safe?
Yes. Sessions are confidential and follow professional ethical standards. What you share stays between us except in the rare situations where the law requires me to act to keep someone safe. I know it is a big deal to talk about intrusive thoughts, scary feelings, or things you have never said out loud. My job is to protect your privacy and create a space where those conversations are allowed and expected.
How long does therapy usually take?
You want this behind you, right? Many people feel a bit of relief simply from having a safe place to talk in the first session and more clarity after a few sessions. At the same time, there is no one right length for therapy. Some women come for a short season to get through a specific stretch of life. Others stay longer as we work on deeper patterns, trauma, or nervous system restoration and healing. We will check in regularly about how things are feeling, what is changing, and whether the pace and frequency still fit your life and budget.
Do you accept insurance?
N o, Unshaken Perinatal & Trauma Therapy does not bill insurance directly. Many clients use HSA or FSA funds, and if you have out-of-network benefits I can provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. We can talk through the financial side together so you know exactly what to expect.
Do you use an AI scribe or recording during sessions?
Yes. With your consent, I use a secure AI scribe as an accessibility support so I can focus on you instead of on memorizing the session. It creates a transcript I use to write your clinical note, and the temporary recording is deleted once the transcript is created. The scribe is not the clinician. It does not make decisions, give advice, or replace our work together. The platform I use does not use your information to train a public AI model. Your data is protected to the same standard as the charting system I use, and you sign a separate consent form so you can decide whether you are comfortable with this. I'm happy to answer any other questions you might have during our consult call!
I'm not sure if what I'm feeling is "bad enough." Can I still reach out?
Absolutely! You don't have to name the feelings to honor them and you don't have to be in crisis to be welcome here. If you are feeling more anxious, flat, overwhelmed, or unlike yourself than you expected, that is enough. Part of my work is helping you sort out what is going on and what kind of support would actually help, even if you are still functioning on the outside.
Ready to Start?
If you want to schedule a consultation, click the button below and choose your time. Support is available to help you feel steady and connected in your motherhood journey.