Therapy Services for Pregnancy, Birth Trauma, and Motherhood

Yes! Although I'm based in Chesapeake, using a secure telehealth platform means I can provide therapy for adult women across the State of Virginia. Virtual sessions make it easier to get support during pregnancy, postpartum, or the demands of everyday motherhood without adding one more thing to your plate.

I help women who are dealing with pregnancy anxiety, postpartum anxiety or depression, birth trauma, fear of pregnancy or motherhood, and trauma related to birth work or otherwise. Many of my clients feel constantly on edge, emotionally shut down, or stuck bracing for the worst. Our work focuses on helping you feel safer in your body, more grounded in your emotions, and more present in your life.

Many women come to this work after trying therapy that gave them insight but did not create real change in how they felt day to day. This approach goes beyond talking through your thoughts. We also pay attention to your nervous system, your body’s stress responses, and the ways trauma can keep you stuck even when you understand what is happening logically.

Traditional talk therapy often focuses mainly on thoughts, beliefs, and coping skills. While that is essential, trauma-informed, body-based therapy also looks at what your nervous system is doing, especially when anxiety, fear, numbness, or shutdown keep showing up automatically. That matters in pregnancy and motherhood, because your body may still be reacting to past experiences even when you are trying your best to stay calm.

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a therapy approach that helps people process distressing experiences so those memories and emotions feel less overwhelming and less activating over time. I summarize this as moving you from reliving and experience to remembering it. When it is clinically appropriate, I may use EMDR as part of our work to help reduce the emotional intensity of trauma related to pregnancy, birth, or other painful experiences.

CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It helps you notice the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors so you can begin changing patterns that keep anxiety going. In our work, CBT may be one part of treatment, but not the whole thing, especially when your distress is also showing up strongly in your body.

ACT stands for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. While CBT often helps you challenge unhelpful thought patterns, ACT helps you change your relationship to difficult thoughts and feelings so they have less control over you. ACT also focuses on helping you act in line with your values, even when fear, uncertainty, or overwhelm are present.

Yes, I offer faith-honoring counseling that supports the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. If you want to include your Christian faith in the process, we can do that in a grounded, honest way without pressure or shame.

You do not need to have that figured out before reaching out. Many women are dealing with more than one issue at the same time, such as birth trauma and postpartum anxiety, or fear of pregnancy and a history of trauma. In your consultation and intake, we can talk through what is happening and decide where to begin.

I offer 50-minute virtual sessions and tailor the work to your goals, your history, and your capacity in the moment. We move at a pace that feels safe and manageable. Depending on what you need, I may draw from EMDR, somatic therapy, mindfulness, CBT, ACT, and other evidence-based approaches to help you process trauma, foster resilience, and feel steadier again. I'm a funny gal, so will insert humor when appropriate and to help moderate the session. While the sessions are key, your participation between sessions is crucial for your wellness.