You’re clear on your values, but when it comes to living them out… you just feel stuck. You’ve spent time clarifying what matters most to you as a new parent. Maybe you’ve even set some values-based goals. You have a clear picture of where you want to go, but every time you try to take a step in that direction, something gets in your way. If that’s you, you’re not alone. Here are 3 reasons why it can be hard to live your values as a new parent. You’re in survival mode. Despite the cotton-candy-filtered stories you may have heard about becoming a parent, this season of life can be really, R ..read more

Do you ever get the feeling that you’re creating your life based on someone else’s idea of what’s important? If so, you’re not alone. In this post, I’ll be talking about inherited vs chosen values (spoiler alert: they’re not mutually exclusive). Understanding the difference between the two and when each of them is influencing your decisions will help you create a version of life and parenthood that is a great fit for YOU. Let’s talk about the difference between inherited vs. chosen values. Once upon a time, you were a little kid.  Growing up, you looked to the people and communities a ..read more

What are values-based goals? Before we can talk about how to set values-based goals, let’s touch on the difference between values and goals. Values are the qualities that matter most to you (ex: wellness, community, growth) and goals are the outcomes you hope to achieve (ex: to get more sleep, to make plans with a friend, to try something new). The truth is you need both values AND goals in order to create a meaningful life (as you define it). When you set goals without understanding your values, you risk creating a life based on someone else’s idea of what matters most. When you understand ..read more

What is perinatal PTSD? Perinatal PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is one of several perinatal mood and anxiety disorders that can show up during pregnancy and/or the postpartum year. Perinatal PTSD includes prenatal PTSD during pregnancy and postpartum PTSD after birth.  Here are 5 signs of perinatal PTSD: 1. You’ve experienced trauma. Some experiences during pregnancy, birth, or the postpartum year may put you at higher risk of developing perinatal PTSD (such as serious medical complications for you, your partner, or your baby). But the truth is, “trauma” can be less about t ..read more

If this is your first time trying online therapy, you may be wondering what to expect. Unlike in-person therapy, online therapy requires a bit more preparation and collaboration to ensure a confidential, connected, and comfortable session. You’ll need to work together with your therapist to create the best possible experience for you.   Here are ten steps to prepare for your first (or next) online therapy session:  1. Find a private space. This could be a bedroom, laundry room, walk-in closet, office, or even a parked car. Ideally, you would have the option to lock the door a ..read more

There are SO MANY reasons why mental health is important during pregnancy and the postpartum year.  In many spaces that talk about your health during this time period, these reasons are centered on your baby’s health and wellbeing.  These baby-focused reasons are super important and (for a lot of us) can be VERY motivating.   In this post, I’m focusing on YOU. Outside of your pregnancy or parenting status, you are a human being deserving of mental health.  Below I’ll be sharing a bit about why your mental health matters during pregnancy and postpartum — just for your ..read more

What is perinatal OCD? Perinatal OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) is one of several perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) that can show up during pregnancy and/or the postpartum year. It includes prenatal OCD during pregnancy and postpartum OCD after birth.  Perinatal OCD involves two main symptoms: obsessions and compulsions. What are obsessions? Obsessions are intrusive and unwanted thoughts, urges, and images that play on repeat in your mind. They are often scary and sometimes violent. Some common examples of obsessions in perinatal OCD are: thoughts of you accidenta ..read more

What is perinatal panic disorder? Perinatal panic disorder is one of several perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) that can show up during pregnancy and/or the postpartum year. Perinatal panic disorder includes prenatal panic disorder during pregnancy and postpartum panic disorder after birth.  Panic attacks under any circumstance can feel super scary. Panic attacks during pregnancy or that first year with baby takes that already-scary experience and makes it even more intense. Something EVEN WORSE? Not understanding what’s happening or how to help yourself feel better ..read more

Reaching out for a therapy consultation can feel intimidating — knowing what to expect can help. Reaching out to someone new with something as vulnerable as your mental health can feel kinda scary. In this post, I give you a behind-the-scenes look into how I structure my own therapy consultations. My hope is that knowing what to expect will help this first step feel a little easier. Whether you schedule a consultation with me or a different therapist, this will give you a sense of the sort of things that may come up in that first call. What is a therapy consultation? Simply put — a therap ..read more

What is perinatal anxiety? Perinatal anxiety is one of several perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs)* that can show up during pregnancy and/or the postpartum year. Perinatal anxiety includes prenatal anxiety (aka antepartum anxiety) during pregnancy and postpartum anxiety after birth.  *Perinatal anxiety often refers to generalized anxiety (anxiety about a range of events or activities), which will be the focus of this post. However, you should know that perinatal anxiety can ALSO be used as an umbrella term for a subset of PMADs that include perinatal panic disorder, p ..read more