Pregnancy and Postpartum Therapy for Depression, Overwhelm, and Identity Changes in Illinois

You’re not just adjusting to a new routine. You’re adjusting to a new version of yourself.

You thought you were preparing for a baby. You may not have realized how much you’d be asked to change, too.

It feels like everyone else adjusted to parenthood more easily than you have
Your relationship feels more tense or distant than it used to
Your body feels unfamiliar
You miss parts of your life before becoming a parent
You feel guilty for needing space, support, or time for yourself

Maybe you expected this season to feel more natural. Or more joyful. Or more like yourself.

Instead, you feel emotionally stretched thin. Your basic needs have fallen to the bottom of the list. Your relationships may feel different. Your body feels unfamiliar. Even moments of rest can feel hard to fully settle into. You feel vigilant and tense more often than joyful and relaxed.

You may find yourself grieving parts of your old life while also deeply loving your child.

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant responsibility of caring for everyone else. Wondering why no one talks more honestly about how much becoming a parent can change you or how difficult it can sometimes feel.

Pregnancy and postpartum can bring exhaustion, anxiety, loneliness, guilt, resentment, joy, gratitude, and uncertainty all at the same time. Therapy can be a space to make sense of those experiences and reconnect with yourself within them.

Parenthood can change relationships, too.

Major life transitions often affect our relationships, boundaries, and sense of identity. Many new parents find themselves reevaluating how they show up in their relationships after welcoming a child.

You may feel more disconnected from your partner than you expected. Conversations turn into logistics. Resentment builds quietly. Physical and emotional intimacy can shift. It may feel difficult to explain the mental and emotional load you are carrying.

Therapy can help you better understand your needs, communicate more openly, and navigate the relationship changes that often come with pregnancy and postpartum.

You are not failing at parenthood.

Things you may be experiencing:

• Postpartum depression or saddness
• Feeling emotionally overwhelmed or stretched thin
• Rage, irritability, or resentment
• Intrusive thoughts or difficulty relaxing
• Grief around identity, relationships, or body changes
• Relationship stress after becoming a parent
• Difficulty adjusting to motherhood
• Feeling disconnected from yourself, your partner, or your child
• Pressure to “do it all” while silently struggling

Therapy can help you slow down enough to hear your own thoughts, understand your emotions, and feel more like yourself again in the middle of the constant demands of parenthood. The more supported and emotionally connected you feel within yourself, the more capacity you often have to be present with your child and the people you love.

You do not have to become a perfect parent to be a good parent.

Together, we may explore anxiety, overwhelm, identity changes, relationship stress, perfectionism, guilt, or the pressure to constantly “do more” as a parent. In this space, we can help you move out of survival mode and feel more grounded, rested, and emotionally present in your daily life.

Instead of living in a constant cycle of worry and “what ifs,” you can begin to experience more connection in the here and now. More confidence in responding to your child’s needs. More space to slow down, put down your phone, and actually experience moments of parenthood rather than just trying to get through them.

This work is not about becoming the perfect mother. It is about becoming a more supported, connected, and emotionally present version of yourself.

Together we will:

Create space for your needs and identity alongside the demands of parenthood
Better understand postpartum depression, overwhelm, guilt, irritability, or emotional disconnection
Respond to your child’s needs from a more grounded and connected place
Grieve the parts of your life, relationships, body, or identity that may have changed
Reconnect with yourself and experience more enjoyment, connection, and confidence in parenthood

My approach to pregnancy and postpartum therapy is relational, depth oriented, and rooted in understanding the emotional and identity shifts that can come with becoming a parent.

Rather than only focusing on symptom management, therapy can support you through pregnancy, postpartum depression, identity changes, relationship stress, and the emotional overwhelm that can come with becoming a parent.

Preparing for Postpartum?

If you're currently expecting, you don't have to wait until after your baby arrives to start building support.

I've created Tender Transitions: A Workbook for Intentional Postpartum Planning & Support to help expecting parents thoughtfully prepare for the emotional, relational, and practical realities of life after birth.

Through guided reflections, planning exercises, and conversation prompts, the workbook can help you identify your needs, strengthen your support system, and approach postpartum with greater intention.

Available on Amazon.

Explore the Workbook

FAQS

Questions you may be asking yourself right now

Not at all. Many people seek therapy during pregnancy or postpartum because they feel overwhelmed, emotionally disconnected, unlike themselves, or are struggling with the identity and relationship changes that can come with becoming a parent. You do not need a diagnosis for your experience to deserve support.
Yes. Loving your child and missing parts of your old life can exist at the same time. Parenthood often brings major shifts in identity, freedom, relationships, routines, and the way you experience yourself. Therapy can help create space for those feelings without guilt or shame.
Absolutely. Pregnancy and postpartum can place enormous emotional, physical, and mental demands on you. Therapy can help you better understand what your mind and body are responding to so you can feel more grounded, supported, and present.
Yes. When you are constantly overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck in survival mode, it can be difficult to fully experience moments of connection and presence. Therapy can help you slow down, better understand your emotions, and feel more grounded in your day-to-day life and relationships.
No. You do not have to wait until things feel unbearable to deserve support. Therapy can be a space to care for yourself, process change, and feel more connected and supported during one of the biggest transitions of your life. It can also be effective at helping decrease or eliminate symptoms of postpartum depression, grief, and anxiety.
However, just because you can doesn’t mean that you have to. If having a break from baby would feel good, let’s brainstorm some ways to help support that desire.

More questions? Check out my FAQs page.

Related Areas of Support

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