Fertility Evaluations & Consultation Services
Online Psychological Evaluations for Women Across New York State
This doesn’t feel like “the most magical time of your life”…
Whether you planned your pregnancy or were surprised, this doesn’t feel like the dream of motherhood you were sold. It certainly isn’t what you saw from TV shows and movies and it definitely wasn’t what your friends and family described it to be. Of course, you’ve felt sad before but this time things feel very different:
You didn’t imagine yourself struggling to connect with your pregnancy or baby.
No one told you just how lonely you would feel (because everyone always asks about baby but rarely about mom).
On top of it all, you never expected to feel like a ‘bad mom’.
Perinatal depression affects women during pregnancy and the first four weeks after childbirth while postpartum depression impacts women after the first four weeks but up to the first year postpartum. They affect about 10-20% of women every year but this number increases to about 70% for Black women and women of color. So, what does it all mean? It means that you are not alone. Postpartum depression also doesn’t stop automatically once your baby turns one year old; the symptoms can persist for years (becoming Major Depressive Disorder- MDD) and can feel like your new ‘normal’. Whether you are pregnant, recently given birth, or gave birth five years ago, you may still be struggling and you deserve relief.
This isn’t just the ‘Baby Blues’: Symptoms of Perinatal and Postpartum Depression
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• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Sadness
• Irritability
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Crying
• Reduced concentration
• Appetite problems
• Trouble sleeping
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• Depressed mood or severe mood swings
• Crying spells
• Difficulty bonding with your baby
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual
• Inability to sleep, called insomnia, or sleeping too much
• Overwhelming tiredness or loss of energy
• Less interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
• Intense irritability and anger
• Fear that you're not a good mother
• Hopelessness
• Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy
• Reduced ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions
• Restlessness
• Severe anxiety and panic attacks
• Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
Mayo Clinic. (2022, November 24). Postpartum Depression. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/postpartum-depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20376617
Aren’t changes to be expected with pregnancy and after baby?
While there is an expected window of adjustment before and after baby, symptoms that get in the way of living your life for two weeks or longer may be indicative of perinatal or postpartum depression. For example:
Is getting out of bed so hard that you haven’t showered in a while (despite having opportunities to)?
Are you struggling to focus at work? Are you making unusual mistakes or receiving negative feedback/evaluations?
Are you feeling so disconnected from yourself or your baby that you worry about your (or their) safety?
Ongoing changes, or symptoms, that get in the way of how you typically live life indicate that it’s time to get support. You don’t have to figure it out on your own or have the answer. I can help.
This Isn’t Your Final Chapter: Choose Lavender Therapy
My Goal
My goal is to support you through the thoughts, feelings, and patterns that have kept you feeling down so that you can (re)discover a life worth living again.
My Process
Your unique experiences and perspectives will guide our sessions. Together, we will establish goals for treatment (e.g., addressing sadness or depression) and use proven techniques and strategies to meet your unique needs.
My Promise
I am committed to providing a compassionate and non-judgmental space for you to express yourself and strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for women of all backgrounds, cultures, and identities.