Pregnancy Counseling

*Online Therapy in California*

Pregnancy Is A Time of Change

Pregnancy is typically a time of joy, excitement, anticipation, and planning. This is accompanied by changes in the roles you play as a person. It can also impact you as a partner or as an adult-child. And, even your role in your profession. You might even find yourself noticing that the dreams and goals you had once set for yourself are changing. This can all feel quite confusing. And, in some cases, make you feel as if your world has been turned upside down. And the baby isn’t even here yet!

Anxiety in Pregnancy Can Add Additional Stress

You might even find that your anxiety and worry about the safety of your unborn child has escalated. Sometimes, to the point at which it is impossible to think of anything else. You might find yourself obsessively engaging in activities to protect yourself and your baby. Or, even avoiding certain tasks because of this worry. It leaves you feeling like a nervous wreck. And, wondering how you will ever manage when the baby arrives.

Depression in Pregnancy Can Make the Days Feel Longer

Sometimes, the days drag. It feels like one day lasts ten years. The clock doesn’t tick. The time doesn’t change. It feels like nothing is happening. However, at other times, it feels like time is moving a thousand miles an hour. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t keep up. Before you know it, an innumerable amount of time has passed you. And, you feel like you have nothing to show for it. Experiencing depression in pregnancy can make everything feel heavy and inescapable. You feel like you haven’t had enough time to prepare for the baby. You might also feel like you’ve wasted time. Or, feel like you’ve spent your time doing things that aren’t important.

Pregnancy Counseling in California Can Help

Some expectant parents may even find themselves feeling “unexcited”…possibly even dreading the arrival of their baby. All of the anticipation and elation you may have thought you might be feeling is nowhere to be found. Instead, the days drag by. Planning for the arrival of your baby feels like a chore. Added to this, you might even feel like the ways in which your body is changing feels foreign. Sometimes, uncomfortable and it takes a lot of getting used to. All of these changes are not at all what you were expecting!

However, all of these experiences are felt by other parents in the same situation as you. Pregnancy counseling in California with Headway Therapy can help you increase your level of preparedness for the new baby. In addition, pregnancy counseling in California can assist you in providing you the support that you may (or may not) know you’re missing.

Common Reasons Expectant Parents Seek Pregnancy Counseling

Expectant parents are often navigating a variety of different emotions, experiences, and expectations. In pregnancy counseling, our counselors have worked with many people at different stages of adapting to their pregnancy. While this season of life is overflowing with changes and the need to adapt, there are some situations\ when it is helpful to obtain outside support to navigate these.

Here are a few examples:

• Adjusting to the physical changes in your body
• When your sense of identity feels shaky and uncertain
• Noticing that your relationship with your partner is strained as a result of all of these changes
• If you have any concern that your anxiety and worry is out of control
• If you notice yourself experiencing symptoms of depression
• Any previous experience with anxiety, depression or a bipolar diagnosis may put you at greater risk for another episode
• Questioning your goals and dreams and feeling uncertain about how to make important decisions about your future, such as returning to work or when to return to work
• Preparing for birth and developing a birth plan that includes supporting your emotional well-being
• Preparing for postpartum life, the fourth trimester, and beyond.

Pregnancy Counseling Can Help You Navigate These Challenges

Pregnancy counseling in California helps you navigate the major transitions you are facing in a thoughtful way. It is a space for you to explore how things used to be. And, the changes you are currently experiencing. Additionally, it’s a place to think through how you would like to navigate these changes. At other times, to consider how you would like things to settle down. Helping you explore these shifts is part of the process. Additionally, knowing how uniquely mental health diagnoses such as anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder might impact you when pregnant is a consideration. And, in the early postpartum days. Pregnancy counseling can help support you through this and strengthen the skills you need to fully enjoy this season of your life.

The Headway Therapy Approach to Pregnancy Counseling

Helping you develop the necessary skills to begin finding relief from any distress you are experiencing is the first step. Recognizing the impact stress and overwhelm has on both you and your developing baby is important, so our goal is to minimize this as quickly as possible. Typically, this then allows us to begin exploring the transitions and changes you are experiencing so that you can begin to understand and gain insight into how you are changing and any mental health symptoms that may have developed. Additionally, we help you plan and prepare for continued changes as your pregnancy progresses through delivery and into the postpartum experience.

DBT, CBT and Interpersonal Therapy in Pregnancy Counseling

Our approach to pregnancy counseling includes components of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).  Additionally drawing upon CBT helps to provide the support you may need to manage the distress or overwhelm hat can come along with this season of life. Interpersonal Therapy helps us to process the changes happening in your relationships as you experience the shifts in your own sense of self. The goal is for you to celebrate your experiences and to get you to a place that you can enjoy what you’re experiencing, instead of regretting it. With this approach, we’ll uncover the fear and anxiety that taking up real estate in your mind. In addition, this process might uncover that these aren’t the only feelings that you’re experiencing. Rather, there are experiences and situations that can be enjoyed and celebrated.

When to Include Your Partner

At times is enormously helpful to bring your partner into our sessions. Preparing you for these conversations so that they are constructive and helpful will help both you and your partner support each other as you grow your family. What’s more, we have extensive training on how to distinguish what part of your experience is anxiety-driven and what is not. And, we have the same level of experience in identifying if you’re at risk for developing postpartum depression. 

Begin Pregnancy Counseling in California

Feeling stressed and overwhelmed while pregnant is not what you were expecting. You don’t have to feel that way! In person therapy in Encinitas, CA or online services are available. To start your counseling journey, follow these steps:

1. Contact Headway Therapy.
2. Meet with one of our Amanda Freeman, PhD, PMH-C.
3. Begin feeling better.

Other Counseling Services at Headway Therapy

Pregnancy counseling is not the only service offered in Encinitas. Other mental health services at Headway Therapy include therapy and support for postpartum families, counseling and support for infertility, as well as depression counseling and anxiety treatment. I look forward to connecting with you!