Pregnancy & Postpartum Therapy in California

You thought this would feel different.

You read all the books. Took the classes. You prepared as much as you could and have worked so hard to do this “right.” But it’s so much harder than you ever expected.

Postpartum & pregnancy mental health challenges can look like:

  • Your mind constantly racing or jumping to worst-case scenarios

  • Not trusting yourself to make a decision before Googling it first

  • Checking on your baby over and over

  • Not being able to sleep even when the baby is sleeping

  • Crying more than you expected

  • Feeling overwhelmed by even small decisions

  • Constantly second-guessing yourself

  • Carrying a constant sense of guilt that you’re not doing enough

  • Living on autopilot and just going through the motions

If this resonates, you’re not alone.

And nothing about this means you’re doing it wrong.

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A pregnant woman wearing a dark green t-shirt and a necklace with a circular pendant is standing by a window with white curtains, gently resting her hand on her belly.

Common Challenges During Pregnancy & Postpartum

Many of the moms we work with come to us wondering:

  • Why don’t I feel like myself anymore?

  • Will I ever feel normal again?

  • Am I cut out for this?

  • Is there something wrong with me that I’m not enjoying this more?

Often times, our clients are struggling with:

  • Pregnancy or postpartum anxiety

  • Depression or emotional numbness

  • Identity changes in new motherhood

  • Fear about childbirth or future pregnancies

  • Guilt, pressure, or feeling like a “bad mom”

  • Worries about the transition to having a second (or third) child

This is more common than you think

Pregnancy and postpartum mental health challenges such as postpartum anxiety (PPA) and postpartum depression (PPD) are incredibly common, even among women who are high-functioning, prepared, and deeply invested in being great moms. The clash between expectation vs. reality can come as a big surprise, which can amplify the challenges that are so common in the transition. However this might show up, it’s treatable with the right support.

A woman with dark hair holding a baby dressed in a star-patterned outfit, standing in a room near a world map on the wall.

How Therapy Can Support Your Pregnancy & Postpartum Experience

At Palmetto Psychology Clinic, we specialize in all things pregnancy and postpartum mental health.

Therapy is a space where you can slow down, make sense of what you’re feeling, and get support that is tailored to pregnancy and postpartum.

In sessions, we’ll talk through what’s coming up for you — whether that’s anxiety, intrusive thoughts, overwhelm, or feeling unlike yourself — and help you identify and understand the patterns keeping you stuck.

We’ll also introduce practical, evidence-based tools to help you feel more grounded, manage anxiety, navigate motherhood with more confidence, life your life in a way that feels full and rich, and feel more like yourself again.

You don’t have to “push through” or figure this out alone.

Book a free consultation

FAQs about Pregnancy & Postpartum Mental Health

  • While you can’t fully prevent PPD or PPA, you can build protective factors.

    Therapy with us during pregnancy can be a powerful way to set realistic expectations, ensure support, and gain tools for managing anxiety.

    We can help you prepare emotionally for postpartum and equip you with the skills we know will support you through the challenges of the transition to motherhood.

  • Not necessarily, though it may mean you’re at a higher risk. The good news is that with the right support and early intervention, many women have a very different experience in subsequent pregnancies. We’d love to support you!

  • Pregnancy and postpartum involve massive hormonal, physical, and identity shifts. This version of your life is fundamentally different than before, in mind, body, and spirit.

    This makes feeling disconnected from yourself incredibly common, and it’ssomething we can work through together by clarifying your values, stripping away the external noise, and using self-compassion to help you meet yourself where you’re at through this stage of becoming.

  • Fear around childbirth is more common than people talk about. In therapy, we can help you process your fears, talk through ways to feel more in control (like how to advocate for yourself, be flexible with your plan, and clarify your boundaries), and approach birth with greater confidence.

  • Pregnancy can bring a level of anxiety that feels surprising, even if you’ve never struggled with anxiety before.

    Hormonal changes, increased responsibility, and the uncertainty of what’s ahead can all amplify worry. Many women find their minds constantly scanning for what could go wrong.

    This is so common, and something therapy at Palmetto can help you better understand and manage.

  • When you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and carrying the mental load of caring for a baby, your nervous system can feel constantly on edge. Anger is often a signal that something deeper needs support, like unmet needs, anxiety, or burnout.

    We can help you get to the root postpartum rage and irritability so it stops interfering with your decisions and relationships.

  • Yes. You can deeply love your baby and still feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, or even regretful. These feelings can coexist, and they don’t mean you made the wrong choice or that something is wrong with you.

  • Because it is different! Your identity, your routines, your relationships, your body, and your sense of time and freedom all shift in a relatively short period. Feeling disoriented or like you’re still adjusting is incredibly common during this season. We can help you accept these shifts and find realistic ways to reintegrate parts of your pre-baby life so that things starts to feel a little more familiar.

  • So many capable, loving mothers have this thought, especially in moments of overwhelm. It’s often a reflection of how hard this transition is, not a reflection of your ability (or desire) to be a good parent.

  • Motherhood often comes with intense internal pressure to “do everything right.” That can lead to constant second-guessing and guilt, even when you’re doing more than enough. Learning how to relate differently to that guilt is a big part of the work we do in therapy.

  • It’s completely normal to feel excited and worried, especially about how having another baby will impact your relationship with your older children.

    Therapy can help you process those fears, set realistic expectations, and feel more emotionally prepared for the transition.

Other questions? We got you!
Check out our FAQ or schedule a free consultation to chat live.

Our Team

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

If you’re here, something in you is ready for support.

We offer online therapy for pregnancy and postpartum mental health across California, including the Bay Area (San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Marin), Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego — and we’d be honored to help you feel more like yourself again.

Start with a free consultation so we can get to know and you match you with the right therapist for your needs.

Book an intro call