Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
This is for you if: You are plagued by "what-if" thoughts or scary, intrusive images that make you feel like a "bad parent." You feel paralyzed by the "mental load" and need practical, evidence-based tools to regain control of your mind.
The journey into and through parenthood is a remarkable time, often filled with immense joy, but also significant challenges. From the anxieties of fertility treatment and pregnancy to the demanding realities of the postpartum period and the early years of parenting. Your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors play a powerful role in shaping your experience. If you find yourself caught in cycles of negative thinking, overwhelming worry, persistent sadness, or unhelpful behavioral patterns, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers a highly effective and practical approach to regain control and foster greater emotional well-being.
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My goal when working with my clients is to address the stress and overwhelm of the perinatal and early parenting period. My practice is dedicated to providing a clear, supportive, and action-oriented space where we can work collaboratively to identify unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors that may be contributing to your distress. Through practical strategies and skill-building, I empower you to challenge negative thinking, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and respond to the demands of parenthood with greater clarity, resilience, and confidence. This isn't just about managing symptoms; it's about equipping you with tangible tools for lasting change.
Transforming Thoughts, Empowering You
The perinatal period is a time of intense change, both external and internal. Our minds naturally try to make sense of these shifts, but sometimes, our thoughts can become distorted, unhelpful, or overwhelming, leading to increased distress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is founded on the principle that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and by changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, we can significantly improve our emotional state.
What to expect: We will identify the thought patterns that keep you stuck and replace them with "reality-based" strategies. You’ll leave sessions with a literal toolkit of techniques to disarm anxiety and stop the spiral of intrusive thoughts in its tracks.
Here are common experiences where a CBT approach can offer profound support:
Overwhelming Anxiety and Worry
Persistent Sadness or Depression
Intrusive Thoughts
Sleep Disturbances (Beyond Infant Needs)
Irritability and Anger
Perfectionism and Self-Criticism
Avoidance Behaviors
Adjustment Challenges
Parenting Stress and Discipline Challenges
By actively engaging in CBT, you gain practical skills to identify, evaluate, and modify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, leading to a more positive emotional experience and a greater sense of control in your family building, postpartum, and parenting journey. Learn more about how my services can address your intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and break habitual patterns that do not serve you and improve your parenting experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a practical, goal-oriented form of therapy that focuses on the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By identifying and reframing unhelpful "thought spirals"—such as catastrophic "what-if" thinking or intrusive postpartum thoughts—you can develop concrete skills to manage anxiety and change your emotional response to stress.
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No. It means you are experiencing a very common symptom of postpartum anxiety. CBT is the gold standard for treating these "scary thoughts." We learn to identify them as "false alarms" and give you tools to disarm them so they stop running your life.
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CBT is practical and goal-oriented. Many parents find that after just a few sessions, they have a "toolkit" of strategies to manage panic attacks, social anxiety, or the overwhelming "mental load" of parenthood.