Parenting, pregnancy, childbirth and fertility issues bring dramatic change into your life and significantly impact your emotional well-being. It may not just be the challenge of fertility treatments, or “morning sickness,” or “baby blues” that bring feelings of isolation or anxiety. Even with healthy pregnancies that result in healthy babies, many women, men and families struggle silently, dismissing feelings of sadness, anger or mental exhaustion. Fertility, pregnancy and postpartum-related issues are very effectively addressed through therapy though and can provide the emotional support you deserve. With proper therapeutic support, you can find validation and develop healthy coping mechanism without fear of judgment.

Some of the most common fertility, pregnancy and postpartum concerns are:

• Excessive Sadness and Difficulty Regulating Your Emotions
• Anger over a Loss of Control over your Body or Life
• Feeling a Disconnection from Loved Ones and/or your Baby
• Racing and Anxious Thoughts
• Having Difficulty Coping with your “New Normal”
• Feeling Pressure to “Be Perfect”
• Guilt or Shame about Feelings of Inadequacy
• Missing your Independence or “Old Life”
• Difficulty Concentrating
• Disturbing Thoughts that Feel Out of Control

Disclaimer: If you feel that any of the above symptoms are too overwhelming and you worry that you could harm to yourself, your baby or another person, please do not delay treatment and seek out the nearest hospital emergency room immediately.

All people experience worry and some anxious feelings can be a very normal part of life. However, your overwhelming anxiety can become problematic and significantly impact your ability to enjoy life or even function day-to-day. When your anxiety feels out of control and you find panic, stress and worry to be continuous, therapy can provide useful tools to manage symptoms, reframe thoughts and ultimately regain control over your life. In fact, anxiety symptoms are some of the most common reasons why people seek out therapy services. School pressures, family or friend relationships, parenting demands or work stresses can all be effectively managed with professional support.

Some indications that your anxiety would benefit from therapeutic intervention are:

• Trouble Managing Everyday Activities
• Inability to Focus, Racing Thoughts
• Feeling Restless and Tense
• Difficulty Sleeping and Insomnia
• Digestive Symptoms or Changes in Appetite
• Increased Heart Rate and Breathing
• Avoiding Situations that may Trigger your Anxiety
• Panic Attacks

Stress is an inevitable part of life and can even be beneficial to survival, but when you consistently experience uncontrollable, high levels of stress throughout the day, it can take a devastating toll both physically and mentally. The strong body and mind responses from stress can cause us to develop coping mechanisms that are not actually helpful and lead us into a vicious spiral downward. It is possible to find hope again for your future. Working within a trusting and pressure-free therapeutic relationship, you can identify the stressors that seem to dominate your day-to-day, develop new skills and healthy coping techniques and regain a sense of control and contentment in your life.

You may be experiencing one or many of these most common physical, emotional, mental symptoms of stress due to either expected or unexpected life transitions:

• Stomach Aches, Fatigue, Insomnia, Headaches
• Irritability, Anger
• Sadness and Tearfulness, Apathy
• Anxiety, Depression
• Eating or Food-related Issues
• Substance Use or Abuse

Sources of stress often addressed in therapy include:

• Primary Caregiver or Parent Responsibilities
• Difficulty Maintaining Balance
• Academic or Work Pressures
• Emotional or Mental Burden for Parents
• Feeling Helpless with a Struggling Child or Partner