Pregnancy & Postpartum Therapy
Therapy for postpartum depression, anxiety, and the emotional side of pregnancy
For expecting and new parents who do not feel like themselves. Rachel Goldberg, LMFT, PMH-C, and our clinical team offer sessions in person in Studio City or by telehealth in 46 states and DC.
Who it is for
Support from pregnancy through the first year and beyond
For anyone who is pregnant, recently gave birth, or is caring for a new baby. Postpartum depression and anxiety can affect any parent, including partners, adoptive parents, and intended parents who welcomed a baby through surrogacy.
Many of the parents we see went through fertility treatment to get here. See Infertility & IVF Counseling and Couples Therapy, or learn about third-party reproduction if you are building your family with a donor or gestational carrier.
Baby blues or something more
Baby blues versus a postpartum mood disorder
The baby blues
Mood swings, crying, anxiety, and poor sleep that start within days of delivery and usually ease within two to three weeks.
A postpartum mood disorder
Symptoms that are stronger, last beyond three weeks, and can continue for a year or longer if untreated.
What it can look like
Trouble bonding with your baby, intense irritability or rage, feeling inadequate, constant worry, or intrusive thoughts.
What can contribute
Hormonal shifts, sleep loss, a difficult or traumatic birth, a history of depression or anxiety, or a hard road to pregnancy.
What we work on
Pregnancy & postpartum therapy
Sessions are tailored to where you are now.
Postpartum depression and anxiety
Persistent sadness, worry, or guilt, or feeling disconnected from your baby or from yourself.
- Low mood and loss of interest
- Constant worry and racing thoughts
- Feeling like you are failing
- Postpartum rage
- Loneliness after childbirth
Postpartum OCD
Intrusive, distressing thoughts, often about harm coming to the baby, with no intent or desire to act on them.
- Repeated checking on the baby
- Excessive cleaning or safety rituals
- Avoiding tasks out of fear
- Seeking constant reassurance
Birth trauma
When labor or delivery did not go as planned and it stays with you.
- Emergency or unplanned C-section
- NICU stays
- Flashbacks or avoidance
- Coping with birth trauma
Pregnancy and preparing for postpartum
Support during pregnancy, especially if you have had anxiety, depression, or a postpartum mood disorder before.
- Anxiety about birth and the newborn months
- Pregnancy after loss or infertility
- Body image and body changes
- Planning for support after the baby arrives
Postpartum psychosis
A rare but serious condition with a rapid onset of hallucinations, delusions, extreme mood swings, or confusion, usually in the first weeks after birth. It is a psychiatric emergency. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Surrogacy and postpartum
Postpartum after surrogacy
Postpartum emotions do not look the same for everyone, and surrogacy adds its own layers. Gestational carriers can feel pride, relief, and loss after delivery, and intended parents can feel joy alongside exhaustion, anxiety, or distance in the first weeks home.
Gestational carriers
Physical recovery, hormonal shifts, and the end of daily contact with the intended parents and baby can all affect mood after birth. Our Gestational Carrier Wellness Support includes postpartum follow-up for the first three months after delivery.
Gestational Carrier Wellness SupportIntended parents
Becoming a parent through surrogacy can still bring postpartum depression and anxiety, along with grief about the road here or trouble bonding. Intended Parent Wellness Support covers the surrogacy journey, and postpartum therapy is available here once your baby arrives.
Intended Parent Wellness SupportWhen to reach out
Signs it may be time to talk to someone
- Persistent sadness or low mood
- Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Irritability, anger, or crying spells
- Constant worry or intrusive thoughts
- Trouble sleeping even when the baby sleeps
- Eating much more or less than usual
If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, call or text 988, or call 911. The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is free and available 24/7 at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).
Building your family
Support before, during, and after your baby arrives
We are also a specialty practice for infertility and IVF, third-party reproduction, and couples and family therapy, so you can stay with one team as your family grows.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the difference between the baby blues and postpartum depression?
The baby blues start within days of birth and usually ease within two to three weeks. Postpartum depression is stronger, lasts longer, and gets in the way of caring for yourself or your baby. If symptoms last past three weeks, it is worth talking to someone.
Can I start therapy while I am pregnant?
Yes. Therapy during pregnancy can help with anxiety, body changes, and planning for the postpartum period, especially if you have had depression, anxiety, or a postpartum mood disorder before.
Are intrusive thoughts about my baby normal?
Unwanted, frightening thoughts about harm coming to the baby are common after birth and are a hallmark of postpartum OCD. Having them does not mean you want to act on them. Therapy can help them feel less consuming.
Can partners get postpartum depression?
Yes. Partners, adoptive parents, and intended parents who welcomed a baby through surrogacy can also experience postpartum depression and anxiety. We work with any parent adjusting to a new baby.
Is postpartum therapy available online?
Yes. Sessions are available by telehealth in 46 states and DC through our clinical team, and in person in Studio City, California.
Related reading
Blog posts and media
Support starts here.
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