I am a licensed clinical psychologist with extensive training and experience in working with expectant and parenting families.  I also have extensive training in therapy with a range of issues that adults face, not just parent/baby/pregnancy/fertility related concerns, but also life transitions or life stressors, anxiety, mild to moderate depression, work stress, body image concerns and coping with difficult relationships. 

Having a new baby can be very stressful and I love helping new parents through the process of adjusting to having a baby. My experiences are varied, as I have provided care to families from all walks of life. I can help in all formats: video, in-person and in-home, and each format has advantages. However, for new parents and parents with young children, home-based services can be especially beneficial, because parents can get practical, in-the-moment support around issues they and their little ones are struggling with. In-home therapy also helps me see more closely the many factors that are impacting you and your baby, so that we can work together to figure out how to best support you both. If you are worried that I haven’t seen a situation like yours, while every family is certainly unique, chances are I have worked with a family going through something similar!  

Psychotherapy with me:

I work largely from an attachment-based, psychodynamic perspective, which is a little different from some other types of therapy.  Together, we will focus on putting words to your feelings and experiences, understanding how past and present relationships and experiences are impacting you and your relationships, and becoming mindful of how you may manage some of the distressing things in your life by trying to keep them out of awareness.  Additionally, I am a relational therapist, which means that your experience of me is always an open topic for discussion.  Together, we will use our experiences of our relationship to guide us in our work and help us understand you better.  We will work towards reflecting together on how you got here, and how you can move forward towards the parent and person you want to be, with care and gentleness towards yourself.

How I practice (in parent sessions) :

My background is in infant and perinatal mental health, which means that I will be reflecting with you about your thoughts and feelings about becoming a parent, as well as your baby’s needs and temperament, your history of relationships, what kind of parent you want to be, and how all of this and more relates to symptoms of depression and anxiety.  Together, we will focus on putting words to your feelings and experiences, understanding how past and present relationships and experiences are impacting you and your relationship with your little one, and becoming mindful of how you may manage some of the distressing things in your life by trying to keep them out of awareness. I am always thinking about the attachment relationship between you and your child, that irreplaceable bond the two of you are developing, and how we can help you both thrive.  To support you in fostering this relationship, after birth your baby or older child will typically be with us during session.

Goodness of fit:

Goodness of fit between client and therapist is key.  If it’s not a good fit, we likely will not be able to work towards your goals effectively.  So as we begin the process of therapy, I invite you to sit with whether or not it feels like we can work together in a way that resonates with you.  As we begin our first several sessions, please consider how you feel about me - this is important!  Do I feel warm, do I feel safe, do I feel like a person you could share with?  While you may not at every second feel warmly towards me during our work together, it is important that you feel like I am someone you can be at ease with and share your true concerns.  If during these first few sessions, we decide we are not a good fit, I will be happy to point you towards a provider more able to meet your needs.

Generally, I support clients in taking more of a “deep dive” into who they are as people and parents, and that takes time.  Also, while I certainly want to work with you to optimize your functioning as a person and a parent, therapy is your space to consider what you want, so my agenda or tasks to accomplish should generally be taking a back seat to what is relevant to you.  Some parents are looking for support that is more short term or more highly structured and therapist-driven, and while those are also great ways to get support, if this is what you’re looking for we might not be the best fit for one another.