Postpartum Therapist Granada Hills

Takeaway: Having a new baby is a beautiful gift, but it can also come with many challenges and overwhelming emotions. If you’re struggling to cope, you’re not alone, and we’re here to help. We specialize in providing postpartum counseling for the Latinx community in Granada Hills and throughout the state of California via telehealth. Connect with us today to start getting the support you need.

Welcoming a new life into your world is a journey of joy, but it can also bring unexpected emotional challenges. In Granada Hills, our specialized postpartum therapy offers compassionate support tailored for new mothers, including those in the Latino community. We understand the unique complexities you may face during this life-changing period. Our postpartum counseling focuses on providing a safe, understanding space to navigate these changes. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, adapting to new family dynamics, or seeking emotional balance, our experienced therapists in Granada Hills are here to guide you every step of the way.

After welcoming a new life, you might find your daily functioning disrupted by challenging life events. It’s normal if you’re experiencing negative thoughts, feelings of incapacity, low self esteem, inability to sleep, or signs of depression and anxiety. These emotions can significantly impact your day-to-day life, making even simple tasks feel overwhelming. If this sounds like your experience, know that you’re not alone. Help is available, and it’s okay to seek support. Our postpartum approach is designed to validate your feelings and provide the necessary tools to navigate this phase of life, offering a path to regain balance and well-being.

Sandra* feels guilty for being less than excited about motherhood.

Sandra barely sleeps, and she’s so tired. Her emotions are all over the place – everything makes her want to cry.

She feels sad, scared, and guilty for all her negative feelings.

How can she take in what is supposed to be wonderful when everything feels so out of place?

Breastfeeding is not going very well. Sandra prepared, read, knows how often to feed the baby, but she worries that the baby is not getting enough milk. Who knew that latching the baby would be so hard?

Sandra’s life is different now.

Trying to figure out when she’ll be able to take a shower is another story. Sandra used to do these minor things, but now, everything requires prior planning.

The big things in her life haven’t changed, but it’s all the little things that feel like they will never be the same again.

Sandra wanted to have her baby so bad, and she loves her baby. So why is it so hard?

She should not complain; she should be happy. Sandra thinks, “What kind of mother am I to feel this way? Shouldn’t being a mother come naturally to me?”

Rebecca* feels like she is in a fog most of the time.

Since Rebecca’s baby was born, she cannot shake this heavy feeling of dread. Her baby wakes up to eat many times at night, but she cannot go back to sleep afterward and cannot nap during the day.

Rebecca worries her baby will stop breathing, so she continuously checks.

Rebecca feels disconnected, like she is behind glass, looking in at her family but separated from them somehow while unable to feel at all. Something about not feeling anything is worse than feeling something, even if it’s bad.

Rebecca’s husband sleeps through the night, even though the baby cries. For the hundredth time, she wonders, “How can he do that?”

Thus far, Rebecca has been successful at hiding her symptoms from her friends and family. But her husband has noticed something is wrong, as he helplessly watches her.

Rebecca wants those feelings to go away, and the shame is so heavy. To admit that something is wrong is unthinkable, but something feels seriously wrong.

Mary* feels overwhelmingly overprotective.

Everything went smoothly with Mary’s first baby. But the birth of her second baby was traumatic and a life-changing moment.

After arriving home, the nightmares started. Mary can’t leave her baby out of her sight and worries constantly. If she takes her kids to the park, she envisions scenarios of them getting hurt by falling off the slide, getting hit by a car, or running and tripping and hurting their heads.

She cannot control her emotions or get those disturbing scenarios out of her head. It is paralyzing.

It’s like something has taken over her body, and there is nothing she can do about it.

Mary’s husband tells her to relax, that there is no need to worry all the time. But she cannot control it even if she wishes that the feeling of needing to be overprotective would go away.

*Names changed to protect client confidentiality.

Motherhood brings unexpected challenges.

Pregnancy and the first year of the baby’s birth are significant periods in a woman’s life. There is a before and an after. But life will never be the same after, whether this is her first child or her fourth.

Most women find themselves completely overwhelmed. All they want is to feel like themselves again but fear that this is not possible.

Your struggles do not mean you are a failure or are weak. Guilt for not doing it right, not feeling grateful or happy, and not handling everything during this period are normal feelings.

Recognizing that you are having a hard time is the first step.

Why do you feel this way?

Often, it’s the baby blues.

Baby blues include feelings of sadness, crying a lot, feeling moody or cranky, and having trouble sleeping, eating, and making decisions.

Symptoms of the baby blues will slowly decrease within a few weeks after delivering your baby.

If those feelings persist, you may have postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression is a simple term to explain perinatal mood disorders. However, it is a genuine medical illness that affects every cell in a woman’s brain and body.

Postpartum depression is an illness that touches a woman’s partner, immediate family, extended family, and friends.

Some women become more affected than others.

Postpartum depression does not go away in a few weeks but instead gets worse.

Postpartum counseling can help.

Navigating postpartum depression and anxiety can be challenging, but with the support of a licensed therapist, it becomes a journey of recovery and self-discovery. Our sessions are designed to offer crucial emotional support, focusing on building effective coping skills that can make all the difference. We prioritize your mental health, understanding the delicate nature of postpartum challenges. Our approach is to provide a compassionate, safe space where you can openly express yourself and learn strategies to manage the complexities of postpartum depression, guiding you toward a path of healing and emotional well-being.

Here is what we offer.

Therapy for pregnant mothers: We can help prepare you emotionally and mentally for the birth of your child to give you the best chance of success.

Therapy for postpartum mothers: We will help you adjust to the difficulties of motherhood and understand and manage emotions causing feelings of depression and anxiety.

Traumatic birth healing: We use EMDR to heal traumatic birth experiences causing or worsening depressive and anxious feelings.

We understand that you have little time and no patience for therapy. But we also know that you want to give your child the best of yourself.

Let us help you release suffering so you can get back to those that matter most to you. Call or text 818.945.9075 to get started.

• Maria Martinez

• LCSW

• License number 80703

• Telehealth Therapy or in-person

• Providing therapy since 2008

• Maria, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Granada Hills and founder of Healing Blue Inc., has working in maternal mental health for numerous years. With over a decade of experience, Maria brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for aiding postpartum mothers. Maria excels in EMDR and IFS, and offers bilingual support to postpartum mothers navigating the complexities of motherhood, ensuring they receive compassionate and skilled care during this pivotal chapter of their lives.

• Read more about Maria here.

• Amanda Martinez

• LCSW

• License number 102580

• Telehealth Therapy or in-person

• Providing Therapy since 2014

• Amanda, a seasoned a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Granada Hills, brings her rich cultural background and understanding to her role as a postpartum therapist. Infused with empathy from her own life’s journey, she offers over eight years of expertise supporting postpartum mothers. Specializing in maternal mental health, she adeptly applies EMDR and CBT to assist new mothers in their journey. Her bilingual abilities provide a comforting bridge to postpartum mothers dealing with the intricate aspects of motherhood, delivering care that’s both compassionate and proficient during a crucial time.

• Read more about Amanda here

At Healing Blue Inc., we’re dedicated to guiding you through postpartum recovery journey. Yet, our services may not be the perfect fit for everyone:

• Psychological Testing: If your situation requires in-depth psychological testing, a practice with a focus on such evaluations would be more advantageous. We provide diagnostic assessments but not psychological testing.

• Free Services: We empathize with the financial hardships many clients face. While our practice isn’t able to offer free therapy, we accept major insurances, offer sliding scale prices and we can assist you in finding community resources in Granada Hills or surrounding areas.

• Medication Management: Clients who need dedicated medication support as part of their treatment might benefit more from a psychiatric specialist, as we focus on therapeutic support. Nevertheless we can refer you to a psychiatrist that will complement our therapeutic work.

• Broader Support Needs: We pride ourselves on assisting those with postpartum challenges; however, if your journey requires services beyond baby blues, postpartum depression, and anxiety and we asses is beyond our scope, we’ll help direct you to the right resources.

Our priority is your well-being and ensuring you receive the support that best meets your needs.

Transitioning into parenthood can be a profound yet challenging experience, and it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed during this period. If you’re struggling with the emotional and psychological changes this time brings, please know that you’re not alone. Our postpartum therapists are here to help you navigate these complex emotions and guide you back to feeling like yourself again.

At our practice, we embrace a compassionate and holistic treatment philosophy. We understand that postpartum experiences are deeply personal and multifaceted, involving physical, emotional, and social changes. Our therapists are skilled in various therapeutic approaches, tailored to address the unique challenges of postpartum depression, anxiety, and other related conditions. We focus on creating a supportive, non-judgmental space where you can openly express your feelings and concerns.

Through our therapy sessions, we aim to empower you with coping strategies, emotional support, and practical guidance to manage the complexities of new parenthood. We believe in a collaborative approach, working closely with you to rediscover your strength and resilience.

Taking the first step towards healing is a significant move. We encourage you to reach out for a free consultation. This initial conversation is an opportunity for us to understand your needs better and discuss how we can support you on your journey to recovery and well-being. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. With support, it will get better.