Maternal Mental Health

Therapy can effectively treat maternal mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and obsessive thoughts that may arise in pregnancy, postpartum and across the developmental span. Teva offers therapy for moms, dads, and all caregivers.

What Causes Postpartum Depression and Anxiety?

The causes of postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA) are complex. PPD and PPA can be triggered by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. It’s important to view maternal mental health within the context of the environment, physical health, and relationships.

Women with a history of mental illness are at-risk of developing a mood or anxiety disorder in the perinatal period. Additionally, women who have little social support or who experience financial insecurity, an abusive partner, a medically fragile baby, or a baby with a high needs temperament are at increased risk for PPD and/or PPA. Women who experienced a traumatic birth or separation from their baby are also at-risk for developing a postpartum mood or anxiety disorder.

Motherhood and Loneliness

Many American mothers are isolated without a village or helping hands. There is no one present to hold the baby while she eats, rests, or showers. There’s an absence of wise elders to normalize the growing pains of this major life transition, leaving mothers to make up unrealistic narratives about how she should feel and how her baby should act. Many mothers don’t live near family or friends, and their main source of social interaction is with their phone. Lack of in-person engagement and practical help can lead to severe loneliness, depression and anxiety.

Parenting Myths

Modern mothers are often under intense pressure to get their babies and children to be “good.” A “good” baby or child is quiet and makes no demands, according to this grossly misinformed cultural idea. Unrealistic expectations and social scrutiny is distressing for mothers and disruptive of the formation of maternal confidence and secure attachment. Feelings of failure and self-blame accompany not living up to myths of perfection and can lead to maternal depression and anxiety.

How Therapy Can Help

Good therapists understand the societal impact on maternal mental health and they can help families from a holistic perspective. In therapy mothers feel seen and validated. They collaborate with therapists on solutions to the most pressing issues. Therapy can help mothers take important steps towards emotional and relational well-being through parent coaching, mindfulness, CBT, child development education, problem-solving, and community resources.

Licensed therapists can evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions like postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, and postpartum psychosis. Therapists can help you heal parental burnout and provide encouragement and strategies to increase rest and energy.

Therapists can help parents manage expectations, which may increase confidence and reduce interpersonal conflict.

Experience with California Families

Teva has about a decade of experience as a social worker and child therapist. She has exclusively worked with children and parents in diverse settings—from schools, to foster care, to private practice.

Teva began her career in maternal child mental health, leading groups for pregnant and postpartum women and their children ages 0-3. Teva facilitated group therapy for postpartum mothers at her local hospital’s New Parent Resource Center and completed Postpartum Support International’s course in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, DONA’s course for Postpartum Doulas, and UC San Diego’s course in Lactation Education & Counseling.

Services available to all parents and caregivers:

• Evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders

• Therapy during pregnancy, postpartum, early childhood and teen years

• Consulting for parents on normative infant attachment behavior

• Education and problem-solving for parents of highly sensitive, “intense” infants & children

• Therapy for parents in diverse family arrangements, including foster families

• Holistic approach incorporating social support and lifestyle changes

Parenting was never intended to be done in isolation, reach out for help