Up to 1 in 5 new parents will experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder — and it's highly treatable. Our perinatal-mental-health-trained clinicians (PMH-C) provide specialized therapy for postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, postpartum rage, and birth trauma. Sessions can be virtual, in-person, or sometimes with baby present. We coordinate with OBs, midwives, lactation consultants, and reproductive psychiatrists.
This may be a good fit if…
- ✓Postpartum depression (mild, moderate, or severe)
- ✓Postpartum anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or OCD
- ✓Postpartum rage and irritability
- ✓Birth trauma and traumatic delivery
- ✓Pregnancy depression and anxiety (antenatal)
- ✓Pregnancy loss, NICU stays, and fertility-related distress
Specialized, Not General
Perinatal mental health has its own clinical considerations — medication safety in pregnancy/lactation, intrusive thoughts vs. true risk, the impact of sleep deprivation. PMH-C-trained clinicians make the difference.
Safety Without Stigma
Intrusive thoughts about harm to baby are common in postpartum OCD and almost never indicate true risk. Our clinicians know the difference and won't pathologize what is treatable.
Whole-Family View
Partners experience perinatal mood disorders too. Sessions can include partners; we screen for paternal postpartum depression as well.
Key benefits
Specialized PMH-C Training
Our perinatal therapists hold Perinatal Mental Health certification (PMH-C) and treat this every day — not as a side specialty.
Fast Access
Perinatal cases are time-sensitive. We prioritize new-parent intakes and can often see you within a week.
Flexible Format
Telehealth from home, in-person, or hybrid — and yes, baby can come to sessions when needed.
Coordinated Care
We work alongside your OB, midwife, pediatrician, lactation consultant, and reproductive psychiatrist.
Partner & Family Inclusion
Partners can join sessions when helpful — perinatal mood disorders affect the whole family.
Reduced Risk for Future Pregnancies
Early treatment lowers the risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies.
Approaches we use
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for PMADs
Adapted specifically for the cognitive distortions common in postpartum (all-or-nothing parenting thoughts, perfectionism, intrusive 'what-ifs'). The most-researched approach for perinatal mood disorders.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
Highly effective for postpartum depression. Targets role transition (becoming a parent), interpersonal disputes, and grief — all common postpartum triggers.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Postpartum OCD
Intrusive thoughts about harm coming to baby are common and treatable. ERP-informed CBT for postpartum OCD reduces both the thoughts and the compulsions.
EMDR for Birth Trauma
For parents whose birth experience was traumatic, EMDR helps reprocess the memory so it stops triggering present-day distress, flashbacks, or fear about future pregnancies.
Our approach at Crown Counseling
Becoming a parent rewires your brain, body, and identity — and for up to 1 in 5 new parents, it triggers a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder. Postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, rage, and birth trauma are all common, all serious, and all highly treatable. Crown's perinatal team holds Postpartum Support International's Perinatal Mental Health certification (PMH-C) and treats this population every day.
Our first-line treatments are evidence-based: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) adapted for postpartum cognitive distortions, and interpersonal therapy (IPT), which targets the role transition that becoming a parent represents. Both have decades of randomized controlled trial evidence specifically for perinatal populations, with response rates comparable to medication for mild-to-moderate cases [1]. For more severe cases, we coordinate with reproductive psychiatrists who specialize in medication safety during pregnancy and lactation.
Postpartum OCD is widely under-recognized. New parents who experience terrifying intrusive thoughts about harm coming to their baby often feel they can't tell anyone, which makes the OCD worse. These thoughts are common in postpartum OCD and almost never indicate true risk — they are, in fact, evidence of how protective the new parent feels. Our clinicians are trained in CBT and exposure-based work for postpartum OCD, which significantly reduces both the intrusive thoughts and the compulsions parents develop to neutralize them [2].
Birth trauma is another area where specialized care matters. EMDR has strong evidence for reducing the impact of traumatic birth experiences, and we offer this for parents who are dealing with flashbacks, hypervigilance about the baby's safety, or terror at the thought of a future pregnancy.
Practically: we know new parents can't easily get to an office. Telehealth from the couch (sometimes while nursing) is standard. When in-person sessions are preferred, baby can come along. We can usually see new perinatal clients within a week of intake — this is time-sensitive care and we treat it that way.
What to expect
- 1
Priority intake — usually within 3–5 business days
- 2
First session — full perinatal history, current symptoms, safety screening
- 3
Weekly 50-min sessions — CBT, IPT, or EMDR-based
- 4
Coordination with your OB, pediatrician, or psychiatrist as needed
- 5
Partner sessions when helpful
References
- Branquinho, M., Rodriguez-Muñoz, M. F., Maia, B. R., et al. (2021). Effectiveness of psychological interventions in the treatment of perinatal depression: A systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses Journal of Affective Disorders, 291, 294–306
- Challacombe, F. L., & Wroe, A. L. (2013). A hidden problem: consequences of the misdiagnosis of perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder British Journal of General Practice, 63(610), 275–276
