Therapy for pregnancy, pre-pregnancy, post-pregnancy, adoption, and everything in-between in Decatur & Atlanta
Take the First Step
Planning for or bringing home a new child can be one of the most joyful times in a parent’s life, but it can also be very stressful and challenging to your emotional, mental, and physical health. People working through any life change can benefit from counseling to make the process a little easier, and that includes bringing home a new family member. Learn more about the benefits of therapy for perinatal mental health and overall wellness from the Decatur therapy team at Fleurish Psychotherapy on this page, and don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
What is Perinatal Therapy?
You may assume that perinatal therapy is just for birth mothers or for women who are suffering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (maybe you’ve heard this called the baby blues or postpartum depression). While perinatal therapy certainly benefits new moms and women who are working through perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, it can also be beneficial for:
Parents struggling with infertility and pregnancy loss (including dealing with new onset or chronic illness and its impact on fertility)
Traumatic birth experience (still births, loss of birth mother, severe trauma or pain during birth, etc.)
Parents whose relationships are struggling due to stress during pregnancy planning, infertility, or new parenthood
New parents who are struggling with caring for their new child or just don’t feel confident in themselves as parents
Adoptive or foster parents who are struggling to bond with their new child
Surrogates who are struggling with feelings of grief and loss after child birth
Integrating families – making sure stepkids don’t feel overshadowed by the new child
Will Therapy Really Help?
While many women suffer with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, an even greater number of new moms (and dads) struggle with just how overwhelming it can be to care for a defenseless little person who relies on them for every need. Our knowledgeable therapy specialist, Laura McMaster, believes that good therapy for perinatal mental health is all about helping new moms and dads tackle the challenges of being good parents, learn to make time for their own health (emotional, spiritual, and physical), and overcome any mental health struggles that are making it more difficult for them to bond with their new child.
What Happens During Therapy?
During perinatal therapy sessions, Laura combines a solution-focused, practical approach with more traditional therapy solutions to help new parents get settled at home with their little ones while staying on top of their own emotional health needs. From breastfeeding challenges and diaper rash to getting enough sleep and processing some of the tough emotions that come along with bringing home your new child, working with Laura can help you develop parenting skills and coping skills to get through the everyday struggles and more difficult challenges that parenthood can throw your way.
In addition to helping parents with the basics of finding good parenting solutions to get through their days, Laura also helps her clients understand the way their own health and wellness, the examples of parenting in their own families, societal norms, and other deeper concerns can negatively impact a mother or father’s experience as a parent.
Whether working with one or two parents (or more), Laura will cater your therapy process to help you set and achieve realistic parenting goals, increase confidence in your parenting abilities, and generally create a healthy and nurturing environment for your new child.
Meet [therapist]
Each of our counselors has an area of expertise, and they have training in a variety of therapy styles and approaches. Like any other relationship in your life, it is important to find someone you “click with.” Finding a therapist who you feel comfortable with is arguably the most important part of therapy.
[therapist] is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) in Georgia, and she has completed advanced training and has a true passion for helping parents-to-be navigate the often complicated fertility and childbirth process to become great parents. If you’re interested in finding out more about [therapist] or her approach to perinatal therapy, she would be happy to answer your questions, or you can click the link here to learn more about her.
Let's Take the First Step of Your Journey Together
Taking the first step to feeling better and living a more meaningful life isn’t easy, but you don’t have to take that step alone. Reach out to the Fleurish Psychotherapy team today, and one of our skilled therapists will take that step with you. When you’re ready, let’s get started.
Fleurish’s Values
Accessible
It’s part of our mission to ensure you have access to caring and effective therapists who are knowledgeable and skilled at building positive therapeutic relationships and at helping you access the tools you need to reach your therapy goals. While COVID has moved us to a virtual therapy model for the time-being, we have always offered, and will continue to offer teletherapy as a convenient way to access counseling on a regular basis.
Affordable
We value keeping therapy accessible and affordable through the use of health insurance. We accept select insurance plans that work best for both our clients and our clinicians. We offer a sliding scale for those who don’t have insurance or can’t afford their copays or deductible payments. We also have a great referral network if we aren’t the best for you.
Approachable
We know that therapy can be hard work and even intimidating at times, but we also know it works! We try to make therapy approachable at the start by offering 24/7 online scheduling. We know carving out time for sessions is necessary, but can be tricky to fit into your schedule. To help, we offer early morning, evening, and weekend appointments. We hope the ease of scheduling helps make quality psychotherapy more approachable and sustainable.