Postpartum Therapy: Benefits and How to Find the Right Therapist
Postpartum is a transitional time in a woman's life after giving birth. This journey immediately begins as soon as you give birth to your sweet baby. You are no longer pregnant, but you are forever changed. This is the time when you are discovering the new you, which can be challenging. This is where postpartum therapy can be helpful.
Having a new baby in your life means adjusting to a new life; the new life of this little human and the new life you are in as a mother. No matter how many babies you have, there is this transitional period each time you have a baby.
In order to adjust to this new life, postpartum therapy can be the best option. Discover the benefits of postpartum therapy and how to find the right therapist for you. This step in your postpartum journey could have the biggest impact on your life.
What is a Postpartum Therapy?
Postpartum therapy, also known as postpartum depression therapy, is a resource mothers can use to get help with postpartum depression. It is a specialty therapy that requires a unique certification known as perinatal mental health certification (PMH-C).
Therapy in general is a tool to use to help your mental health. Postpartum therapy is also used for your mental health, but in a way that incorporates maternal mental health tactics. This means assessing mothers specifically and helping them reach their mental health goals.
Benefits of Postpartum Therapy
Learn more about the benefits of postpartum therapy and how it can help you during your postpartum journey.
Develop Coping Strategies
Postpartum therapy can help you develop healthy coping strategies. When motherhood gets overwhelming, you can learn to get through those difficult moments in a healthy way. In addition, these strategies can be used for other parts of life as well to help you during challenging times.
Your postpartum therapist is someone who is specially trained and knowledgeable in helping you develop the right strategies. Through years of study and implementation, a therapist becomes licensed to help individuals in their mental health journey. Therefore, you know that whatever therapist you choose, they will be ready to help you.
Encouragement
A therapist is someone who can help encourage you in your postpartum journey. When it feels like motherhood is impossible with all of the requirements, your therapist can encourage you through the challenging times. It's often overlooked, but being encouraged by someone outside of your family and friends can be exactly what you need.
Encouragement is something every person needs, especially mothers. Don't let your mental health trick you into believing that you aren't doing enough or that you aren't good enough. Let your therapist help you through the negative talk in your head and encourage you to keep going.
Validation
Every mom wants to be validated no matter what point of her motherhood journey she is on. However, in postpartum when everything feels confusing and like you aren't doing anything right, having validation from a therapist could help you keep your mental health strong.
Be truthful in your experiences and talk to your therapist about how you are feeling. The validation comes with being vulnerable and true to yourself.
How to Find Postpartum Therapy
If you are ready to get help through postpartum therapy, use the following ideas to find the right therapist for you.
Ask for a Referral
Your doctor can be a great option to consider when looking for a therapist. Ask them for any referrals to a postpartum therapist specifically. They may already know someone who they can refer you to. In addition, your future therapist might be in-network with your doctor, which will make the search for a therapist even easier.
Ask Mom Friends
You may be surprised to learn just how many of your mom friends have seen a therapist. Ask them if they would be willing to refer you to their therapist for postpartum therapy. If they haven't been to a therapist personally, it's possible they may know of another mom who would be willing to refer you to their therapist. It never hurts to ask.
Interview Therapists
If you find therapists during your own research, consider scheduling free consultations with them to interview them. This is a great time to ask questions and get a feel for them to see if they would be a good fit for you.
One of the good things about therapy is that you can always switch therapists later on if you feel your therapist isn't meeting your needs. You are not married to your therapist. Their number one goal is to help you. Therefore, if switching therapists is the best option for you, it is encouraged.
Check with Your Insurance
Many insurance companies provide a list of therapists that are covered within their network. Check with your insurance provider to discover if the company has such a list that you can consult for postpartum therapy. This is a quick way to find a therapist and understand if your insurance will cover the cost.
Postpartum Therapy Should be Part of Your Postpartum Care
When you are thinking of baby registries and maternity clothes while preparing for your baby, you should also consider your own postpartum care. Adding postpartum therapy to your plan will be a great resource for your mental healing after birth. Don't face this part of postpartum on your own.
You can learn more about me here and how I help women in their postpartum mental health journey. You can also click here to request a complimentary consultation with me so that we can partner together to help you discover how postpartum therapy can improve your mental health.