What is Perinatal Mental Health Counseling?

“Peri” comes from the latin word “around,” and “natal” meaning, “birth.” While mental health is the emotional well-being of an individual. Therefore, perinatal mental health is focusing on the emotional well being around the time or birth/birth related events. This can include trying to conceive, fertility concerns, during pregnancy, and after pregnancy.

The time surrounding pregnancy can be the most physically and emotionally challenging in a woman’s life. Profound changes in hormonal, emotional and physical components are all occurring simultaneously for a soon-to-be mother. . Women experiencing pregnancy, are preparing for the addition of a new baby, adjusting to life with a new child, had a baby in the past year, experienced perinatal loss, had an abortion, or are dealing with infertility can experience tremendous amounts of stress, and therefore, deserve support in their journey.

When facing these life changing events, it is important for professionals working with you to be well informed in the area of perinatal mental health care. Working with a professional mental health therapist who understands the range of experiences that come with growing a family can make a major difference in a parent’s life. You deserve to feel heard, understood, and have someone by your side who has the correct amount of insight, knowledge, and tools necessary to support you and your journey.

Perinatal mental health concerns can include depression, anxiety, and other mood related struggles. Pregnancy and events around starting a family can exacerbate these symptoms, as well as change or increase levels of stress and need for support. It is crucial that mothers, women, and parents going through these vulnerable events take care of their own emotional needs at this critical time. Perinatal mental health counseling is therapy focused on helping those experiencing these life events from a culturally competent, and knowledge based approach for perinatal emotional care.