Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Maternal Mental Health
Find Yourself Again
You are more than a caregiver—you are a unique individual with goals, wants, and needs of your own.
Therapy can help you nurture your confidence and achieve inner balance to be present for yourself and your loved ones.
I’m Dr. Nancy Millian, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in maternal mental health. I have personally experienced some of these issues, so I can understand the whirlwind of emotions you might be enduring right now.
I offer therapy for maternal mental health issues to individuals living in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. My mission is to support adults in reconnecting with themselves as they travel through this new chapter.
Ready to get started? Contact me to book a consultation and see if we are a good fit.
Interested in learning more about maternal mental health? Read on.
What Is Therapy for
Maternal Mental Health Issues?
Do I Need Help With
Maternal Mental Health?
Therapy, also known as counseling, is the standard treatment for mental health challenges. It involves working with a therapist to discuss your symptoms and learn effective coping strategies to address them.
Therapy for maternal mental health issues focuses on treating conditions before, during, and after pregnancy. The goal is to help adults and parents navigate their difficulties so they can sustain healthy lives and raise their families.
Planning a family or having a new baby brings a set of complex emotions and thoughts to the surface.
As you traverse this transition, you might go through many ups and downs, feeling dazed and unsure about each step. All of this is expected—you are going through a tremendous transformation.
While some people manage to surf through these changes, others struggle to cope and function.
Some of the most common maternal mental health issues include:
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Prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety
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Postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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Miscarriage
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Infertility
If your experiences are similar to one or more of these issues, therapy could be very beneficial for you. However, if you don’t match what’s written here but are still looking for extra support, therapy may also be an excellent fit.
Prenatal and Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
Prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety (or perinatal depression and anxiety) are mood disorders characterized by depression and/or anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and/or after childbirth.
While many women go through mild mood shifts during this time, research shows that 15% to 20% of women experience perinatal depression or anxiety symptoms.
Signs of perinatal depression and anxiety include:
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Anger
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Chronic pain
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Difficulty bonding with your baby
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Frequent crying and sadness
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Irritability
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Lack of control
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Low energy and motivation
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Nervousness and panic attacks
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Scary or intrusive thoughts
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Trouble sleeping or eating well
Perinatal depression is associated with a lack of interest in the baby, despair, guilt, or thoughts of harming yourself or your child. Perinatal anxiety is marked by severe worries and fear, typically over the health and safety of the baby.
Postpartum Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Postpartum PTSD is a debilitating condition caused by a traumatic birth experience (e.g., an unplanned C-section, prolapsed cord, severe childbirth complications or injuries).
According to Postpartum Support International, 9% of women struggle with postpartum PTSD after delivering their babies.
Signs of postpartum PTSD include:
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Avoiding people, objects, places, or anything that reminds you of trauma
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Feeling worried or on edge
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Flashbacks, nightmares, or invasive thoughts about the traumatic event
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Moodiness
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Restlessness
Miscarriage is the unintended loss of a pregnancy up to 20 weeks of gestation. On the other hand, stillbirth is the loss of a pregnancy after the 20th week.
Research suggests that 10% to 20% of known pregnancies result in a miscarriage. Yet, this percentage might be higher because many miscarriages occur early—even before people realize they are pregnant.
Although these losses are common and heartbreaking, they are usually invisible. The depth of the trauma involved typically goes unnoticed.
Following a miscarriage, women often experience:
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Despair
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Guilt
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Inadequacy
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Loss of identity or a piece of themselves
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Self-blame
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Sense of failure
Miscarriage
Infertility
Infertility is the inability to conceive. If you experience infertility, you might struggle with self-esteem and lack of control, feeling like your body is not responding as expected. But you are not alone.
About 1 in 5 women with no prior births suffer from infertility, carrying a set of hidden losses such as the loss of the pregnancy, birthing, and parenting experience, and the potential for the genetic and family legacy.
Some of the symptoms that may come along with infertility include:
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Changes in sleep and eating patterns
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Hopelessness
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Fatigue and loss of energy
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Lack of purpose and focus
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Loss of interest in activities you liked
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Low self-worth
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Mood changes
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Relationship or family issues
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Shame
If you are struggling with any of the above maternal mental health issues, please know you don’t have to keep suffering. Healing is possible.
Therapy can help you address these symptoms so you can find yourself again and pave a path forward.
How Can Therapy Support Your Maternal Mental Health?
Therapy can support you to feel seen and understood, creating a trusting space to show up as you are—with all the difficult thoughts, feelings, and experiences you are going through.
We will closely examine your maternal mental health symptoms, challenging and shifting any unhelpful patterns to ease distress and improve your well-being.
As you advance through therapy, you will learn practical skills to overcome setbacks and grieve any losses in your story. My hope is that you regain your sense of compassion and purpose and find your way to your authentic self.
Maternal Mental Health with
Dr. Nancy Millian
I utilize 36+ years of clinical experience and my personal journey to help both men and women heal issues related to maternal mental health. I also offer therapy for adults and adolescents to people in New Haven Cty, Fairfield Cty, Westchester Cty, Bergen Cty, and their surrounding areas.
My maternal mental health specialties include pregnancy-related depression and anxiety, miscarriage, infertility, birth-related trauma or postpartum PTSD, and more.
My approach to maternal mental health is eclectic, compassionate, and down-to-earth. I’m here to listen with empathy, provide informed and candid feedback, and gently guide you throughout this process. I will tailor evidence-based techniques to your needs, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
We will meet weekly or biweekly, depending on your situation, the severity of your symptoms, and your progress. Services are offered via teletherapy at this time.
Let’s Get Started!
You made it here. You already took a brave first step toward recovery.
Let’s work together to reach the peace and joy you deserve.
Contact me to book a consultation.
