This work isn’t just about coping, it’s about change.
What perinatal anxiety looks like during pregnancy and postpartum
Perinatal anxiety spans the full perinatal period — from conception through the first year postpartum — and it can show up very differently depending on where you are in that journey. During pregnancy, it might look like endless Google searches about things that could go wrong, difficulty bonding with a pregnancy that feels too fragile to get attached to, or a fear of childbirth that grows more intense the closer your due date gets.
In the postpartum period, anxiety often shifts its focus onto your baby — the constant checking, the inability to sleep even when you have the chance, the intrusive "what if" thoughts that feel impossible to turn off. If those thoughts have started to include compulsive behaviors or rituals, that may be pointing toward postpartum OCD, which I also specialize in treating.
What connects all of these experiences is a nervous system that is running on high alert when you desperately need to feel safe. This is not a personality flaw. It is a clinical picture that responds well to targeted, compassionate support — and it is exactly what I work with every day.
Specialized support from a PMH-C certified therapist
Perinatal mental health is a specialized area of clinical practice, and not all therapists are trained to recognize or treat it well. I hold a Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International, which means I understand the hormonal, neurological, and psychological dimensions of anxiety across the full perinatal period — not just after delivery.
My training in EMDR, CBT, and ACT gives us a range of tools to work with, depending on what is driving your anxiety and what feels most useful for where you are right now. For some clients, that means building concrete skills to interrupt the anxiety cycle. For others, it means going deeper into the patterns and fears that pregnancy or new parenthood has brought to the surface.
This work fits naturally alongside the broader landscape of maternal mental health support, and for clients who experienced a difficult birth, birth trauma therapy may become part of our work together as well.
We will not spend our sessions on vague encouragement or platitudes about thinking positively. We will look at what is actually happening for you — in your body, in your relationships, and in your daily life — and build a path through it.
You don't need to wait for things to get worse
One of the most common things I hear from clients is that they waited longer than they needed to because they weren't sure their anxiety was "bad enough" to deserve support.
Perinatal anxiety exists on a spectrum, and you do not have to be in crisis to reach out. The earlier we can work together, the more we can protect the experience of pregnancy or new parenthood that you deserve to have.
I offer in-person sessions at my Studio City office and secure telehealth appointments for clients throughout California. Many of my clients do sessions from their couch, their car during nap time, or wherever they can find a quiet moment — because I know that getting out of the house during pregnancy or with a newborn is its own challenge. Virtual sessions make it possible to access consistent, specialized support without adding another logistical hurdle to an already full life.
Reaching out is not an admission that something is wrong with you. It is the most important thing you can do for yourself and for your growing family.
Frequently asked questions about perinatal anxiety therapy
Is anxiety during pregnancy normal, or is something wrong with me?
Some worry during pregnancy is a natural part of caring deeply about your baby and your birth. Perinatal anxiety becomes a clinical concern when the worry feels uncontrollable, when it is interfering with your sleep or daily functioning, or when it is getting in the way of being present in your pregnancy or your relationship. If you find yourself wondering whether your anxiety has crossed that line, that question itself is worth exploring together in a safe, nonjudgmental space.
How is perinatal anxiety different from postpartum anxiety?
Postpartum anxiety specifically refers to anxiety that develops after delivery. Perinatal anxiety is a broader term that includes anxiety during pregnancy as well.
Many people experience anxiety that begins during pregnancy and continues into the postpartum period — and treating it across that full arc, rather than only after birth, often leads to better outcomes. If your anxiety started during your pregnancy, you don't have to wait until after your baby is born to get support.
Can therapy help even if I'm not sure what I'm anxious about?
Absolutely. Perinatal anxiety often doesn't have a clear, rational trigger — it can feel more like a persistent undercurrent of dread or an inability to feel safe, even when nothing specific is wrong. That kind of anxiety responds very well to therapy. We will work to understand what is driving the experience beneath the surface, which is often far more useful than trying to talk yourself out of specific fears.
Do you work with clients who are pregnant, not just postpartum?
Yes — this is an important distinction. Prenatal anxiety is underrecognized and undertreated, partly because there is a cultural assumption that pregnancy should feel joyful and uncomplicated. If you are struggling with anxiety during your pregnancy, you deserve support right now, not after your baby arrives. I work with clients across the full perinatal period, including those who are currently pregnant, trying to conceive, or navigating the postpartum period.
Perinatal Anxiety Therapy in Los Angeles and California
Anxiety during pregnancy doesn't always look the way you'd expect. It might feel like an inability to enjoy a pregnancy you worked so hard for, or a constant hum of dread that something is going to go wrong before your baby is even born. And in the postpartum period, that same anxiety can follow you in new and unexpected ways.
If this is your experience, you are not failing. Perinatal anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and it is highly treatable with the right support.
Whether you are currently pregnant, newly postpartum, or somewhere in between, my practice offers a nonjudgmental and welcoming space to understand what you are going through and start moving through it.
