I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WONDER…
Is This Just How It Is?
Despite my formal training in mental health, my entry into motherhood was a humbling experience. It felt like everywhere I looked the other moms had it together. It seemed like they had effortlessly adjusted to life with a newborn, while I, bleary-eyed, succumbed to those newborn sleep courses that promised me that my colicky baby would finally, finally, sleep. I felt desperate, lonely, and scared that I’d always feel this overwhelmed and exhausted..
My entry into motherhood had me questioning if I was really cut out for this job. But since we can't exactly hand in our two weeks' notice on this one, I decided to do some learning.
I LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A NAME FOR WHAT I WAS FEELING – & THAT MY EXPERIENCE WASN’T UNIQUE
Matrescence is the total transformation — mental, physical, emotional, spiritual — that happens when you become a mother. It rivals adolescence in how disorienting it is, and even if you’ve been told how hard postpartum is, it can still come as a surprise. Between the identity shift, the mental load, caring for your kid, trying to keep your relationship alive, and responding to the 30 texts you've been ignoring for days (don’t ask about emails), it's so easy to feel like you're failing. And while this term describes the experience of a mother, all parents go through their own transformation after baby.
I LEARNED THAT TALKING ABOUT HOW HARD THIS IS WAS THE FIRST STEP TO CHANGING ANYTHING
When I started being honest about what I was struggling with, things shifted. I felt like I could actually change what wasn't working. I found tools that helped me regulate, communicate what I needed, reconnect with my partner, and create a version of motherhood that feels like more than just something to survive for the next eighteen years.
That’s what I want for you, too.
I believe that being a parent doesn’t mean being a martyr, & that parenthood can be an opportunity to become a truer, freer version of ourselves.
My training
I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in counselor education. I have received advanced training in Perinatal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International, the Gottman Method, and EMDR.
Is this a fit?
I work best with parents of all sexual orientations and gender identities who see parenthood as an opportunity — not just to raise good kids, but to know themselves more deeply. I work to help my clients believe that prioritizing their own mental health is how they show up in their relationships, their parenting, and their lives in ways that feel aligned and sustainable.