Perinatal Art Therapy

Preconception

For both birthing and non-birthing people preparing for pregnancy/parenthood. Support for:

  • fears, anxiety, and worries
  • feeling a lack of control
  • grief and loss
  • stress and overwhelm

Pregnancy/Birth

Pregnancy is not always wonderful for everyone and support may be needed for:

  • worry, fears, anxieties
  • depression and sadness 
  • other mental health and physical/medical challenges
  • changes to our identities, bodies, minds, emotions, and relationships
  •  fear of  childbirth, especially if it is your first time or if there is prior trauma
  • stress management, feeling overwhelmed
  • grief and loss
  • intrusive thoughts
  • building confidence 
  • navigating the unknown
  • trauma-informed birth plan

 

We can collaborate to craft personalized birth plans, create empowering birth affirmation cards, and use art as a way to visualize your birthing hopes. We can use techniques from hypnobirthing and mindful birthing to help you feel more prepared and confident  for birth. 

Postpartum/Birth Trauma

Postpartum is a time when everything can feel like it’s changing: your body, your mind, your relationships, and your emotions. It’s natural for things to feel a bit intense or overwhelming. This time is hard! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you, and you’re  not alone. Support during this phase can help with:

  • perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (depression, anxiety, psychosis, OCD) 
  • worry, guilt, anxiety
  • trouble sleeping, trouble bonding with baby
  • feeling sad, feeling irritable
  • having intrusive and/or scary thoughts show up 
  • stress management
  • returning to work
  • self-doubt, lack of confidence, lack of self-compassion
  • birth trauma 

 

Research shows that approximately 30% of people who give birth describe the experience as traumatic. Some symptoms of birth trauma may include:

  • nightmares or flashbacks
  • avoidance of reminders of the birth
  • feeling anxious and on edge
  • panic attacks
  • negative thoughts/mood

Therapy for birth trauma can help at any time, even if it has been years since birth. Birth partners who have witnessed a traumatic birth may also be deeply impacted and could benefit from compassionate support. 

 

If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, your partner, or your baby, talk to your healthcare provider immediately or call 911 for help right away.

 

Counseling support for preconception, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. These are life-changing experiences that are innately creative acts, reflecting the process of bringing something new and unique into existence. It makes sense to engage in art-making during this time, and it is so important to have support and an accepting space to do so. In a book by Nora Swan-Foster, she writes that "when we give the pregnant individual the love, encouragement, respect and dignity she deserves for her creative and birth-giving capacity, she internalizes the moments not as regret, shame, or powerless vulnerability but as acceptance, empowerment, strength and success. This acknowledgment translates into a more conscious and confident mother who holds the future in her arms." 

 

No prior art experience or special talent is needed to benefit from art therapy. This unique practice uses creative expression and art-making to bring your inner experience to the external space, making it visible and easier to process. When words are hard to access, images and symbols can serve as powerful tools for sharing feelings and exploring identities. Art therapy promotes mindfulness, relaxation, and stress relief, and can offer a gentle, nonverbal approach to processing trauma. It can also provide a sense of control during times that may feel out of control and uncertain.

 

I also frequently incorporate techniques from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) into my practice. These strategies empower us to stay present, accept difficult thoughts and feelings, and commit to actions that ensure we are living a meaningful and fulfilling life.