Perinatal Mental Health Therapy

Here to Listen

Perinatal: The time during and after pregnancy.

Approximately 20% of mother’s (and 10% of fathers) will experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder (PMAD) making it the most common complication of childbirth. If you believe you may be experience a PMAD you are not alone. Becoming a parent, whether it’s for the first or fifth time, can be a big transition and that can mean big challenges. There are lots of good reasons to seek therapy during this transition (or at any time during your life), but here a few of the most common reasons people come to see me: 

Anxiety During Pregnancy or Postpartum

Depression During Pregnancy or Postpartum

Anxiety During Pregnancy or Postpartum

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While some worry is quite normal (it comes with the territory of parenthood), anxiety is not.

Traumatic Birth Experience

Depression During Pregnancy or Postpartum

Anxiety During Pregnancy or Postpartum

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Sometimes an experience during your pregnancy, birth, or postpartum (NICU stay, medical complications, etc.) can be traumatizing.

Depression During Pregnancy or Postpartum

Depression During Pregnancy or Postpartum

Depression During Pregnancy or Postpartum

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Approximately 80% of postpartum women experiences a period (usually lasting about 2 weeks) of feeling particularly exhausted, emotionally uneven, and even a bit mentally foggy.

Feeling Overwhelmed

Feeling Overwhelmed

Depression During Pregnancy or Postpartum

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The transition to parenthood is different for everyone and influenced by a multitude of different factors.

Grief & Loss

Feeling Overwhelmed

Grief & Loss

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Pregnancy and infant loss as well as infertility are a reality for many families.

Meet Amanda

I am a licensed as a mental health counselor (LMHC) and certified in perinatal mental health (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International. I began working in the mental health field in 2005, after completing my masters in psychological counseling from Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey. From 2009 until 2011, I took some leave from direct care as a therapist to re-enter graduate school and work towards a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from Iowa State University. My doctoral studies and post-graduate work focus on childbirth, child development, parenting, and the intersectionality of these three. I am also a birth doula and childbirth educator. Over the past decade, I have worked with several local, national, and international birth and human rights advocacy organizations promoting improvement to our maternity care systems. Currently, I am also a faculty member in Human Development and Family Studies at Iowa State University.  

Certification

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Perinatal Mental Health

At present, there is no university program, which I am aware of (and believe me, I’ve looked) that allows a distinction/specialization/certification in the perinatal period or treatment of mood and anxiety disorders occurring during this time. All of my training and study in this area has been post-grad. In 2018, Postpartum Support International (a non-profit) attempted to meet this need by creating training and certification in perinatal mental health (PMH-C). I completed their training and passed my certification exam in February of 2019.

Postpartum Support International

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Let's Chat

Amanda Hardy, PhD

hello@amandahardyphd.com

(515) 281-9182