You’re Not Broken—You’re a New Mom: Signs You Might Benefit from Postpartum Therapy
Hey, Shameless Mamas - Let’s Talk about Maternal Mental Health
Motherhood has a way of dismantling you—then asking you to rebuild from the ground up, often with very little rest, support, or grace.
If you're feeling overwhelmed, emotionally raw, or not quite like yourself after giving birth, let me start with this:
You are not broken. You are not failing. And you are absolutely not alone.
What you’re going through might just mean that you're human—specifically, a human who just underwent one of the most physically and emotionally demanding transitions of your life.
Still, it can be hard to know: Is this normal? Am I supposed to feel this way? Or could I actually benefit from postpartum therapy?
This post is here to help you answer those questions gently and honestly.
First, What Is Postpartum Therapy?
Postpartum therapy is a specialized form of mental health support for mothers in the weeks, months, or even years after giving birth. It’s not just for people in crisis—it’s for anyone navigating the identity shift, hormonal fluctuations, sleep deprivation, and emotional overload that comes with having a baby.
Think of it as:
A place to process your birth story (even if it was “textbook”)
A judgment-free zone to talk about things no one else seems to understand
A soft landing when everything feels like too much
“But Don’t All New Moms Struggle?”
Yes. Struggle is part of the package—and no, it doesn’t always mean something’s wrong. But just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s something you should suffer through alone.
If the following signs sound familiar, therapy could help:
7 Signs You Might Benefit from Postpartum Therapy
1. You feel like you’re failing—no matter what you do.
Even when the baby’s fed, clean, and safe, you lie awake wondering why you still feel like you’re doing it all wrong.
Therapy helps you separate unrealistic expectations from your actual worth.
2. You don’t feel bonded with your baby.
You may be caring for your baby around the clock—but feel emotionally disconnected, numb, or even resentful.
You deserve a space to explore these feelings without shame.
3. You’re overwhelmed by anxiety or scary thoughts.
You check the baby’s breathing obsessively. You imagine worst-case scenarios. You have disturbing thoughts you’re too afraid to say out loud.
These are symptoms of postpartum anxiety or OCD—and they are treatable.
4. You’re crying often, or feeling persistently down.
Everyone told you to expect the “baby blues.” But it’s been weeks (or months), and the fog hasn’t lifted.
Postpartum depression doesn’t always look like sadness—it can feel like numbness, irritability, or exhaustion.
5. You’re easily enraged or overstimulated.
You snap at your partner. Loud toys send you over the edge. You feel constantly on edge or touched out.
Rage and overstimulation are common but under-discussed postpartum symptoms.
6. Your birth was traumatic, and you can’t stop reliving it.
You feel disconnected from your body, haunted by what happened, or betrayed by how you were treated.
Processing birth trauma is a powerful part of healing. You don’t have to stay stuck.
7. You just want to feel like yourself again.
Maybe you can’t even articulate what’s wrong. You just know that you feel lost somewhere in the shuffle.
Therapy can help you reconnect with your identity and build emotional resilience.
What Happens in Postpartum Therapy?
At Shameless Mama Wellness, postpartum therapy is not about diagnosing you and sending you on your way. It’s about:
Creating a space where you can say the unspeakable
Using evidence-based tools like CBT, EMDR, and somatic therapy
Exploring the mental load, invisible labor, and identity loss that often come with modern motherhood
Celebrating your strength without denying your struggle
And yes—it can happen in your yoga pants, on a secure platform, while the baby naps on your chest.
Virtual Postpartum Therapy Across California
Whether you're in Sacramento, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, or somewhere rural and quiet—if you have a phone or laptop, you can start therapy. I work with high-functioning, deeply feeling women across California who are ready to stop white-knuckling motherhood and start feeling grounded again.
A Final Word: You Deserve Support
If you’ve been Googling things like:
“Is it normal to not love being a mom?”
“I hate my postpartum body”
“Why am I angry all the time after baby?”
...you don’t need to fix yourself.
You need someone who will sit beside you in the truth of your experience and help you make sense of it—with empathy, clinical skill, and zero shame.
Ready to start your healing journey? Contact Shameless Mama Wellness today to schedule a free consultation.
With Warmth and in Solidarity,
Marilyn
I provide a safe haven to discuss the thoughts you keep hidden.
As a Postpartum Therapist in California, I offer many services utilizing evidence-based treatments. Some services at Shameless Mama Wellness include treatment for postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety, birth trauma therapy, fertility counseling, therapy for miscarriage and loss, pregnancy therapy and treatment for NICU PTSD.
