Perinatal Therapy in Walnut Creek
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Explore Our Specializations
Postpartum or Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are health conditions that can occur from pregnancy to well after birth. PMAD symptoms can impact birthing parents as well as in pregnancy loss and infant loss. PMADs are treatable, often with a combination of therapy and medication. Therapy has a variety of options, such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, and IPT to help manage symptoms, develop coping skills, and achieve goals. We often incorporate case management, medical evaluations, support groups, and holistic wellness to provide comprehensive treatment.
Postpartum Anxiety
Postpartum anxiety is excessive worrying that occurs after childbirth or adoption. Symptoms can occur on their own or alongside postpartum depression, and the most common include: persistent worrying, catastrophizing, sleep and appetite changes, distressing thoughts, difficulty sitting still, hot flashes, nausea, and dizziness.
Postpartum or Peripartum Depression
This is the most common mental health risk during and after pregnancy. Symptoms may include: irritability, anger, sleep and appetite changes, sadness, guilt, shame, loss of interest, difficulty with bonding, and thoughts of harm.
Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Postpartum OCD is characterized by persistent intrusive thoughts, images, or impulses that are related to harm coming to the baby, or compulsive repetitive behaviors intended to prevent harm from happening. Symptoms include: obsessions, compulsions, hypervigilance, avoidance, guilt, shame, panic, and overprotectiveness.
Postpartum Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
P-PTSD may develop after a traumatic experience such as complicated delivery, emergency c-section, a baby in the NICU, breastfeeding issues, stillbirth or child loss. Symptoms may include intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance of anything related to the childbirth experience, negative changes in mood or emotions, dissociation, hypervigilance or an exaggerated startle response.
We Help With:
Support for pregnancy and postpartum anxiety
Help coping with mood changes during pregnancy or after birth
Navigate intrusive thoughts with care and clarity
Therapy for identity shifts around parenthood
Space to process birth trauma or medical stress
Support after miscarriage, infertility, or pregnancy loss
Help managing guilt, shame, or self-blame
Care for postpartum depression or emotional numbness
Support during major life transitions into parenthood
Compassionate, nonjudgmental perinatal mental health care
Our Counselors who Specialize in Perinatal Therapy
Ashley Nazario, LCSW
Shalini Mongia, LMFT
What we help with:
Support for pregnancy and postpartum anxiety
Help coping with mood changes during pregnancy or after birth
Navigate intrusive thoughts with care and clarity
Therapy for identity shifts around parenthood
Space to process birth trauma or medical stress
Support after miscarriage, infertility, or pregnancy loss
Help managing guilt, shame, or self-blame
Care for postpartum depression or emotional numbness
Support during major life transitions into parenthood
Compassionate, nonjudgmental perinatal mental health care
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Our Preferred Evidence-Based Treatments
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment that helps change distressing thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and depression. Through CBT, you'll learn to identify and challenge negative thoughts, reframe irrational beliefs, and replace them with healthier, more realistic perspectives. CBT also focuses on breaking patterns of self-doubt and worry by learning how to re-evaluate situations and adopt more constructive thinking. These tools empower you to make lasting changes in how you think and respond.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness principles to help individuals manage emotions, navigate challenges, and improve relationships. It focuses on four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. By building these skills, DBT empowers individuals to replace destructive patterns with practical, lasting strategies that promote resilience, balance, and a greater sense of control in daily life.
TF-CBT helps by combining practical coping skills with gradual exposure to difficult memories. It starts by teaching relaxation techniques, emotional regulation, and ways to challenge unhelpful thoughts. Once a strong foundation is built, individuals slowly and safely process their trauma with the support of a therapist. This approach reduces fear and distress, strengthens personal resilience, and fosters healthier ways of thinking and relating to others.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a proven, client-centered approach designed to help individuals overcome ambivalence and create lasting change. It focuses on exploring personal motivations and values, guiding clients to take actionable steps toward their goals. MI is highly effective in treating issues like addiction, unhealthy behaviors, and low motivation by strengthening confidence and commitment, empowering clients to drive their own positive transformations.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a proven approach that that helps couples break negative cycles and strengthen emotional bonds. In therapy, partners identify patterns of conflict and learn techniques like emotional validation and replacing reactive behaviors with empathetic responses. EFT targets underlying emotional triggers, promoting healthier attachment while deepening intimacy. It’s particularly effective for couples facing disconnection, insecurity, and trust issues, leading to genuine understanding and lasting change. This therapy is effective with treating emotional withdrawal, fear of abandonment, and attachment wounds, creating stronger, more secure relationships.
EMDR helps your brain reprocess stuck memories so they no longer feel overwhelming or intense. Unprocessed experiences can trigger or worsen anxiety, shame, distress, and physiological reactions. After EMDR, difficult experiences often feel neutral, distant, or easier to manage. We use techniques like eye movements or handheld tappers to activate both sides of the brain, supporting your brain’s natural ability to heal and make sense of the distressing experiences. Sessions follow a structured 8-phase protocol to help you build resilience and process memories, while fully awake and alert. EMDR is effective for distress related to loss, illness, trauma, childhood wounds, and relationship pain.
ERP is a structured therapy that helps reduce distress from obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. It involves gradual, guided exposure to feared situations or thoughts without doing the habits or rituals you usually do to feel better. This process helps decrease anxiety over time and breaks the cycle of obsessions and rituals. You remain fully present and supported throughout, learning new ways to tolerate discomfort and regain control. ERP is especially effective for OCD, skin picking, hair pulling, and related anxiety challenges. Sessions are available in person and via telehealth throughout California.
1870 Olympic Blvd
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-830-7900
Postpartum or Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are health conditions that can occur from pregnancy to well after birth. PMAD symptoms can impact birthing parents as well as in pregnancy loss and infant loss. PMADs are treatable, often with a combination of therapy and medication. Therapy has a variety of options, such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, and IPT to help manage symptoms, develop coping skills, and achieve goals. We often incorporate case management, medical evaluations, support groups, and holistic wellness to provide comprehensive treatment.
Postpartum Anxiety
Postpartum anxiety is excessive worrying that occurs after childbirth or adoption. Symptoms can occur on their own or alongside postpartum depression, and the most common include: persistent worrying, catastrophizing, sleep and appetite changes, distressing thoughts, difficulty sitting still, hot flashes, nausea, and dizziness.
Postpartum or Peripartum Depression
This is the most common mental health risk during and after pregnancy. Symptoms may include: irritability, anger, sleep and appetite changes, sadness, guilt, shame, loss of interest, difficulty with bonding, and thoughts of harm.
Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Postpartum OCD is characterized by persistent intrusive thoughts, images, or impulses that are related to harm coming to the baby, or compulsive repetitive behaviors intended to prevent harm from happening. Symptoms include: obsessions, compulsions, hypervigilance, avoidance, guilt, shame, panic, and overprotectiveness.
Postpartum Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
P-PTSD may develop after a traumatic experience such as complicated delivery, emergency c-section, a baby in the NICU, breastfeeding issues, stillbirth or child loss. Symptoms may include intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance of anything related to the childbirth experience, negative changes in mood or emotions, dissociation, hypervigilance or an exaggerated startle response.