POSTPARTUM AND MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY

Find relief, understanding and tools to navigate the hard days

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Find Your Support in The Journey of Motherhood

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You’re wanting to start or grow your family

You’re hoping to start a family. You want to grow your family but maybe your previous pregnancy or postpartum experience has you worried to try again. You’re experiencing grief around loss, miscarriage, infertility - wondering if you will be holding a healthy baby in your arms or if motherhood is going to be your journey at all. Or maybe you’re finally pregnant but terrified of pregnancy, labor and birth, and the overall postpartum experience.

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You’re a newly minted mother

You’re a brand new mother that just got sent home from the hospital wearing adult diapers, and you’re in full panic mode because now the true work begins. Your body, mind and sense of self has completely shifted. You’re trying to find your footing and your new identity. You feel irritable and snappy, you were hoping you would feel “joy” and instead you feel pure “rage/anxiety/dread” … maybe it’s the lack of sleep? Or is it something more?

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You’re a
“seasoned” mother

You “should” be an expert by now but you’re not feeling that way. You don’t have a village or strong community and realize you can’t do this alone. Or all of the books/friends/tiktoks told you it would get easier but you’re a year or two in and it’s not. Motherhood feels like it’s only on “hard-mode”.

Postpartum and Maternal
Mental Health Therapy

What’s Included:

  • Individual therapy tailored to trying to postpartum anxiety/depression, identity shifts, and mom burnout.

  • Evidence-based approaches: EMDR, somatic techniques, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and CBT tools.

  • Nervous system regulation strategies for daily life.

  • Support navigating relationships, invisible labor, and parenting overwhelm.

  • Guidance to reconnect with yourself while caring for your family

Timeline and Process:

  • Weekly sessions (or as clinically recommended).

  • Initial consultation to discuss goals and challenges.

  • Collaborative treatment plan with practical exercises and optional homework.

  • Ongoing check-ins to track progress and adjust goals.

Payment Details:

  • $0 15 minute initial phone consultation

  • $200 Initial diagnostic session

  • $185 per 50-minute session.

  • Major insurance accepted (verify coverage).

  • Private pay and sliding scale options available.

  • Flexible scheduling offered. 

Get The Support You Need →

You’re literally not alone.
The research shows…

Approximately 1 in 5 women experience a maternal mental health condition

Meaning it’s not just you, it’s common and treatable. (Postpartum Support International; Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance).

50% of postpartum depression cases go undiagnosed

Lack of education, support, access to mental health screening and therapy support contribute to this lack in care - therapists, researchers and policy advocates are trying to change that.

Up to 41% of mothers in certain high-risk populations experience persistent or recurring depressive symptoms beyond the postpartum period.

Particularly when risk factors like stress, lack of support, or prior mental health history are present (PubMed).

Many mothers experience a 30–50% improvement in depression and anxiety severity

After perinatal psychotherapy treatment (according to Clinical Trials).

Mothers also report improved sleep quality, reduced overwhelm, and a greater sense of steadiness and confidence in their daily lives with therapy.

Structured therapeutic support has also been shown to improve emotional regulation, coping capacity, and perceived support, with benefits often sustained 6–12 months postpartum and beyond (PubMed-indexed research).

Wondering why you feel this way?

Maternal mental health disorders (also known as Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) aren’t just caused by one major thing - it is layered and complex, just like about everything in motherhood. So much changes, so much impacts how we function, here are some areas that contribute to you wondering if you’re doing it right, and if you’ll ever get your footing back and feel better … 

    • Hormone shifts that dramatically change your sense of wellbeing are in a constant state of flux and “resetting” during and after giving birth  (hello the “plummet” of estrogen and progesterone, dopamine and serotonin and the ever changing fluctuations of oxytocin, prolactin and cortisol) 

    • When sleep is something you can only daydream of after baby - Many new moms are navigating significant sleep disruption — with over half experiencing ongoing sleep difficulties and a 2–3x increased risk for depression when sleep is poor (PubMed).

    • Your Body is Amazing & also healing - Postpartum physical recovery is significant and ongoing — with initial healing taking 6–8 weeks and full recovery often lasting several months to a year, including uterine healing (~6 weeks), rapid hormonal shifts within 24–48 hours, and physical strain from delivery (with up to 90% of first-time mothers experiencing vaginal tearing or recovering from cesarean surgery); this level of physical stress and hormonal change is associated with an increased risk of postpartum anxiety and depression (PubMed-indexed research)

  • Our brains have changed, our hearts have grown - Becoming a mother involves significant psychological and neurobiological changes, including brain “rewiring” in areas responsible for emotional regulation, bonding, and threat detection (lasting up to 2+ years postpartum), which can increase emotional sensitivity, anxiety, and intensity of feelings while also supporting attachment and caregiving adaptation; these shifts, combined with the identity transition into motherhood, are associated with increased vulnerability to postpartum depression and anxiety (PubMed-indexed research).

    • It’s not just on you, and we don’t mother without the impacts of our society and environment shaping our experience. We were not meant to do all of this alone, we need each other and the societal reduction of the supportive network to raise kids has been significant in the past few decades, impacting the collective wellbeing of all mothers. 

    • Key stressors contributing to maternal mental health disorders include — limited support or “village,” relationship conflict, financial strain including the significant lack of affordable quality childcare, and workplace pressures or insufficient maternity leave. These are amongst the strongest and most consistent predictors of postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), with research showing that high stress combined with low social support significantly increases risk for depression and anxiety during the perinatal period (PubMed-indexed studies)

How therapy can help you figure out this motherhood thing:

Maternal mental health isn’t just about hormones — it’s about the nervous system being overloaded without enough support. When we add therapy, we’re giving your whole self a place to process, regulate, and feel seen. We are adding to your support — which research shows actually reduces anxiety and depression.

    • When you gain an understanding of what is occurring from a biological, psychological, social standpoint, growth and healing can occur with more insight and intentionality. 

    • Therapy allows a space to be nurtured as you are rebuilding yourself in motherhood and holding space for your babies, family, and new self. The goal is to start to feel like the burden isn’t as heavy, that the job of motherhood is something to be done in community and giving yourself grace through one of the hardest/most sacred roles out there. 

    • In my office (physically or virtually) the goal is to peel back the layers, find the areas that need support, and build self understanding and acceptance so you can embrace motherhood in a gracefully bold way. 

    • Therapy supports the deeper psychological transition into motherhood — helping mothers navigate identity shifts, relationship changes, and the emotional intensity that often accompanies early caregiving. Many mothers also report improved sleep quality, reduced overwhelm, and a greater sense of steadiness and confidence in their daily lives as treatment progresses.

    • Therapy can give us tools to navigate the hard, to understand how our mind and body are responding and have changed. Therapy can also be a place to find relief and understanding, in a society that still has a hard time truly seeing us. 

    • Maternal mental health conditions are highly treatable. With the right support, healing is not only possible — it is expected.

Have we met yet?

I’m Megan

Licensed Therapist | Toddler Mom | Water-woman

I earned my undergraduate degree at UC San Diego and my Masters (MSW) from San Diego State University, where I honed my passion for supporting people through life’s ups and downs. I’m trained in EMDR, trauma-focused work with families and children, and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and I support clients by blending top-down (from the mind) and bottom-up (from the body) somatic approaches to help nervous systems feel more settled and grounded.

I specialize inwomen’s mental health, especially maternal mental health, after seeing a gap in support for moms navigating postpartum anxiety, birth trauma, and the chaos of early parenting. Over the years, I’ve worked with women, mothers, teens, children, and families—helping them find balance, insight, and a little more peace in the messy, beautiful moments of life.

I started SeaworthyTherapy to create a space where healing feels human, relatable, and hopeful —where women, mothers and caretakers feel seen, supported, and empowered to navigate life’s waves. My goal is to help clients build resilience, reconnect with themselves, and findmoreflow in their lives.

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What Others Are Saying

  • She helps clients align in mind, body and spirit

    “Megan helps her clients align in mind, body, and spirit creating wholeness and peace within. She supports and encourages her clients toward growth and lasting change!”

    — S.W.

  • Megan is down-to-earth and approachable

    “Megan is a down-to-earth and approachable therapist! She brings a high level of authenticity to her personable connections with others, and immediately provides a sense of calm when talking to her. I highly recommend working with Megan!”

    — S.M.

  • Warm and compassionate

    “Megan is a truly exceptional therapist who combines deep knowledge with a warm, compassionate approach. Her ability to create a safe, non-judgmental space allows clients to feel truly seen and heard. Highly recommend, Megan!”

    — H.C.

  • She encourages personal exploration

    “Megan creates a welcoming space that encourages personal exploration and growth. Her supportive approach helps clients build confidence as they navigate life's challenges!”

    — F.V.

  • She helps clients feel genuinely heard and supported

    “Megan is an incredibly caring and insightful therapist who brings a thoughtful and personalized approach to each session. She creates an atmosphere of trust and openness, allowing clients to feel genuinely heard and supported.”

    — A.M.

  • Megan is a blend of fun, directness and compassion

    “Megan is a wonderful blend of fun, directness, and compassion. She brings warmth and wisdom to each session, helping clients feel both challenged and supported. Her approach is refreshingly honest, making every step of growth feel achievable.”

    — J.W.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We are in network with major providers in CA: United Healthcare, Optum and Aetna.

  • I accept private pay clients and have set fees per session

    • $0 initial 15 minute phone consultation

    • $200 initial diagnostic session

    • $185 per session

    • Sliding scale available for special circumstances

    • OON (out of network) benefits support - If we do not take your insurance and you have a PPO. We can provide a superbill for you to submit for reimbursement.

  • You can reach me anytime via our contact page or email. I aim to respond within 24-48 hrs. I will set up a time to talk with you for a consult to make sure we are a great fit. The next steps after the call is to set up your client portal, set up insurance or payment (whatever structure fits you), and finalize scheduling sessions. You will receive client access to your portal for all necessary documents before we formally begin. Then we jump in to treatment, first with an initial diagnostic and intake session, where we set goals, identify your areas of need and develop a specialized treatment plan.

  • Therapy looks different for everyone. It can be brief. Or it can be an ongoing supportive lifeline as you walk through the different phases of life and motherhood.