How to Find the Right Therapist for New Moms (Questions to Ask + Where to Start)
Takeaway: Finding the right therapist for new moms—whether you're facing postpartum anxiety, burnout, or the invisible mental load of motherhood—can feel overwhelming. In this guide, you’ll learn how to find a maternal mental health therapist, what to ask in your first session, and how to choose someone who truly understands your experience. If you’re a mom in Washington State, this post also includes specific tips for finding support in your area.
Why It Matters to Find a Therapist Who Understands Motherhood
Therapists for moms (also called perinatal therapists or motherhood psychologists) offer specialized support for unique challenges like postpartum depression, birth trauma, fertility stress, and identity shifts. But finding one isn't always easy.
There’s a shortage of therapists in general—and even fewer trained specifically in maternal mental health. When you're struggling, it can be tempting to book the first available appointment. I get it.
But here's the truth: Therapy works best when there’s a good match. That’s why your first session should feel like a mutual interview.
This post walks you through how to find a therapist for moms, what to consider, and the right questions to ask—plus local insights for moms in the Seattle area and Washington State.
Where to Start: How to Find a Therapist for Moms in WA
Use Trusted Therapist Directories
Start with reputable databases that let you filter by "postpartum," "maternal mental health," or "women's issues."
Top recommendations:
Psychology Today: Filter by specialty, insurance, and keywords like "postpartum anxiety" or "new mom therapist."
Postpartum Support International (PSI): Their directory lists therapists trained in perinatal mental health. Therapists can only list with this directory if they’ve completed the training for the PMH-C credential, which signals specialized training.
Check Instagram or TikTok for Therapist Profiles
Many motherhood therapists (including Dr. Julie!) use social media to share their voice and approach. If you find someone through a directory, check their Instagram or TikTok for a more personal understanding.
Ask a Trusted Provider for Referrals
Your OB-GYN, fertility specialist, pediatrician, or midwife may have referrals to vetted local therapists. Some fertility clinics have in-house mental health providers, although they often cannot work with you after you complete infertility treatment.
Therapy Logistics to Consider as a New Mom
Cost + Insurance Options
Therapy is a financial investment. Your options may include:
Insurance (often limits choice but reduces out-of-pocket costs)
Private pay (offers more flexibility)
Out-of-network reimbursement (ask for a superbill)
Call your insurance company to understand your specific benefits.
Virtual vs. In-Person Sessions
In my practice, every single client over the last three years has chosen virtual therapy. It saves time, removes the childcare scramble, and lets you meet from wherever works best—home, car, office, even Target’s parking lot.
Especially in communities like Bainbridge Island or West Seattle, virtual therapy helps avoid awkward waiting room run-ins.
Can You Bring Your Child to Therapy?
This is one of the most important questions moms ask—and in my practice, the answer is YES. Babies can nurse or sleep in your arms. Toddlers can play or watch a show. If therapy isn’t accessible, it won’t happen—and that often means including your child.
Washington Moms: Therapy Support That Gets It
If you’re a mom in Seattle, Tacoma, Bainbridge Island, or anywhere across Washington State looking for a therapist who truly gets it—I’d love to hear from you.
At Nurturing the Sisterhood, I support:
Moms facing postpartum burnout and anxiety
Women navigating infertility, pregnancy after loss, and birth trauma
Parents overwhelmed by the invisible load of motherhood
New moms returning to work and managing identity shifts
Relationship challenges, mom guilt, and more
All sessions are virtual. Your baby is always welcome. And your’e welcome exactly as you are. No need to tidy up or get out of your pajamas. .
🌟 Click here to schedule your free intro call and see if we’re a fit.
Whether you start therapy now or bookmark it for later, you’re in the right place. And I’m here for you when you’re ready..
If therapy isn’t in the cards for you right now or you are a mom outside of Washington State, please check out my free maternal mental health resources for moms here.
