I’m a Therapist and I Still Missed My Postpartum Anxiety
Takeaway: I’m sharing my story with postpartum anxiety (PPA) to remind you that you’re not alone, and that even a therapist specializing in maternal mental health can miss the signs in herself. In this post, I share my story and walk you through PPA risk factors, symptoms, and what helped me heal. If you’re struggling with postpartum anxiety, postpartum counseling can truly make a difference.
I’m a therapist, and I still missed my postpartum anxiety.
Postpartum Anxiety (PPA) is more common than most people realize. It happens to about 1 in 10 women according to the statistics, but perinatal mental health providers like me believe the number is actually higher because so many women are not diagnosed. It often overlaps with Postpartum Depression (PPD) and many women who are diagnosed with PPD later realize that they also have PPA.
I’m sharing my story with you not just as a therapist who specializes in maternal mental health, but as a mom who missed the signs in herself. Even with all my training, I didn’t see it clearly at the time, because when it’s happening to you, it’s hard to name.
As a perinatal therapist offering virtual postpartum anxiety therapy for moms across Washington State, I hear from so many moms who wonder why motherhood feels harder, overwhelming or more consuming than they expected. My hope is that by opening up about my experience, you’ll feel a little more understood, a little less alone, and maybe more prepared to recognize what’s happening if you’re feeling this way too.
What is Postpartum Anxiety (PPA)?
Postpartum Anxiety is a specific type of anxiety that can begin during pregnancy or after your baby is born. It’s usually more than feeling anxious or worried. Many moms in my practice describe it as overstimulation or overwhelm that gets in the way of daily life, disturbs their ability to rest, and impacts how they feel about themselves and being a parent..
When you’re struggling with postpartum anxiety, you may be experiencing:
Constant worry that something bad will happen
Feeling like you can’t relax, even when your baby is safe
Trouble sleeping, even when you have the chance to rest
Racing thoughts or mental checklists that never seem to turn off
Feeling overstimulated, touched out, or on edge
Googling, researching, or checking things over and over for reassurance
Avoiding certain people, places, or situations because they feel unsafe
Feeling like you have to do everything perfectly to prevent something from going wrong
Intrusive thoughts that feel scary, unwanted, or out of character
Difficulty eating, showering, resting, or taking care of yourself because your mind is so focused on your baby
PPA can impact anyone. You’re more likely to experience it if you have risk factors, but it truly can feel like it comes out of nowhere. It’s important to know that it is treatable, and that with the right support, you can feel better.
What My Postpartum Anxiety Looked Like
Looking back, it’s difficult to pinpoint the time my postpartum anxiety (PPA) started, although I think it was during my high risk pregnancy. I was constantly worried about pregnancy loss because of my history of chronic miscarriage. I experienced frequent symptoms that landed me in the emergency room on the regular, increased my monitoring, and usually restricted my activity.I spent way too much time thinking about what could go wrong.
I thought I’d be able to breathe a big sigh of relief when my son was born, but instead things got worse. When my son was six days old, we rushed him to the emergency room. Even though doctors agreed that something was wrong, they didn’t have answers. It took six months to get a diagnosis, and it was the most anxious I’ve ever been in my life.
The biggest outward signal of my PPA was that I was doing everything really, really well. Too well! I tried to manage every single thing perfectly so that nothing else would go wrong. I got so many compliments for being a great mom but I felt terrible inside. And I didn’t think I could let anyone in on how hard things were for me, because it looked so good from the outside.
Other signs of postpartum anxiety (PPA) showed up in my daily behaviors. Looking back, these are the things I now recognize as part of my anxiety:
I didn’t want to leave my son alone with anyone unless I was in arms reach.
I became incredibly, and somewhat neurotically, organized.
I made so many lists.
I over-researched and over-read about my son’s development.
I scrolled social media late at night and shopped for baby products that I thought would fix my anxiety, instead of sleeping.
I avoided things I had intrusive thoughts about, like being in the kitchen when someone was cooking or using the stairs while holding my son.
I made a lot of rules about who had access to my baby out of fear he would get sick. Most friends and family didn’t meet him until he was over six months old.
I didn’t shower enough or change my clothes every day because I was too focused on my son’s development and care.
I often forgot to eat. I lost the baby weight quickly, and I was complimented on it to no end. I felt miserably tired and developed anemia. No one thought to ask if I wasn’t eating because I was so anxious. They just said I had good genetics.
I wondered why motherhood seemed to come so much easier to other moms, and I compared myself to them often.
Looking back, I can see that I did these things with good intentions. My body was in a state of emergency, and I was trying to control my environment to feel a sense of safety. But the feeling of safety never came, and I instead wore myself out.
Risk Factors for Postpartum Anxiety
As a maternal mental health therapist who had experienced infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, I knew I was at high risk for postpartum anxiety. I was incredibly worried about this throughout my entire pregnancy.
Both infertility and pregnancy loss can make women more vulnerable to developing Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), including Postpartum Anxiety (PPA). I brought this up multiple times at my prenatal appointments, but each time I was told my screenings were normal and reassured to “worry about it if it happened.”
Despite raising the issue, my care team never identified my postpartum anxiety. This is a common experience for many women, and I often hear from clients whose anxiety was not identified by their OBGYN either.
Here are some of the key risk factors that increase your chances of developing postpartum anxiety:
Experiencing a high-risk pregnancy and the social isolation that comes with it
Facing infertility prior to pregnancy
Experiencing birth trauma
Being a NICU Mom
Having a child with complex medical issues
Experiencing anxiety or depression prior to pregnancy and birth
Having a family history of postpartum depression or anxiety
Prior history of the postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety
What Helped Me Heal from Postpartum Anxiety
The turning point in my postpartum anxiety (PPA) was when my son’s illness was finally diagnosed and started to improve. He was just over 6 months old at the time. The relief I felt in having answers was huge, and I finally felt safe. I also realized just how intense my anxiety had been and how important getting help right away was for me.
After that, I started to reach out and lean on my social support network. I had friends over to meet my son, and I even let a trusted friend care for my son so I could take breaks during the day.
With support, I started to cope with my anxious feelings instead of pushing them down. For me, exercise, time outside, writing, and finding a community of women going through the same thing helped me the most.
Within a few months, I felt like myself again, and I’m so grateful for that.
If You Think You Might Have Postpartum Anxiety
When you notice that you’re experiencing PPA, it can be difficult to know what to do. Here are some different ideas:
Ask the friends and family you trust to help you take breaks. This is really, really important. Without rest, it’s nearly impossible for anyone to experience mental wellness. If you don’t want a break from your baby, that’s okay. Ask for a different type of break. A break from the dishes, the laundry, or grocery shopping can also free up space for you to rest.
Call your healthcare provider. Choose the provider you trust, whether that be your primary doctor, your OBGYN, your midwife, your doula, your lactation consultant, or your therapist. Explain that you think you are experiencing postpartum anxiety and ask them to support you with connecting to resources. If you don’t think you can make the call yourself, ask your partner or a close friend to call on your behalf.
Check out Postpartum Support International’s resources. These include support lines, no-cost support groups, education resources, and more.
Consider perinatal mental health therapy. Working with a therapist who specializes in PMADs like postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression can be incredibly helpful. Look for a specialist in perinatal mental health. She can help you shift your focus from the anxiety to caring for your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
Note: If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, you should call 911, 988, or go directly to your emergency department. You deserve to get immediate support, and waiting is not appropriate for emergencies.
Therapy for Postpartum Anxiety Can Help
Postpartum anxiety (PPA) is much more common than most women realize, and it is also incredibly under-supported and under-diagnosed.
If you believe that you are experiencing PPA, I want you to know that you’re not alone. Treatment is available, and you can feel better again with support.
Therapy can be a valuable tool for navigating the way anxiety impacts your everyday experience of being a mom and the challenges it creates in your ability to feel well and whole. Having a safe space to share your complex feelings, identify the challenges anxiety creates for you, and develop strategies to lessen the impact of your anxiety can help.
We can work together to find the coping skills and solutions that will work for you and your family.
Postpartum Anxiety Therapy for Moms in The Greater Seattle Area, Tacoma, and Kitsap County
If you’re in Seattle, Tacoma, Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo, Bremerton, Gig Harbor, or elsewhere in Kitsap County, you do not have to navigate postpartum anxiety alone.
I offer virtual therapy for moms across Washington State, so you can get support from home, with your baby nearby, without needing to commute, find childcare, or pretend you’re doing better than you are.
Babies are always welcome in therapy sessions.
FAQs About Postpartum Anxiety Therapy in Washington
Do you offer postpartum anxiety therapy in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, or Kitsap County?
Yes. I offer virtual postpartum anxiety therapy for moms anywhere in Washington State. My clients live all over Washington State. Many are in the Greater Seattle area, Bellevue, Snohomish, Issaquah, Tacoma, or on the Kitsap Peninsula.
How do I know if my postpartum anxiety is more than normal new mom worry?
Many new moms worry, but postpartum anxiety can feel persistent, consuming, or hard to turn off. It may affect your sleep, appetite, relationships, ability to rest, or ability to feel present with your baby.
You do not need to wait until things feel unbearable to reach out for support.
read my blog about the difference between ppa and normal worry →Can therapy help with postpartum anxiety?
Yes. Therapy is a very effective and evidence-based way to treat anxiety, including anxiety that shows up during pregnancy or postpartum.
Therapy gives you a space to talk openly about things you might not otherwise be able to say out loud, problem-solve challenging parts of your life, improve your relationships, and learn skills to support your nervous system when you’re feeling anxious.
What if I’m not sure whether I have postpartum anxiety?
That’s okay. You do not have to know exactly what is going on before reaching out. Many moms come to therapy unsure whether what they’re feeling is anxiety, depression, overwhelm, grief, trauma, adjustment to motherhood, or some combination of all of it.
You do not have to wait until things feel unbearable to reach out. All moms need and deserve support, including you.
Schedule a free consultation to learn more about working together.
WHY I WRITE THIS BLOGHi, I’m Dr. Julie Franks.
I’m a postpartum therapist for Washington moms and the founder of Nurturing the Sisterhood.
I believe that all moms need and deserve support, which is why I write this blog—to help create the village every Washington mom deserves. If you’re looking for personalized mental health support, check out my therapy services to learn how I can help you feel supported as you navigate the hard parts of motherhood.
LEARN MORE ABOUT POSTPARTUM ANXIETY THERAPY FOR WA MOMS →Post Updated June 28, 2026
