Postpartum Depression Counseling in Austin, TX

Your OB, midwife, pediatrician or primary care doctor can screen you, often with a short questionnaire called the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. A doctor may also check things like thyroid levels, which can affect mood after birth. You don’t need a diagnosis to start therapy with us.

Perinatal depression is the umbrella term for depression during pregnancy or in the year after birth. Postpartum depression is the part that starts after the baby arrives. Our pregnancy and perinatal therapy page covers the pregnancy side.

For people at higher risk, yes. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends counseling such as CBT or interpersonal therapy during pregnancy and after birth for people at increased risk, such as those with a history of depression. If you’ve struggled before, starting therapy during pregnancy is a reasonable step.

• Postpartum anxiety and panic: constant worry, a racing heart, trouble sleeping even when the baby sleeps.
• Postpartum OCD: unwanted, scary thoughts or images of the baby being hurt, often with checking or avoiding. These thoughts are distressing precisely because you don’t want them, and they don’t mean you’ll act on them.
• Birth trauma: nightmares, flashbacks or dread after a frightening delivery or NICU stay.
• Bipolar disorder after birth: the postpartum period can trigger mood episodes, especially for people with a history of bipolar disorder.

Postpartum psychosis is rare but is a medical emergency. Signs include confusion, seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, paranoia or very little need for sleep. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Without treatment, postpartum depression can last for months and sometimes longer. It wears on your health, your relationships and the early bond with your baby. The good news is that it responds well to treatment, and the earlier you get support, the faster most people feel better.

Please reach out now rather than waiting for a therapy appointment. Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262), any time, in English or Spanish. You can also call or text 988. If you or your baby are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Yes. Infants are welcome at in-person sessions, and video sessions from home are an option for days when leaving is too much.

Yes. Postpartum anxiety and scary intrusive thoughts are common, often more common than depression, and our perinatal therapists treat both. Having those thoughts does not mean you would act on them.

Yes. Perinatal depression and anxiety are covered conditions, and many of our clinicians are in network with Aetna, EHN, Harbor Health, Nomi Health, and Sana.