Start your marriage on solid ground.
You’re tired of anxiety calling the shots and want to actually enjoy this part of your life that you’ve worked so hard to create.
VIRTUAL POSTPARTUM THERAPY IN SAN FRANCISCO AND ACROSS CA
Becoming a mother is a major life transition.
You’re not supposed to figure it out alone.
You can love your baby more than anything and still feel like you’re unraveling because this is so much harder than you ever expected. No one really prepares you for the rage when you thought you’d be the calm, patient mom.
The days you haven’t showered, you’re touched out, and you can’t remember the last time you did something just for you. The resentment toward your partner that you feel guilty for even having, especially when they are a “hands-on” partner. You are wondering how you’re going to keep doing this day after day. And then you scroll through parenting accounts for support, or just to zone out for a few minutes, only to end up feeling defeated.
Motherhood can become so consuming that your identity starts to feel fully wrapped up in being a mother. Having a baby changes so much. Suddenly, you have far less control over your time, your body, and your life — and you’re expected to find your footing in the middle of it all.
As a mother of two myself, I know what it’s like to be in the thick of it.
When overwhelm comes out as anger.
When you’re constantly worrying about what ifs.
When you’re completely tapped out, then feel guilty for needing a break.
When you want help but struggle to put your needs into words.
And on top of it all, we’ve absorbed the idea that our worth comes from how much we give, how much we do, and how little we need. We know motherhood was never meant to be done alone. And yet, asking for help can feel like admitting you can’t handle it.
Talking with someone who understands both the therapy and the realities of motherhood can make a huge difference.
X You want to stop
Googling every symptom, sound, and milestone
Being stuck in fight, flight, or freeze mode
Feeling more like business partners than partners
Feeling like you have to anticipate everything that could go wrong
Second-guessing decisions you make as a mother
Comparing your baby, your body, and your motherhood to everyone else’s
Feeling guilty every time you do something for yourself
✓ And you want to start
Trusting yourself to handle what comes up
Feeling calm enough to be present
Making room for connection and fun with your partner
Feeling more comfortable with uncertainty
Listening to your instincts without being ruled by fear
Taking care of yourself without feeling guilty
Letting “good enough” be enough
Of course this feels like a lot
After 14 years as a therapist, I’ve worked with many mothers who tell me they were never consistently anxious or angry before having a baby, yet now feel like motherhood has completely changed them. They’re not imagining it. Having a baby can turn your nervous system up to high alert. Suddenly, you’re noticing every sound, symptom, possibility, and potential threat. Your body is doing what it was designed to do: protect them.
But sometimes that protective instinct, perfectionism, or need for control becomes so activated that it’s hard to manage what’s right in front of you, leaving you grasping for things that will temporarily soothe you.
How I can help you find yourself again
✓ Make sense of the postpartum biological changes: Learn about the hormonal, biological, and brain changes that can come with pregnancy and postpartum to make sense of what you’re feeling and feel less like something is wrong with you.
✓ Put the mental load on the table: Unpack everything you’re carrying — planning, remembering, anticipating, researching, and managing. Then figure out what can shift.
✓ Understand what’s underneath: Instead of just trying to stop the anger or calm the anxiety, we’ll get curious about what’s underneath. What’s being triggered? What need, fear, or boundary is asking for your attention?
✓ Separate intuition from anxiety: Learn to tell the difference between a gut feeling and a nervous system looking for certainty. That distinction can change how you move through motherhood.
✓ Practice asking for what you need: You shouldn’t have to wait until you’re resentful to ask for help. We’ll work on naming your needs and communicating them clearly.
✓ Turn down the parenting noise: We’ll look at the advice, comparison, and expectations making you question yourself. Then get clearer on what actually matters to you.
✓ Strengthen relationships: Work through resentment, communication patterns, boundaries, and the mental load with your partner and family.
✓ Process what still feels raw: Difficult or traumatic births, scary medical experiences, and fertility struggles can stay with you long after they’re over. I specialize in using EMDR to help you process these experiences so they feel less raw and less present in your day-to-day life. Learn more about how I use EMDR.
You deserve as much care, attention, and support as you give your baby. Let’s work through the messy, beautiful, exhausting parts of motherhood together, so you can enjoy the life you’ve worked so hard to create.
And underneath these patterns are bigger questions:
“Does my partner even like me anymore?”
“Will our relationship last?”
“Can we feel desire for each other again?”
“We just need to communicate better” is one of the most common things I hear from couples. But communication tools only go so far when you’re already hurt, defensive, or shut down. Sometimes the problem isn’t knowing what to say. It’s what happens between you when things get hard.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Gottman Method is a research-based approach to couples therapy developed by psychologists and researchers John and Julie Gottman. After decades of studying couples, they identified the patterns that distinguish relationships that thrive from those that struggle or end in divorce—particularly how couples handle conflict, repair after disagreements, and maintain connection and friendship.
Therapists can train in the Gottman Method to help couples build stronger, healthier relationships. I’ve been Level 2 Gottman trained for over a decade, and I bring that training together with 14 years of experience working with couples.
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The Gottman Method provides a strong foundation for understanding relationships, but no single framework can capture the complexity of every couple. I also draw from Relational Life Therapy, Esther Perel’s work, and mindfulness to look more deeply at the patterns underneath conflict, including how attachment histories, protective strategies, and stress responses shape the way each partner relates to the other.
My approach combines the practical tools of the Gottman Method with a deeper exploration of why you get stuck in the patterns you do. The goal isn’t simply to communicate better in the moment, but to understand what keeps pulling you back into the same cycle and develop new ways of relating to each other.
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Yes. I want to make sure you’re getting the kind of support that fits what you’re dealing with. I generally don’t work with couples who are seeking therapy specifically for infidelity or affair recovery, active substance abuse, significant untreated mental health concerns, or situations involving active abuse. I also don’t specialize in working with couples in the middle of a high-conflict separation.
If I don’t think I’m the right fit for what you’re looking for, I’ll let you know and recommend a therapist who specializes in that area.
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Every therapist has their own approach to working with couples. For me, I work well with couples who are both willing to understand themselves more deeply, remain open to feedback, and work together toward meaningful change.
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Yes. Online couples therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy for many couples. I do need both people to be in the same room and visible on camera, with a reliable internet connection, good lighting, and clear audio. That allows me to see and hear both of you clearly, notice the subtle things that happen between you, and stay engaged with the conversation in real time.
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It really depends on what brings you to therapy and what you’re hoping to accomplish. Some couples come in for a few sessions to address a specific issue, while others benefit from several months of ongoing work. My goal is to help you make meaningful progress without staying in therapy longer than you need to.
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In our first session, I’ll learn about your relationship history, strengths, and areas of conflict or difficulty. Afterward, I’ll send you a Gottman questionnaire to complete.
In our second session, I’ll meet with each of you individually to learn more about your personal history and experiences.
In our third session, we’ll review a personalized summary I will have written of your relationship, including strengths, areas for growth, and key themes. This becomes a roadmap for our work and helps us focus on what will support a stronger, more resilient partnership.
After that, we’ll focus on what feels most important to you, whether it’s an ongoing pattern or a specific issue you want to address. I’m direct, active, and compassionate in my approach. I won’t simply sit back and listen while you repeat the same arguments you have at home. I’ll slow things down, point out patterns as they happen, and help you understand what is happening between you in real time. Together, we’ll practice responding differently, so the work we do in therapy can begin to change what happens between you outside of therapy.
Take the First Step
Thanks for your interest in working with me. Please fill out this brief form and be in touch within 48 hours to schedule a free 30-miute phone consultation.
