How does a therapist help with anxiety?

In our work together, we'll use evidence-based approaches like IFS or EMDR to help you understand and gently ease your anxiety. During therapy sessions, we'll focus on building coping skills, practicing simple relaxation techniques, and creating strategies that fit your life. We don't prescribe medication, but if medication management feels helpful, we can collaborate with a psychiatrist or another mental health provider to support your treatment plan.

When should I see a therapist for anxiety?

If worry, panic, or stress is making it hard to focus at work, get restful sleep, or feel connected in your relationships, it may be time to reach out for support. Conditions like social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder can feel overwhelming, but they're also treatable with the right care. In therapy, we'll create a plan that gives you coping strategies and tools to help you feel more steady, calm, and grounded in your everyday life.

Will therapy help me overcome anxiety completely?

Therapy may not take away every stress in life, but it can help you manage anxiety so it no longer feels like it's running the show. In our sessions, we'll focus on building coping skills, strengthening your confidence, and finding practical ways to help you feel calmer, more present, and more in control of your life.

What type of therapist is best for anxiety disorders?

The best therapist for anxiety is someone who understands how it shows up in both your mind and body, and who uses evidence-based approaches to help treat it. As licensed therapists, we draw from methods like IFS and EMDR, both proven ways to reduce anxiety and strengthen coping skills. What matters most, though, is that you feel safe, supported, and truly heard in our sessions.

How long will I need anxiety therapy?

There's no set timeline for treating anxiety, because each person's story is different. Some people notice changes after just a few therapy sessions, while others choose to continue longer to work through deeper patterns or co-occurring challenges like anxiety and depression. We'll move at a pace that feels right for you and create a treatment plan that supports lasting healing rather than a quick fix.

How do I know if therapy is working?

You'll usually start to notice small but meaningful shifts — maybe feeling calmer in situations that once overwhelmed you, sleeping more soundly, or second-guessing yourself less. Progress doesn't always mean anxiety disappears, but therapy may help you manage anxiety so it no longer feels like it's in control. Together, we'll check in on your goals and adjust the treatment plan so you can see and feel the changes that matter most to you.

How much do sessions cost?

Session fees vary based on your clinician. Carli's fee is $200. Elaine's fee is $250. We will meet weekly for the first month and then decide if we want to continue meeting weekly or shift to every other week, if clinically appropriate. Payment can be made via cash, check, or card (including HSA). While I do not accept insurance, I can provide a superbill (receipt), which you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement if you'd like.

ONLINE & IN-PERSON IN AZ

Perinatal Mental Health Therapist in Phoenix, AZ

Specialized care for pregnancy, postpartum, and childbirth trauma. Because this season of life deserves more than generic support.

Let’s hop on a quick 15-minute call to talk about your goals, answer your questions, and see if working together feels right.

Schedule a Consultation

Ready to talk? Call or text at: 520-660-3914

Are You Struggling Through Pregnancy or the Postpartum Period and Not Sure Who to Turn To?

Maybe you expected the transition into parenthood to feel different. More joyful. More settled. Instead, you find yourself overwhelmed by worry you can't explain, or numb in a way that frightens you, or still carrying something heavy from a birth experience that didn't go the way you planned.

The perinatal period, which spans pregnancy and postpartum, is one of the most profound life transitions a person can go through. And it's one of the least supported. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders affect far more new parents than most people realize, dads included!

These mental health challenges can occur during pregnancy, not just after. They don't only look like sadness. And they don't resolve on their own with time, rest, or trying harder. What they need is care from a therapist who truly understands the unique emotional, hormonal, and relational landscape of the perinatal period.

You may be noticing:

Persistent anxiety or dread that won't lift, even on good days
Postpartum depression or mood changes that feel bigger than baby blues
Intrusive thoughts about your baby's safety that you're too scared to say out loud
Emotional numbness or a sense of disconnection from your baby or yourself
Flashbacks or distress related to a difficult birth experience
Grief following pregnancy loss, a NICU stay, or an unexpected birth outcome
Identity shifts and overwhelm around who you are now that you're a parent
Feelings of sadness, restlessness, or irritability that don't seem to fit the life you have

You don't have to keep carrying this alone. Perinatal mental health care can help you find your footing again, and we'd love to be part of that for you.

What Is a PMH-C Certified Therapist, and Why Does It Matter for Your Care?

Not every therapist is trained in perinatal mental health. It's a specialized field that requires knowledge well beyond a general therapy license: understanding perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, birth trauma, hormonal changes, and how they affect mental health, the identity shifts of new parenthood, and the unique ethical considerations that come with supporting someone in one of the most vulnerable periods of their life.

The Perinatal Mental Health Certification, known as the PMH-C, is the gold standard credential for therapists working in this field. It's awarded by Postpartum Support International and requires demonstrated competency in assessing, treating, and supporting people experiencing perinatal mental health challenges.

When you work with a PMH-C certified therapist, you're working with someone who has specifically trained to understand what you're going through and can provide the emotional support new parents need. That's the kind of perinatal mental health support that makes a real difference.

How Can a Perinatal Therapist in Phoenix, AZ, Help You?

We don't arrive at your first session with a checklist. We arrive curious about your specific story: what's happened, what you're carrying, and what kind of support is going to actually help. Our approach is trauma-informed from the start, which means your sense of safety comes first, always.

Across the perinatal period, we provide specialized therapy for:

Prenatal anxiety and depression — mental health challenges that occur during pregnancy deserve just as much attention as those that follow delivery. We help you navigate the challenges of pregnancy with practical tools and a steady therapeutic relationship
Postpartum anxiety and Postpartum depression — postpartum mood and anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health challenges new parents face. We use EMDR, IFS, and ACT to address what's driving your symptoms, not just manage the surface
Birth trauma and EMDR — a difficult birth experience can leave lasting distress that affects your emotional and mental wellbeing long after delivery. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is one of the most effective evidence-based approaches for processing birth trauma and postpartum PTSD
EMDR for birth preparation — EMDR isn't only for healing after a difficult experience. We also work with first-time moms who want to feel genuinely confident and grounded going into delivery, and with moms preparing for a new birth who are still carrying fear or trauma from a previous one. This is proactive, empowering work, and it can make a profound difference in how you experience birth
Pregnancy loss and perinatal grief — the grief that follows miscarriage, stillbirth, or a NICU stay is real, and it deserves real support. We provide a safe space to grieve without a timeline or judgment
Infertility and the road to parenthood — the emotional weight of struggling to conceive doesn't disappear once a baby arrives. We work with parents carrying the grief, anxiety, and trauma of infertility, IVF, and repeated pregnancy loss because that history is part of your perinatal story, too.

Organizations like Postpartum Support International affirm what we see every day: perinatal mental health challenges are common, treatable, and not your fault. You deserve a specialist who knows the difference.

You reached out today for a reason. That matters.

The right support changes everything.

We're here, and we're ready to meet you exactly where you are.

Schedule A Free consult

FAQS

Common questions about working with a perinatal mental health specialist

Perinatal mental health therapy is specialized support for the emotional and psychological challenges that can arise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It covers the full perinatal spectrum, including prenatal anxiety and depression, postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, birth trauma, postpartum OCD, pregnancy loss grief, and the identity shifts of new parenthood. Unlike general therapy, perinatal mental health care is tailored to the unique hormonal, relational, and emotional landscape of this season of life.
We don’t prescribe medication, but if medication management feels helpful, we can collaborate with a psychiatrist or another mental health provider to support your treatment plan.
Yes. Perinatal mental health challenges can occur during pregnancy just as commonly as after delivery. Prenatal anxiety, depression, and OCD are all part of the perinatal mental health spectrum. You don't need to wait until after your baby arrives to seek support. In fact, addressing mental health challenges during pregnancy can make a significant difference for both you and your baby's well-being.
Yes. We offer telehealth therapy across all of Arizona. Online therapy is available for all of our perinatal mental health services, including prenatal support, postpartum depression and anxiety, birth trauma, and pregnancy loss. For many new parents, getting to an in-person appointment is a real stressor. Online sessions let you access the support you need from wherever you feel most comfortable.
We know cost is a real consideration, especially when you're already navigating so much. We're a private-pay practice and don't accept insurance directly. But we don't want that to be the thing that stands between you and support. Many of our clients use out-of-network benefits, HSA, or FSA funds. We partner with Thrizer, a company that helps clients submit superbills for out-of-network coverage through insurance (you can check your out-of-network benefits here). We're always happy to talk through your options before you commit to anything.