Thoughts after birth that don't feel like you
A calm place to talk about frightening, unwanted thoughts after birth, without judgment, in Minot and by telehealth in North Dakota and Iowa.
Book a Free 15-Minute Consult
Thoughts That Feel Unlike You
After a birth, thoughts or images can show up that you never invited and do not want. They can arrive without warning, they can be frightening, and they can feel completely unlike the person you know yourself to be.
It makes sense to want to keep them to yourself, out of shame or worry about how they will sound. You can talk about them here. You won't be rushed to a label or judged for what you say, and we go at a pace that feels manageable to you.
Care after birth is the center of my practice. These thoughts belong in that care just as much as sleep, mood and physical healing do, and you can raise them whenever you feel ready, at the first appointment or later on.
Maybe It Sounds Like This
- A thought came out of nowhere, and it scared me.
- I can't tell anyone what goes through my head.
- I keep picturing things I would never want to happen.
- These thoughts don't feel like me at all.
You can say any of these in an evaluation, in your own words, and we can go from there.
What We Can Talk About
You decide how much detail to share, and we can start wherever feels easiest.
The Thoughts Themselves
What shows up, how it feels when it does and how much of your day it takes, described as plainly or as gently as you like.
What You Do Because of Them
Anything you have started doing in response, such as checking, avoiding certain tasks or asking others for reassurance, and how tiring that can be.
Rest, Meals and Healing
How your body is doing after the birth, since sleep, food and physical healing belong in the same conversation as your thoughts.
Your Mood Overall
Sadness, worry, irritability or anything else that has changed since the birth, so the thoughts are seen as part of your whole life.
Why Saying Them Out Loud Matters
Thoughts like these can feel heavier when they stay secret. Saying them out loud in an evaluation, to someone who will not flinch or judge, helps me understand what is going on, so we can make a plan together that fits you.
I won't guess at what your thoughts mean before we have talked, and I can't tell you ahead of time how things will go. What you can count on is a careful, respectful conversation at a pace you set, with room for questions.
Taking the First Step
Each step lets you share a little more, only as you are ready.
- 1
Free 15-Minute Consult
A brief phone conversation where you can ask your own questions first. You don't have to describe the thoughts yet.
- 2
Initial Evaluation
60 to 90 minutes at the Minot office or by telehealth. You can pause at any point to ask why I am asking something.
- 3
Follow-Up Sessions
30 to 45 minutes to talk about what has eased, what still feels hard and what the plan needs next.
Fees in Brief
The 15-minute phone consult costs nothing, the initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up sessions are $125.
- Consult
- $0
- 15 min
- Evaluation
- $300
- 60 to 90 min
- Follow-up
- $125
- 30 to 45 min
Questions About Unwanted Thoughts
Will I be judged for what I tell you?
You won't be judged here. Say what you can, in whatever words come, and you can stop whenever you need to.
What if the thoughts are too hard to say out loud?
You can start with how they make you feel and leave the details for later. You can also say "I'd rather not get into that today" at any point, and we can come back to it when you are ready.
What if I am having thoughts of harming myself or the baby?
Call or text 988 or call 911 right now. You deserve help immediately, and this site is not an emergency service.
You don't have to carry these thoughts alone
A free 15-minute phone consult is a gentle first step, and you choose how much to share.
Book a Free 15-Minute Consult