Areas of Focus

  • Depression & Anxiety

  • Adjustment to Motherhood

  • Pregnancy & Postpartum Planning

  • Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) 

  • High Risk Pregnancies

  • Birth Trauma & PTSD

  • Twins/Multiples

  • Pregnancy Loss & Grief

  • Relationship Challenges

  • Managing the Mental Load

  • Termination for Medical Reasons (TFMR)

  •  Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)

  • Infertility

  • Mom Rage & Mom Guilt

  • Parenting 

  • Childhood Wounds and Trauma

More information:

  • About 1 in 8 couples experience infertility or difficulty getting pregnant. The path to parenthood isn’t always straightforward, and for many, trying to conceive comes with unexpected challenges. Fertility treatments and medications, IUI, IVF, the long “two-week wait,” and the disappointment of negative tests month after month can feel like an emotional rollercoaster.

    Alongside the medical process often comes a wave of emotions…Hope, grief, anxiety, frustration, and sometimes a deep sense of isolation. Watching others share the joy of pregnancy can be especially painful when you’re left wondering if it will ever be your turn.

    This journey can also place strain on relationships. Navigating scheduled intercourse, coping with hormone side effects, and carrying the weight of shared sadness or hopelessness can take a toll. Between Villages offers a space to process these experiences with compassion, to feel less alone, and to find support for both yourself and your relationships during this challenging season.

  • Bringing a baby into your life is often imagined as a joyful time, but the reality can feel very different. Many new and expecting parents struggle with Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), which include depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress, bipolar disorder and psychosis. PMADs can occur during pregnancy or in the first year after birth.

    You are not alone. 1 in 5 birthing parents and 1 in 10 partners experience a PMAD. These conditions are the most common complication of pregnancy and postpartum, yet they are often misunderstood or overlooked.

    PMADs can bring feelings of sadness, irritability, worry, panic, intrusive thoughts, or a sense of being overwhelmed. Sometimes parents feel guilty or ashamed for not feeling the joy they expected. These symptoms are not your fault and with the right support, you can feel better.

    Learn more about PMADs here.

  • Planning ahead can help you navigate the postpartum period with more confidence and emotional support.

    Postpartum planning sessions focus on preparing for both the practical and emotional aspects of life after birth. Together, we can:

    • Explore strategies for coping with sleep deprivation, mood changes, and stress.

    • Identify early signs of postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) and plan for timely support.

    • Discuss realistic expectations around parenting, relationships, and self-care.

    • Create a support system tailored to your unique needs, including partners, family, and community.

    • Discuss strategies for healthy boundaries

    Planning with a therapist before and after birth can empower you to approach the postpartum period with resilience, awareness, and self-compassion. Early preparation is not only preventive, it can also help you enjoy these early moments of parenthood more fully.

  • I know first hand the challenges (and joys) that come along with having multiples. It is truly a unique experience. Navigating a high risk pregnancy, so many medical appointments and screenings, risk after risk after risk. A delivery that is almost always met with extended hospital stays or NICU time. The difficult postpartum period trying to navigate intense levels of exhaustion and adjustment, while juggling feeding schedules, double diapers, and the constant demands of caring for more than one newborn at the same time. 

    And the community…well that can be hard when it feels like the singleton parents around you are having a very different experience. Parenting twins or multiples often requires extra layers of community and creativity. Together, we can explore resources, strategies, and supports that help lighten the load, while also validating the unique beauty and strength that it takes to be a parent of multiples!

  • Experiencing a pregnancy loss can be a deeply painful and isolating experience. Whether it’s a miscarriage, stillbirth, or termination for medical reasons (TFMR), the emotional impact can be profound and complex. Many people feel grief, guilt, sadness, or confusion, and it’s common to struggle with navigating relationships, work, and daily life during this time.

    Give yourself time and space to process your emotions, honor your grief, and explore ways to cope, heal, and foster self-compassion after loss.

  • Trauma can resurface during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. It can often shape how we respond to stress, form attachments, and view ourselves as parents. During the perinatal period, these earlier wounds may resurface and show up as heightened anxiety, difficulty trusting others, fear around medical settings, or feeling triggered by the intensity of birth and early parenthood. 

    Reproductive trauma can occur at any stage of the family-building process. This may include infertility, pregnancy loss, termination for medical reasons (TFMR), complicated pregnancies, or medical interventions that feel overwhelming or out of your control.

    Birth trauma is also more common than many realize. Research shows that up to 1 in 3 birthing parents experience their delivery as traumatic, whether due to emergency interventions, unexpected complications, loss of control, or feeling unsupported. For some, these experiences may lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress such as intrusive memories, hypervigilance, or difficulty bonding with the baby.

    With compassionate, trauma-informed support, it’s possible to process these experiences and develop healthier coping strategies. Therapy can help break old cycles, regulate the nervous system, and foster a greater sense of safety, connection, and resilience as you step into parenthood.

  • Matrescence is the transition a person goes through when becoming a mother. Much like adolescence, it’s a major life stage marked by profound physical, emotional, hormonal, and social changes. During this time, many parents experience shifts in identity, relationships, priorities, and sense of self.

    Unlike the more commonly discussed physical aspects of pregnancy and postpartum, matrescence also speaks to the inner experience, the psychological and emotional transformation that happens when you step into parenthood. It can bring joy and fulfillment, but it can also stir up grief, uncertainty, or resurfacing of past wounds.

    Acknowledging matrescence helps normalize the ups and downs of this stage. It reminds parents that these changes are not a sign of weakness, but part of a very real developmental process. With support, this transition can become a period of growth, healing, and deeper connection to both self and baby.

  • This is a place for all women and all mothers. However you need to show up. Life can feel unbearably heavy at times. Maybe sadness or depression lingers more days than not. Maybe anxiety keeps you awake at night. Perhaps you’re feeling overstimulated, touched out, and carrying the weight of managing it all (household, family, work) and burnout is inevitable.

    You might be coming across words like mental load, default parent, or invisible labor and realizing they perfectly describe why you feel so overwhelmed and exhausted. 

    Together, we can create space to navigate these challenges and find ways not only to get through the days but to feel more grounded, supported, and whole.

Individual sessions are offered virtually throughout California.

I take an eclectic approach to therapy utilizing years of experience and training in evidence based practices and effective interventions. Click below to learn more about a few of the types of therapy frequently used at Between Villages.

 Treatment Modalities

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a research-based therapy designed to help people heal from the impact of distressing or traumatic experiences. Rather than focusing only on talking through memories, EMDR helps the brain reprocess them in a way that reduces their emotional intensity. This allows you to move forward with a greater sense of calm, clarity, and resilience.

    EMDR for Reproductive and Perinatal Experiences:

    Many people carry past experiences that shape how they feel during pregnancy, postpartum, or while navigating the reproductive journey. EMDR can be especially effective in addressing:

    • Childhood trauma that may resurface during parenthood.

    • Birth trauma and difficult reproductive experiences such as infertility, miscarriage, or pregnancy loss.

    • Other traumas that impact a person’s sense of safety and well-being during the perinatal period.

    By working through these experiences with EMDR, many clients find relief from painful memories, improved emotional balance, and a deeper connection to themselves and their families.

  • Somatic and body-based therapies focus on the mind–body connection, recognizing that stress and trauma are experienced not only through thoughts and emotions but also through the nervous system and physical body. These approaches use practices such as breathwork, grounding, gentle movement, and body awareness to support regulation, ease tension, and restore a sense of safety.

    Why this is important:

    During pregnancy, postpartum, and throughout the reproductive journey, the body holds both the challenges and the resilience of these experiences. Somatic therapies can help individuals process stress, trauma, or medical interventions that may feel overwhelming. By engaging the body directly in therapy, clients often experience greater emotional regulation, relief from anxiety and hypervigilance, and a deeper connection to themselves and their healing process.

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly researched, evidence-based approach that focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT helps individuals identify unhelpful thought patterns, challenge them, and develop healthier ways of coping. By learning practical skills, clients can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve problem-solving, and build greater emotional resilience.

    CBT in Reproductive and Perinatal Mental Health:

    CBT is considered a first-line treatment for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). It is especially effective in addressing:

    • Perinatal anxiety and depression by reducing intrusive worries and negative self-talk.

    • Adjustment to parenthood through building coping strategies and realistic expectations.

    • Reproductive challenges, such as infertility, pregnancy loss, or medical complications, by supporting resilience and emotional regulation.