Postpartum Deserves a More Honest Conversation (Plus, I Was on a Podcast!)

Okay, y’all. I have to share something I’m really proud of. This week I was a guest on The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer, LMFT, in an episode called Supporting Postpartum Moms Through Private Practice.

👉 Listen to the episode here or watch it on YouTube.

It’s a show for therapists building their practices, so yes, there was shop talk. But the real heart of our conversation was how my own story shaped the work I do now: my eating disorder recovery, my own postpartum season, and why I built a practice where women can feel truly understood.

So if you’re a mom (or mom-to-be) who isn’t about to sit through a private practice podcast, I get it. Here’s the good stuff.

My Story Is Part of Why I Do This Work

Here’s something I talked about openly on the episode: I’ve been in recovery from my own eating disorder for 10 years. And I built this practice while I was navigating my own postpartum journey.

My story doesn’t take center stage in your sessions. Your time is about you. But it absolutely shapes what I notice, what I care about, and the kind of space I want to create. I know what it’s like to look like you’re holding it all together while quietly wondering if something is wrong with you.

That’s the thread I see over and over with the women I work with: feeling alone and unseen. My whole mission is to make room for your story without shame, diet culture, or that cold, clinical distance that makes you want to walk right back out the door.

“Baby Blues” vs. Something More

Let’s clear this up, because it trips a lot of people up.

The baby blues are really common. Think weepy, moody, overwhelmed in the first couple of weeks after birth. They usually fade on their own within about two weeks.

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are different. That’s the umbrella term for depression, anxiety, OCD, and other mental health struggles that can show up during pregnancy or anytime in the first year after baby. They tend to last longer, feel heavier, and get in the way of daily life.

And GIRL, they are common. Roughly 1 in 7 new moms experience postpartum depression alone. They are also very treatable.

The Stuff Nobody Tells You About

Postpartum struggles don’t always look like crying in the shower (though that counts too). Some signs moms don’t expect:

• Rage or irritability. Snapping at your partner over the dishwasher and not recognizing yourself.
• A brain that won’t turn off. The baby is finally asleep, and you’re lying awake running through every worst-case scenario.
• Scary intrusive thoughts. Unwanted thoughts or images of something bad happening to your baby. These are common in postpartum anxiety and OCD, and having them does not mean you’d act on them.
• Feeling numb or disconnected. Going through the motions and wondering why you don’t feel the way you “should.”
• Food and body stuff. Feeling at war with your postpartum body, restricting to “bounce back,” forgetting to eat for hours, or feeling out of control with food.
• The guilt spiral. “I have a healthy baby. Why am I not happy?”

If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not failing at motherhood. You might just need more support than you’re getting.

Why “Just Push Through” Doesn’t Work

So many of the moms I work with are the capable ones. The planners. The ones everybody else leans on. And their plan for struggling is usually to white-knuckle it until it passes.

Pushing through indefinitely? Absolutely not. Postpartum struggles aren’t a character flaw or a willpower problem, and they don’t always resolve on their own.

What Support Can Actually Look Like

Therapy for postpartum isn’t lying on a couch talking about your childhood (unless you want to). It can look like:

• A space to say the hard stuff out loud without being judged
• Practical tools for anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and the mental load
• Untangling food and body image struggles that flare up after baby
• Processing a difficult or traumatic birth experience, sometimes with EMDR (a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps your brain process painful memories so they don’t hit as hard)

Gordon and I also chatted about my move from virtual-only sessions into an in-person office. So now you’ve got options: I see clients in person at my Waco office on Lake Air Drive and virtually anywhere in Texas.

A Quick Note to My Fellow Providers

If you’re an OB, midwife, pediatrician, lactation consultant, or therapist who works with new moms, I’d love for you to give the episode a listen. We also got into thoughtful self-disclosure and how I use systems (and yes, AI) to keep a solo practice manageable. Moms often mention their struggles to you first. I’m always happy to be a referral resource or just a colleague to compare notes with. Reach out here.

You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone

If this post felt a little too familiar, that’s okay. It might be a sign to reach out.

• Ready to talk? Schedule a free consultation and we’ll see if we’re a good fit.
• Not quite ready? Join my newsletter, Between Sessions, for real talk on motherhood, food, body image, and mental health, delivered to your inbox. Sign up here

Reading a blog post isn’t therapy and isn’t a substitute for individualized care. If you’re in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. You can also reach the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline 24/7 at 1-833-852-6262 (call or text), or Postpartum Support International’s HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773.

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With care,

Hannah