If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I should be doing better,”   “Other moms seem to handle this just fine,”  or “What is wrong with me?”  — you’re not alone. One of the most common themes I hear from moms in therapy is this: “My internal voice is so much meaner to me than I would ever be to anyone else.” Motherhood can activate a surprisingly harsh internal critic. Even moms who are kind, patient, and gentle with everyone around them often struggle to extend even a fraction of that...

Maternal mental health and postpartum risk are rising A large recent analysis  found that in the weeks after childbirth, women face significantly elevated risk of depression — and a sharply increased risk of psychosis early postpartum (up to 6–7× higher in the first five weeks). At the same time, a U.S.-wide survey  (2016–2023) found a noticeable decline in self-reported maternal mental health: fewer mothers rated their mental health “excellent,” and more reported “fair/poor.” Why it matters:...

As therapists for moms and birthing parents for almost two decades, we've learned some things about what makes a healthy relationship...