Perinatal Therapy

Understanding the Perinatal Period: When to Seek Support and How Therapy Can Help

The perinatal period begins when you start your journey to grow your family and continues through your baby’s first year of life. It’s a time of incredible change, growth, and emotion — filled with both joy and challenges.

At Mental Wellness Montclair, we understand that every path to parenthood looks different. For some, this journey may include conception and pregnancy; for others, it may involve fertility treatments, surrogacy, or adoption. For LGBTQ+ individuals and families, the family-building experience can take many forms — each bringing its own hopes, adjustments, and emotions.

Why Support Matters During the Perinatal Period

While the perinatal period can be exciting, it’s also normal to experience stress, worry, or mood changes. Many parents feel overwhelmed as they navigate physical changes, shifting relationships, and new responsibilities. When sadness, anxiety, or fatigue start to feel difficult to manage, reaching out for professional help is an important act of strength. Support early on can make a meaningful difference for both you and your baby.

Therapy Through the Family-Building Journey

Growing your family often comes with a mix of anticipation, hope, and uncertainty. Fertility challenges, pregnancy, and early parenting can all bring emotional ups and downs — and therapy provides a safe space to process those feelings.

Whether you’re managing fertility treatments, navigating surrogacy or adoption, or preparing for your baby’s arrival, therapy can help you:

• Process complex emotions and reduce stress

• Strengthen communication and connection with your partner or support network

• Build resilience and self-compassion through transitions

When the Journey Includes Loss

Infertility, miscarriage, and pregnancy loss can be profoundly painful experiences that leave many feeling isolated or unsure of where to turn. Therapy offers a space to grieve, find healing, and care for your emotional well-being. You don’t have to face this alone — support is available for every stage of your journey.

Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Mental Health

Pregnancy and the postpartum period bring major emotional and physical changes. It’s common to experience mood swings, anxiety, or exhaustion as you adjust to life with a new baby. For parents and families, these transitions can come with additional layers of stress or identity-related challenges.

If you find yourself feeling persistently sad, anxious, or disconnected, therapy can help you find balance, strengthen your support system, and feel more confident as you care for yourself and your baby.