TTC, pregnancy, and mental health… why does it feel so hard??
Are you in the season of trying to start a family? Navigating the transition from “maiden” to “mother?”
“I wanted a conscious conception and intentional pregnancy, but now I’m feeling more stressed and conflicted than ever.”
“I’m so happy that I’m pregnant… but I feel so uncomfortable in my body. I’m scared of gaining weight and losing myself.”
“I thought I was healthy and ready to get pregnant, but it’s not happening… I feel betrayed by my body and confused about what to do next.”
“I love my baby so much, but I feel so lost and overwhelmed as a new mom. Is there something wrong with me?”
Any of these sound familiar? We get it, sis. These experiences are dynamics that we help clients navigate often. You’re not alone, and we’re here to help.
Whether you’re actively TTC already pregnant, or recently gave birth, this is a time of immense transition in your life… It can be a very beautiful but difficult journey - it takes a lot to surrender to the uncertainty of if and when you might get pregnant, how your pregnancy and birth will unfold, or how you will feel as a new mom.
Much like the cultural initiation of getting married - with so much expectation imbued in it - many women feel like there is something wrong with them that they’re not enjoying the process of TTC, pregnancy, or motherhood. Many women are feeling stressed, uncertain of themselves, and alone in these feelings - wondering, “Is there something wrong with me that I’m feeling this way?” “Is there something wrong with my body that it isn’t happening the way I expected?”
These worries are valid and can be extremely intense for the woman experiencing them… We also know that for optimal health, fertility, and postpartum healing - your body needs to feel safe, nourished, and supported - and if we are stuck in cycles of fear in isolation, this has a physiological impact on our bodies and babies. Stress and fear are natural and to be expected to some extent during this transition - but experiencing those feelings in isolation is NOT natural, and can be very damaging for a woman and her family.
That’s why having support during this sensitive season of life can be so crucial. It is easy to get stuck in cycles of anxiety or fear, and lose track of your connection with yourself, and why you’re taking this step to start a family in the first place.
At Integrate Holistic Psychotherapy, we are passionate about helping women feel connected with themselves, in touch with their needs and desires, and able to build healthy relationships starting from the inside, out: Starting from her relationship with her own body, mind, emotions, and spirit… and then building outwards to her relationships with partners, parents, children, and community. We believe that a woman in touch with her body, her desire, and her needs - especially while TTC and through pregnancy and birth - is a significant step towards healing for our families, communities, society, and planet.
As women, we hold so much in our bodies and in our womb space. Most of us have complicated relationships with our body and sexuality, and many of these dynamics can rise up to the surface as we take a deeper look at our physical, hormonal, and sexual health in preparation for pregnancy. This is a portal for immense healing and growth, for those who want to make use of it.
For me personally, even considering starting a family has brought up so much. Generational wounds around my relationship with my body, feelings of isolation, distrust, and even despair around the lack of intact community and support from family and society… fear and anxiety about my own capacity as a mother or partner, fear about the political reality of the USA, cost of living, the future in general… and grief… so much grief to feel through and learn to hold with presence.
It has been a time where the support of other embodied women - somatic therapists, bodyworkers, authors, and friends - has become crucial for me. In seeking the support of other women who care about my own healing, I’ve been able to contend with deeper layers of some of the most sensitive wounds that I carry. It’s no cake-walk, but I can tell that I am healing and growing.
When I have the support and safety to be in presence with these more difficult aspects of myself, my healing and growth emerges naturally from within. I feel a sense of clarity in my decisions, and regain a sense of agency and choice in my life - even though I cannot control what happens or doesn’t happen in my health and fertility journey.
At Integrate Holistic Psychotherapy, our somatic therapists are passionate about holding space for other women to discover the same healing capacity that lives within their own bodies and spirits.
Especially during such an important and sensitive time of life… processing old generational wounds, and building a healthier, more intentional relationship with your body and emotions couldn’t be more important. Its impact will reverberate through generations of your family and community.
We believe in a holistic approach to women’s health, and have referral partnerships with many holistic practitioners - including functional medicine doctors, holistic OBGYNs, acupuncturists, nutritionists and bodyworkers - so that you are able to access the truly integrative support that is needed during this season of your life.
Supported and nourished mothers are the center of healthy families, communities, and societies! And that totally is going to be YOU, right? We would be so honored to support you during this sacred season of life.
Want to find out more about what your personal journey at Integrate could look like? Book a free discovery call with our team of embodied therapists, and let’s see how we can support you.
