Online Therapy For Pregnant & New Moms
When you have a newborn, the unpredictability of the baby’s schedule, nursing and your physical recovery or tiredness may mean that getting out of the house to an office appointment can be difficult but teletherapy means that you can get that extra support from a maternal mental health specialist at the time you are most likely to need it.
Becoming a parent is one of the most life-changing transitions you will experience and research over the past two decades has shown that typically 1 in 5 (20%) new moms will experience pregnancy and/or postpartum anxiety or depression and approximately 5-9% of women will experience postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth.
However, when moms are supported, they have a much easier time navigating the challenges of pregnancy and early motherhood.Whether you need a few sessions to help the transition, or perhaps longer treatment due to a prior history of anxiety or depression, or a traumatic delivery, it certainly can help to work with a professional who understands how treatment of maternal mental health issues are different from treating general anxiety and depression.
You are not alone in going through this and I know how to empower you by providing short-term, solution focused therapy to develop your coping strategies and process the difficult, conflicting emotions you may be experiencing. I have three children of my own, I’ve published research about postpartum depression and traumatic birth, have 25 years experience working with new moms and I am a maternal mental health advocate who has run a state-wide non-profit for new moms for 20 years. I know how to help!
Therapy provides a means of helping you gain a different perspective and insight about what you are experiencing and Cognitive Therapy (CBT) gives you the tools to manage overwhelming emotions.
The important thing at the moment is that you are carving out some time to look after your own mental health. During times of stress, you are more able to deal with your own stress or issues with your family or spouse, if you take time for your own self-care.
But Is Remote Therapy An Effective Treatment For New Moms?
Although I have been working with pregnant and postpartum women for many years, I only started thinking about offering remote therapy about 10 years ago. I found that because there weren’t enough therapists who had specialist training and experience treating maternal mental health issues, I was getting contacted by women from all over the state, many who traveled over an hour or more each way to see me. That is when I began looking for research studies that showed postpartum depression can be treated equally effectively using online therapy.
One of the first studies I found was a British study that showed the women who received the remote counseling for postpartum depression reported better results for depression and anxiety scores immediately after they had received the treatment as well as six months after treatment. The study lead researcher, Dr. Heather O’Mahen, said that the results (published in the journal Psychological Medicine), indicated that internet-based treatment had a positive effect in reducing postpartum depression as a whole and because it provided support in their homes it was convenient allowing them to complete a course of therapy. She added: “Our hope is that this will allow more women to access and benefit from support, with all the knock-on positives that come from that: happier families, improved quality of life for moms”.
More recently, the American Psychological Association (APA) published an article stating that research demonstrates that psychotherapy delivered via the phone is as effective as the care delivered in person. and the World Journal of Psychiatry concluded that there is a large evidence base that supports teletherapy being as effective as in office therapy.
In addition to the research on postpartum depression and teletherapy, I have found that pregnant moms experience the same rates of depression and anxiety as postpartum moms and remote therapy is also effective during pregnancy as it can be very helpful to develop coping strategies to deal with anxiety before the baby arrives. Both pregnancy and postpartum anxiety and depression are very common and treatable, you don’t have to go through this alone.
Is Remote Therapy Confidential & Private?
Yes!
I use a HIPAA compliant video conferencing platform that can work on wifi or cellular data, which means it enables my clients to find a way to talk to me in whatever way they can, whether it is a place in their house where they won’t be disturbed or they sit in their car in their garage or parking lot or go out for a walk. We will find a way that works best for you!
Is Remote Therapy Covered By Insurance?
Although there are some variations depending on what policy you have, most healthcare insurance plans provide coverage for teletherapy in the same way they cover in-office therapy. You can read more about my fees and how out-of-network insurance works, including questions to ask your insurance company about your telehealth and out-of-network reimbursements before you start therapy on this page Dr. Allen’s Fees and Insurance Info.
Therapy is a necessity if you are experiencing maternal mental and if your insurance does not reimburse telehealth my clients have found that having our sessions every other week is still beneficial. You can also pay for therapy services with FSA or HSA cards which can pay for medical services with pre-tax employment funds. If you have any questions about fees, or anything else you have read on the article or on my website, please reach out and ask me on the form below.
Dr. Allen offers online or telephone sessions to make it more convenient for pregnant and new moms to get specialist help.
Click here to read more about accessing help via online or telephone support.
Dr. Sarah Allen has 25 years of experience empowering women as they transition through pregnancy and being a new mom, whether it is your first or not. She is also the Director of the Postpartum Depression Alliance of IL, a non-profit offering info and support to pregnant and postpartum moms and their families.
She offers telephone or online counseling as they are the most convenient way for pregnant and new moms to access support and help. Unfortunately, Dr. Allen’s professional license only allows her to work with Illinois and Florida residents.
