This is harder than anyone told you it would be.
Therapy for Postpartum OCD & Anxiety in RI, MA & TN
It's 2am. The baby is finally asleep. And instead of resting, your mind is racing.
Maybe you're Googling something for the hundredth time tonight. Maybe you just had a thought so scary you can barely admit it to yourself. Maybe you're lying there wondering why this doesn't feel the way everyone said it would — and whether something is seriously wrong with you.
Something is going on — and you deserve support to figure out what it is.
Intrusive thoughts about your baby that terrify and shame you
Obsessing over every detail — nap schedules, feeding, whether you're doing it right
Drowning in social media comparisons that leave you feeling like you're failing
Anxiety that spiked during pregnancy and never went away
A bone-deep exhaustion that goes beyond just being tired
You deserve support too. You don't have to figure this out alone.
How therapy works
You don't have to keep pretending everything is fine.
Pregnancy is supposed to be exciting. And it can be. But it can also be terrifying, isolating, and overwhelming in ways nobody prepares you for. Your hormones are shifting dramatically, your body is changing, and if you're in your first trimester you may be keeping the pregnancy secret — carrying all of this completely alone while feeling sick and scared and trying to hold everything together. One Google search leads to another, then a Reddit thread, then an Instagram post telling you you're doing it wrong. That spiral is exhausting — and it can trigger OCD and anxiety even in people who have never struggled with either before.
After birth, your hormones shift so rapidly it can leave you feeling completely unrecognizable to yourself. Maybe you're obsessing over every detail. Maybe you're drowning in social media posts telling you your baby should be sleeping differently, eating differently, existing differently. And maybe — and this is the part that's hardest to say out loud — you're having thoughts that terrify you. Thoughts about something happening to your baby. Thoughts so disturbing you haven't told anyone, not even your partner, because you're afraid of what it means. These thoughts are a hallmark symptom of postpartum OCD — and they are treatable.
Postpartum OCD is more common than most people realize — and it is chronically underdiagnosed because new moms are too ashamed or afraid to say what's really going on, and because not enough providers know what to look for. Your brain has literally been rewired by pregnancy and birth to protect your baby. When OCD or anxiety gets tangled up in that protective instinct, it can create some of the most frightening thoughts imaginable. That's a sign that you need support — the right kind of support, from someone who actually understands what's happening.
Postpartum isn't the only time OCD and motherhood intersect. For moms who already live with OCD, the demands of parenting — the uncertainty, the responsibility, the never-ending decisions — can be some of the most fertile ground for OCD to take hold. If you're a mom struggling with OCD at any stage — not just in the postpartum period — this is a space where you're understood.
Therapy for postpartum OCD & anxiety can help you…
Quiet the intrusive thoughts that are keeping you up at night
Stop the Google spiral and trust yourself as a mother
Understand what's OCD and what's normal new-parent worry
Show up as the mom you want to be — without burning yourself out
Feel like yourself again
Frequently asked questions about Postpartum OCD & Anxiety therapy
FAQs
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Intrusive thoughts — including scary thoughts about your baby — are incredibly common in new parents and are a hallmark symptom of postpartum OCD when coupled with compulsions and other safety behaviors. Postpartum OCD is a treatable condition — and reaching out for help is the most important thing you can do. Learn more.
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Postpartum depression and postpartum OCD can look similar but are different. Postpartum depression typically involves persistent sadness, hopelessness, and withdrawal. Postpartum OCD involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts and compulsive behaviors driven by anxiety and fear. Many moms experience both. Either way — you deserve support. Learn more.
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You don't have to wait until after the baby arrives to get help. Prenatal anxiety and OCD are real and treatable — and getting support during pregnancy can make a significant difference for both you and your baby. Learn more.
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Fill out the contact form and I'll be in touch within 1–2 business days to schedule your free 15-minute consultation. No pressure, no commitment — just a conversation to see if we're a good fit. Learn more.