Therapy for Moms in San Diego
Therapy for Moms in San Diego
A lot of moms find it hard to cope. Between managing schedules, keeping everyone safe and fed, maintaining relationships, and maybe working a demanding job, it can feel like you’re just trying to keep your head above water.
Yet, despite nearly every mom managing so many overlapping obligations, maternal mental health isn’t always openly discussed. We’re supposed to do it all while always feeling grateful. And for high-achieving, perfectionist moms, motherhood can bring out the need to control everything and be everything to everyone.
As a mom and recovering perfectionist myself, I get it. Through therapy for moms in San Diego, I help women work through the anxiety, guilt, and impossible expectations that make motherhood harder than it needs to be, so they can actually enjoy the lives they've built.
What is matrescence therapy?
“Matrescence” is the developmental stage from pre-conception to pregnancy, birth, surrogacy, or adoption through to the postnatal period. It’s the physical, emotional, mental, and social changes that happen when you become a mother. It’s even sometimes compared to adolescence because it involves changes in the body, identity, relationships, and sense of self.
Matrescence therapy helps women navigate these changes, including the conflicting emotions that can come with becoming a parent. You can love being a mom while also missing your independence, career flexibility, or the person you were before having kids.
Unlike general therapy for new moms, which might focus more on stress and sleep management, matrescence therapy creates space to explore how becoming a mom has changed your identity. And matrescence doesn't necessarily end after the newborn stage. Your identity and responsibilities continue to shift as your children grow.
What does therapy for moms look like?
Counseling for moms gives you the space to focus on your mental health and relationships, as well as the challenges you’re experiencing as a parent. As a therapist for moms, I’ll work with you to explore what’s making motherhood feel hard and how patterns like perfectionism, people-pleasing, and over-responsibility might contribute.
In my practice, counseling for mothers is a collaborative approach. I believe you’re the expert in your life, and I’m there to act as a guide, helping you work toward the life you want to live. I'll bring the clinical tools to help you understand what's happening and make meaningful changes.
Whether you're facing new mom anxiety, trying to manage motherhood burnout, or seeking new mom therapy in San Diego, we'll focus on helping you manage what’s bringing you to therapy for moms.
Hi, I'm Allison, a therapist for mothers in San Diego
I'm an EMDR-certified therapist, a mom, a high achiever, and a recovering perfectionist. I work especially well with Type-A women who are used to managing everything themselves but are beginning to realize that constantly pushing through isn't working anymore.
I know what it's like to hustle so hard that you forget to actually enjoy the life you've created. I also understand that becoming a mom can bring up old patterns, especially when you've spent years measuring your worth by how much you accomplish.
As a therapist for mothers, I help women understand what's underneath the anxiety and pressure rather than simply adding more coping strategies to their already overflowing plates. I use approaches like EMDR and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which can be especially helpful when anxiety, guilt, or perfectionism are connected to trauma or deeply held beliefs about your worth as a mother.
You don’t need to stop being ambitious or lower every standard. Instead, we'll work together to figure out which expectations are serving you and which are keeping you stuck.
How can counseling for moms help?
Motherhood can be both incredibly rewarding and one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. It has a way of bringing out anxiety, self-doubt, guilt, and old patterns you thought you’d already worked through. Maternal mental health counseling gives you a place to address these difficulties rather than trying to push through them. Therapy for moms can help with:
Mom burnout and feeling overwhelmed
Mom burnout can look like constant exhaustion, irritability, or resentment, or feel like everyone needs something from you. Even small requests can feel like too much. Therapy for mothers helps you look at what’s contributing to the burnout, set achievable expectations, and make room for your needs.
Postpartum anxiety and emotional changes
Becoming a mother can bring about a lot of emotional changes, from overwhelming worry to feeling disconnected from yourself, your child, or your partner. Postpartum therapy can help you process these experiences and develop ways to manage anxiety and understand your emotions.
Perfectionism and mom guilt
Maybe you’re a working mom who feels guilty that you’re not always at home with your kids. Perhaps you’re a stay-at-home mom who craves more alone time. Or maybe you constantly feel like you’re not doing enough or being the mother you feel you “should” be.
High expectations can make it feel like you’re never doing enough or you’re never the “right” kind of mom. Therapy for motherhood can help you challenge the belief that your worth depends on how much you accomplish and practice setting boundaries without the constant guilt.
Losing your sense of identity
It’s normal and natural to love being a mother but also miss the person you were before kids. Motherhood therapy can help you reconnect with your interests, relationships, and goals outside of parenting. You don't have to choose between being a good mom and having a life that feels fulfilling to you, too.
How to get started with San Diego therapy for moms
Finding time for yourself isn't always easy, especially when you're used to putting everyone else first. I've made getting started with therapy for mothers as straightforward as possible. Here’s an outline of what you can expect:
1. Schedule a free consultation
Start by booking a free 15-minute, no-pressure consultation to tell me what’s bringing you to therapy, ask questions, and see whether we’re a good fit.
2. Book your first session
If you decide to move forward with me as your therapist, we'll schedule your first appointment. I'll send intake paperwork beforehand so we can start to better understand your concerns, history, strengths, and goals for therapy.
3. Enjoy motherhood with less pressure
Together, we'll work on the underlying beliefs, anxiety, and perfectionism that are keeping you stuck. My goal as a mom therapist is to help you feel more confident, trust yourself, and enjoy motherhood without feeling like everything needs to be perfect.
FAQs about therapy for motherhood
Whether you're a new mom or you’ve been parenting for years, it's normal to have questions about finding the right support. Here are a few things to know before getting started:
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You can start by Googling “therapy for mom” or “therapist for moms” in your area. You can also contact your insurance provider, OB, or primary care physician for referrals. From there, look for therapists experienced in maternal mental health and your specific concerns. For instance, you might want someone who specializes in perinatal mental health therapy or postpartum therapy.
I’m happy to support moms looking for motherhood or postpartum therapy in San Diego, especially those looking to work through perfectionism, burnout, and anxiety as they adjust to motherhood.
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I'm an out-of-network provider, which means I don't bill insurance companies directly. This allows your care to stay completely private and gives us the freedom to structure your treatment without insurance restrictions on diagnoses, session length and frequency, or treatment approaches. However, if you have out-of-network benefits, I can provide superbills for you to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
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I offer virtual therapy for moms in San Diego and throughout California. This flexibility makes it easier to fit sessions around your work, childcare, and other responsibilities. If you're looking for postpartum therapy in San Diego, or support for working mom burnout or the everyday challenges of parenting, we can discuss which option works best for your schedule.