Perinatal Mental Health Support in Virginia

Having a baby is a wonderful, weird, complicated, and at times scary season of life. I have both the professional training and personal experience to understand this. My name is Amy, and I’m an LCSW and a mom. I’m passionate about supporting people as they navigate the wild, rewarding, and sometimes overwhelming journey of becoming a parent.

Maybe you’re thinking about expanding your family or planning a pregnancy. You may wonder how your history of anxiety, OCD, depression, or other mental health struggles might show up during this next chapter. You want to approach pregnancy and parenthood intentionally and would like support from a therapist who understands the unique challenges of this season of life.

Maybe you or your partner is pregnant, and things are starting to feel real. You’re experiencing the worries, questions, and emotional ups and downs that can come with pregnancy and preparing for parenthood. You may wonder whether there is anything you can do before your baby arrives to set yourself up for a smoother transition. Or perhaps you’re wondering whether what you’re experiencing is a normal part of pregnancy—or a sign that you could benefit from additional support.

Maybe your baby is here, and parenthood is harder than you expected. You might feel constantly worried or on edge. Intrusive thoughts may scare you or interfere with your sleep. You might be terrified of making a mistake, checking and re-checking things repeatedly, or seeking reassurance that your baby is safe. Maybe you’re wondering when you’ll feel like yourself again.

You may have dreamed about your pregnancy, birth, or becoming a parent for a long time, only to find yourself feeling disconnected, anxious, overwhelmed, or grieving the experience you expected to have. Whatever your experience looks like, you are not alone—and effective treatment is available.

I especially enjoy working with clients experiencing OCD during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Intrusive thoughts can be incredibly distressing, and many new and expecting parents experience thoughts about accidental or intentional harm coming to their baby. Having an intrusive thought does not mean that you want to act on it, nor does it reflect your character as a parent. I use evidence-based approaches for OCD, including ERP, ICBT, and ACT, to help clients better understand their symptoms, respond differently to intrusive thoughts, and feel more like themselves again.

Wherever you are on your journey to becoming a parent—whether you’re planning a pregnancy, pregnant, or postpartum—therapy can be a valuable source of support. This is important work, and I feel privileged to support clients through this season of life.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, OCD, overwhelm, intrusive thoughts, or simply don’t feel like yourself, you don’t have to navigate it alone.



Interested in working together? Shoot me an email at hello@amynylundlcsw.com.