Postpartum Therapy in Denton County
Rated 5/5 Stars
You waited for this. You love your baby. But now you feel different, and you do not understand why.
Licensed and supervised counselors
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In-network with most major insurances
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Lower-cost options available
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Rated 5/5 Stars
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Licensed and supervised counselors ✳︎ In-network with most major insurances ✳︎ Lower-cost options available ✳︎ Rated 5/5 Stars ✳︎
Getting Started in Three Easy Steps
1 - Reach out
Fill out the contact form; you do not need to explain everything, just enough for us to reach out and to point you in the right direction.
2 - Get matched
Our office administrator will pair you with the counselor whose specialty and availability fit what you need. If you already know who you want to see, let us know.
3 - Get Started!
Your first session is a conversation, not an interrogation. You will talk about what brought you in and the goals you want to achieve.
Is This the Baby Blues, or Something More?
Most new mothers get the baby blues. Estimates run as high as four in five new mothers feel this way. It starts within the first few days, brings weepiness, mood swings, and irritability, and it lifts on its own by about two weeks. If it has been longer than two weeks, or it is heavier than that, or it started later, it is worth a conversation.
About one in five women experiences a maternal mental health condition, and the CDC finds that roughly one in eight women reports symptoms of postpartum depression or anxiety after a recent birth. Together they are the most common complication of childbirth. This is not a character flaw, a bonding failure, or a sign that you were not built for this. It is treatable and you do not have to wait until it gets worse to be allowed to ask for help.
Postpartum depression is often not sadness at all. It shows up as numbness, guilt that does not respond to reassurance, no interest in things you used to enjoy, a sense that your family would be better off with a different mother, or trouble sleeping even when the baby sleeps. It can begin during pregnancy or any time in the first year, not only right after birth. Postpartum anxiety looks different again: constant physical worry, checking the baby’s breathing over and over, being unable to hand the baby to anyone else, a racing heart and a mind that will not stop running worst-case scenarios. Many mothers with postpartum anxiety are never asked about it, because the questions they get asked are about sadness.
If you have had a sudden, graphic thought or image of your baby being hurt, and it made you feel sick, and you have told no one because you are afraid of what would happen if you did, please read this part. Intrusive thoughts like these are common after birth. They are a symptom of anxiety, not an intention. The distinguishing feature of postpartum anxiety is the distress: mothers who have these thoughts are repulsed by them and go to great lengths to make sure nothing happens. That distress is evidence that the thought is not what you want. Counselors who work in perinatal mental health hear this regularly and know the difference between an intrusive thought and a risk. You can say it out loud here.
We also work with birth trauma and postpartum PTSD, where a frightening birth, an emergency, a NICU stay, or an experience of not being listened to leaves flashbacks, avoidance of anything medical, and hypervigilance over yourself or your baby.
Postpartum psychosis is different and rare, roughly one to two births in a thousand, and it is a medical emergency rather than something to schedule an appointment for. Signs include seeing or hearing things others do not, beliefs that are not based in reality, extreme confusion, severe agitation, not sleeping at all for days, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby that feel reasonable rather than horrifying. If this is what is happening, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room now.
Sessions run 50 to 60 minutes and usually start weekly. Depending on your childcare needs, some parents bring their baby to their sessions with them. The first session is to gather your history, what has been going on, and what you want to be different. From there the work is practical and paced to work with a person running on very little sleep: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the thought patterns driving the guilt and the worry, trauma-focused work such as EMDR or Accelerated Resolution Therapy when a difficult birth is still sitting lingering in your mind, and concrete work on sleep, support, and what actually gets divided at home. There is also room for the grief that usually gets skipped, for the birth you planned, the feeding experience you expected, or the version of yourself you thought would show up. Many mothers feel meaningfully different within a couple of months.
Fathers and non-birthing partners get postpartum depression and anxiety too, at rates high enough that most perinatal organizations now screen for it. If that is you, or you are the partner reading this page on someone else’s behalf, you are welcome to book for yourself. We also see mothers who are years past the first year and were never treated. There is no expiration date on this.
It May Be Time to Call If
It has been more than two weeks and you still do not feel like yourself
You feel numb, or guilty in a way that no reassurance touches
You cannot sleep even when the baby is sleeping
You are checking on the baby constantly and cannot let anyone else hold them
You have had thoughts that frightened you and told no one
The birth is still with you, and you cannot talk about it without going back there
You are grieving a pregnancy or a baby you did not get to keep
You quietly believe your family would be better off with a different mother
If any of this sounds familiar, postpartum therapy may be a helpful path forward.
About Us and What Others are Saying
Hi, I’m Ashley! I am the owner of Grateful Heart Counseling and we are here to help your family navigate through life's many challenges.
Whether it's anxiety creeping in, low self-esteem holding you back, or difficult changes happening around you, we can help you gain the skills and self confidence to overcome these obstacles.
Our counselors are trained in multiple evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and for younger kids- the transformative power of Play Therapy. Together, we can start your journey towards healing and growth.
“Ashley has helped equip me with tools for parenting my son who went through a major change in his life. She listened, took time to give me materials, and helped me feel supported as the parent. I would recommend her for parents who have a child needing emotional support!”
“Grateful heart counseling is an excellent resource in the Justin area! Ashley and her team have taken a special interest in the play therapy population and know their stuff! This team does a great job equipping their clients with the tools that they need to succeed!”
“Ms. Smith has supported both myself and my kiddos through so many situations. She is enthusiastic to share ideas for solving everyday challenges as well as an expert in grief counseling, self-help, and executive functioning skills. I would give her 100/100 if that amount of stars was an option!”
Our Locations That Offer Postpartum Therapy
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Justin Location
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Denton Location
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself or your baby, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24 hours a day.
For pregnancy and postpartum support specifically, call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262), free and available 24 hours a day in English and Spanish.
If you are seeing or hearing things that are not there, or your thoughts of harm feel like a good idea rather than a fear, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
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50 to 60 minutes, usually weekly to start.
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There is no fixed number. Some people come for a few months around a specific problem, others stay longer. Your counselor will help you figure out what makes sense for your goals, and you are free to stop anytime and come back later.
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We try to get your first appointment scheduled within a week from when you call. Some of our Therapists offer appointments in the early morning, evenings, or on Saturdays to try to accommodate your schedule.
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Mostly listening. Your counselor will ask about your history, what is going on now, and what you want to be different. You are not expected to have it all organized in your head beforehand.
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Yes, with the legal limits every licensed counselor in Texas operates under, which your counselor will explain clearly in the first session.
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You do not have to be in crisis to deserve support. Plenty of people start therapy because something feels off, not because everything has fallen apart, and that is often the easiest time to make real change.
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We are in-network with several major insurance panels. Lower-cost sessions are available with our associate and pre-licensed counselors.
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Yes, for adults, anywhere in Texas.
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Yes, we know it can be hard to find child care. We want you to come and welcome your baby too!
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Yes, and it is one of the better things you can do. Depression and anxiety often begin during pregnancy rather than after. Treating it early lowers the odds of a hard postpartum period.
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Your counselor is not evaluating your fitness as a parent. Texas licensed counselors are mandated reporters for actual abuse or neglect, which your counselor will explain in the first session. Intrusive thoughts that frighten you are not abuse.
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Timing and weight. The baby blues start in the first few days and lift by about two weeks. If it has been longer than that, or it is heavier than tearfulness, it is worth a call. You do not have to be certain before you ask for help.