When Motherhood Feels Heavy: Therapy for Postpartum Depression and Emotional Overwhelm

mother receiving postpartum therapy in Surrey holding baby in calm home environment

When Joy Feels Far Away

You’ve made it through pregnancy. The baby is here. Maybe people are telling you how lucky you are. Maybe you even believe them. But inside, something feels off, hollow, heavy, or unrecognizable.

You might find yourself crying more often than not. Or unable to cry at all. You might feel emotionally distant from your baby or overwhelmed by fears you can’t name. You may be snapping at your partner, dreading the night, or counting the minutes until you're alone, only to feel even more isolated when you are.

This isn’t what you expected. And it’s not your fault.

What Is Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a clinically recognized and treatable condition that affects many new parents, most commonly within the first year after giving birth. But it doesn’t always show up in obvious ways. It can look like numbness instead of sadness, anxiety instead of tears, or exhaustion that sleep never fixes.

Postpartum depression is not a reflection of your love for your child. It often arises from a complex combination of hormonal shifts, nervous system overwhelm, disrupted sleep, and, sometimes, past trauma or emotional wounds that resurface in the massive identity shift that is parenthood.

How to Recognize the Signs of Postpartum Depression

There is no single checklist that captures every experience, but some common signs include:

  • Emotional flatness, sadness, or frequent tearfulness

  • Persistent anxiety, dread, or panic

  • Irritability, anger, or emotional reactivity

  • Trouble bonding with your baby

  • Feeling numb or disconnected from yourself or others

  • Sleep disruptions, even when your baby is sleeping

  • Shame or guilt over not feeling “grateful enough”

  • Intrusive or frightening thoughts

  • A deep sense of failure or fear that something is wrong with you

You do not need to check every box to seek support. If something feels off, therapy can help you explore it gently.

Why Therapy Helps: A Space to Be Human

Postpartum therapy is not about being “fixed.” It’s about being met, by someone who knows how to hold complexity with care. At Tidal Trauma Centre, our therapists provide a space that is both clinically grounded and emotionally attuned, where you can speak the unspeakable without fear of judgment.

Whether you are feeling angry, disconnected, ashamed, or simply nothing, you deserve a place to bring those experiences into the light.

In therapy, we support clients in:

  • Naming and making space for emotional overwhelm

  • Grieving the version of motherhood they imagined

  • Understanding nervous system responses to stress and trauma

  • Reconnecting with inner instincts and self-trust

  • Unpacking intergenerational, cultural, or perfectionist expectations

  • Navigating relationship challenges with partners or family

This is your space to be witnessed, not as a patient or a problem, but as a whole person in the midst of a massive life transition.

Therapeutic Approaches for Postpartum Depression

Every parent’s experience is unique, so we create customized therapeutic plans that integrate mind, body, and relational support. Our team draws from:

  • EMDR Therapy to process birth trauma, fear, or earlier life experiences that may be resurfacing

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) to explore inner parts that feel critical, overwhelmed, detached, or scared

  • Somatic Therapy to help regulate your nervous system and come back into your body safely

  • Attachment-Based Therapy to support your connection with your baby, and with your own inner child

  • CBT and DBT to offer tools for managing thoughts, emotions, and practical day-to-day stressors

These approaches can be combined and adapted based on your comfort and needs. Therapy always moves at your pace.

What If This Goes Deeper Than Hormones?

For many parents, postpartum depression is not just about chemical imbalances. It can activate deep layers of grief, shame, or trauma that have been lying dormant.

Therapy allows us to explore:

  • Early attachment wounds and unmet childhood needs

  • Birth trauma or unexpected pregnancy experiences

  • Identity shifts that feel disorienting or painful

  • Pressure to live up to unrealistic standards of motherhood

  • Cultural or family-of-origin narratives about parenting and womanhood

  • Nervous system adaptations to chronic stress, people-pleasing, or performance

This deeper work isn’t about staying in the past. It’s about understanding your patterns so that you can begin to feel more like you again.

What to Expect in Postpartum Counselling

Your first few sessions won’t demand more than you’re ready to give. You’ll never be asked to explain or justify your experience. Instead, we offer:

  • Gentle check-ins on sleep, appetite, and emotional rhythms

  • Exploration of intrusive thoughts, fears, or shame, at your pace

  • A chance to name the parts of you that feel disconnected or stuck

  • Body-based tools for grounding and presence

  • Reflection and reframing that supports emotional clarity

  • Guidance for navigating relational strain with partners or support networks

Whether you attend sessions online from the comfort of your home, or in person at our warm, private clinic in Cloverdale (Surrey), our therapists will meet you with care, skill, and humanity.

We welcome clients from across British Columbia, including Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, and small rural communities where in-person support may be harder to access.

You Are Allowed to Struggle and to Be Supported

There is nothing weak or selfish about reaching out for help. Your emotional well-being matters. You deserve to feel supported, not just as a parent, but as a whole person navigating one of the most profound transitions of your life.

Contact us or fill out a New Client Form to be matched with one or more of our therapists. If you’re ready, book a free consult or appointment.

  • The “baby blues” usually appear within the first few days after birth and resolve on their own within two weeks. If difficult feelings last longer, intensify, or interfere with your ability to function or connect, it may be postpartum depression. You don’t have to wait for things to get worse, therapy can help you feel more grounded and supported now.

  • Absolutely. You don’t need to have the right words or a clear narrative to begin. Many clients arrive feeling numb, confused, or overwhelmed. Therapy offers a space to untangle what’s happening gently, at your own pace. We meet you where you are.

  • Intrusive thoughts, especially fears around your baby’s safety or doubts about your parenting, are more common than people talk about. Sharing them in therapy does not mean you’ll be judged or reported. Our role is to support you, not to pathologize or punish your inner experience.

Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, psychological, or mental health advice. It is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
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