Perinatal Mental Health Therapy in Evanston, IL

Support through pregnancy, postpartum, and the emotional transition into motherhood

Pregnancy and new parenthood can hold so much more than one feeling at a time. You may feel grateful and overwhelmed, deeply connected and unlike yourself, or excited about this chapter while also struggling with anxiety, grief, anger, or uncertainty.

Embodied Healing provides compassionate, specialized therapy for women navigating pregnancy, postpartum, fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, and the many identity and relationship changes that can come with becoming a mother.

We offer in-person perinatal mental health therapy in Evanston and virtual therapy throughout Illinois.

You do not have to wait until you’re in crisis to ask for support.

Connect with a Therapaist

Specialized therapy for the whole person

The emotional experience of pregnancy and postpartum cannot always be separated from what is happening physically, relationally, and socially.

Sleep disruption, hormonal changes, birth recovery, feeding decisions, sensory overload, shifting relationships, and the constant responsibility of caring for another person all affect mental health. That is why our therapists look beyond symptoms alone and consider the whole person sitting in front of us.

At Embodied Healing, therapy is collaborative, compassionate, and grounded in established mental health approaches. Depending on your needs and preferences, your therapist may integrate:

Cognitive and behavioral strategies
Attachment-based therapy
Mindfulness and self-compassion
Somatic awareness and nervous-system regulation
Practical coping and communication tools
Exploration of identity, relationships, and life transitions

Our clinicians have specialized experience supporting women’s and perinatal mental health. We understand that this season can be meaningful, exhausting, disorienting, joyful, painful—and often many of those things at once.

Therapy is not about teaching you how to be a better mother. It is about creating space for you within a chapter that may require so much from you. Taking care of you is taking care of your baby.

Meet Our Therapists

Is perinatal therapy right for you?

You do not need to have postpartum depression—or even know exactly what is wrong—to benefit from perinatal therapy.

This support may be a good fit if:

- You feel anxious, on edge, or consumed by what could go wrong.
- You are exhausted, overstimulated, or struggling to rest.
- You experience distressing intrusive thoughts, irritability, or anger.
- You are having a hard time adjusting to pregnancy, postpartum, or becoming a parent.
- You love your baby but miss parts of yourself or your life before motherhood.
- You are navigating fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, birth trauma, or a difficult postpartum experience.
- You seem capable on the outside but feel overwhelmed, depleted, or disconnected inside.

You may also be doing relatively well and simply want a place to process the transition into motherhood with someone who understands its complexity.

There is no required level of suffering you must reach before therapy is appropriate.

Book a Free Consultation

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What we support

Pregnancy and prenatal mental health

Pregnancy can bring excitement alongside anxiety, physical discomfort, uncertainty, previous grief, or fear about birth and parenthood.

Therapy during pregnancy may help you manage anxiety, navigate changing relationships and roles, prepare emotionally for birth and postpartum, process previous pregnancy or birth experiences, and develop support before your baby arrives.

Postpartum anxiety, depression, and OCD

Postpartum mental health concerns do not always look like sadness.

They may appear as constant worry, irritability, panic, guilt, intrusive thoughts, compulsive checking, difficulty sleeping even when the baby sleeps, emotional numbness, or feeling unable to relax or trust yourself.

Therapy can help you understand what you are experiencing, reduce shame, build tools for managing symptoms, and determine whether additional support may be helpful.

Birth trauma and difficult reproductive experiences

A pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum experience does not have to meet someone else’s definition of trauma to have affected you deeply.

Therapy can offer a place to process a frightening birth, medical complications, loss of control, an unexpected intervention, NICU experience, feeding difficulties, pregnancy complications, or a recovery that was different from what you anticipated.

Fertility, infertility, and pregnancy loss

Trying to grow a family can involve grief, uncertainty, anger, isolation, difficult decisions, and a changing relationship with your body.

We support clients navigating fertility treatment, infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy after loss, and the emotional strain that can accompany an uncertain path to parenthood.

Matrescence and identity changes

The transition into motherhood is sometimes referred to as matrescence. Much like adolescence, it can involve significant changes in identity, relationships, priorities, body, work, and how you understand yourself.

There may be pressure to “get back” to your old body, routine, career, relationship, or self. Therapy can help you make sense of who you are becoming while remaining connected to the parts of yourself that still matter deeply to you.

Relationships, boundaries, and the mental load

A new baby can change the way couples communicate, divide responsibilities, experience intimacy, and relate to extended family.

Therapy can help you identify needs, establish boundaries, communicate more clearly, navigate resentment or conflict, and examine the expectations you are carrying about what a “good mother” should be able to manage.

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What can change through therapy?

Therapy cannot remove every demand or uncertainty that comes with pregnancy and parenting. It can help you feel less alone inside of them.

Through therapy, you may begin to:

- Feel less overwhelmed by anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or self-doubt.
- Process difficult experiences, including birth trauma, pregnancy loss, infertility, or grief.
- Build practical tools to regulate your nervous system and care for yourself with greater compassion.
- Reconnect with your identity, relationships, and the parts of yourself beyond motherhood.
- Let go of perfectionism, guilt, and the pressure to "do it all."
- Navigate boundaries, communicate your needs, and feel more supported.
- Move through this season with greater confidence, self-trust, and alignment with your values.

Some sessions may focus on concrete strategies. Others may involve understanding longstanding patterns, relationships, or experiences that motherhood has brought closer to the surface.

And sometimes therapy is simply the one place where you do not have to take care of anyone else for an hour.

Let's Get Started

How perinatal therapy works

1. Reach out

Complete our contact form and tell us a little about what you are looking for, your scheduling needs, and whether you plan to use insurance or self-pay.

You do not need to explain your entire story in the inquiry form.

2. We help you find the right therapist

We will consider your needs, availability, insurance coverage, and therapist fit. We will then let you know which clinician may be a good match and discuss the next step.

3. Attend your intake appointment

Your first appointment is an opportunity for your therapist to learn more about what you are experiencing, your history, what is most important to you, and what you hope will change.
You and your therapist will begin identifying goals and discussing an approach that feels supportive and realistic for your life.

4. Continue at a pace that supports your needs

Therapy is often scheduled weekly, particularly at the beginning, though frequency may vary based on your needs, availability, clinical recommendations, and insurance coverage.
Your therapist will continue checking in with you about what is helping and where you would like the work to go.

Get Started

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In-person and virtual therapy options

Embodied Healing offers:
In-person therapy in Evanston, Illinois
Virtual therapy for clients located throughout Illinois
Telehealth can make therapy more accessible during pregnancy or postpartum by reducing the need for travel, childcare arrangements, or another transition in an already full day.
Your therapist can help you determine whether in-person or virtual care is the better fit for your needs.

let's get started

Explore Insurance, Fees, and Benefit

Insurance Coverage

We are in-network with:

BlueCross BlueShield PPO
United Behavioral Health / Optum

Insurance coverage varies by plan and clinician. Depending on your benefits, you may be responsible for a deductible, copay, coinsurance, or another portion of the session cost.

We also offer self-pay services, superbills for clients seeking possible out-of-network reimbursement, and a limited number of reduced-rate appointments.

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Cancellation policy

Your appointment time is reserved specifically for you.

We ask for at least 24 hours’ notice when canceling or rescheduling an appointment. Appointments canceled with less than 24 hours’ notice and missed appointments are charged a $100 fee.

We understand that unexpected situations arise. At the same time, adequate notice allows your therapist to offer the appointment to another client who may be waiting for support and honors the time the clinician has reserved for your care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have postpartum depression to see a perinatal therapist?

No. Perinatal therapy supports many experiences during pregnancy and postpartum, including anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, OCD, birth trauma, identity changes, grief, relationship stress, overwhelm, and difficulty adjusting to parenthood. You do not need a diagnosis or a specific level of distress to begin therapy.

Can I begin therapy while I am pregnant?

Yes. Pregnancy can be an especially supportive time to begin therapy. You may want help with current anxiety, mood changes, relationship concerns, a difficult pregnancy, or preparation for birth and postpartum. You can also begin therapy preventively if you have a history of mental health concerns or want support navigating the transition ahead.

How long after giving birth can I see a perinatal therapist?

There is no single moment when someone stops being “postpartum enough” for specialized support. The emotional, relational, and identity transition into motherhood often extends far beyond the early postpartum months. We can help you determine whether our perinatal specialty is appropriate for what you are experiencing now.

What if I am having scary or intrusive thoughts?

Unwanted intrusive thoughts can occur during pregnancy and postpartum. They may feel especially distressing when they involve someone or something you care deeply about. Having an intrusive thought does not automatically mean that you want it to happen or will act on it. You can speak openly with your therapist about what you are experiencing. Your therapist will respond without judgment, help you better understand the thoughts, assess your needs, and recommend appropriate support.

Can therapy help with postpartum OCD?

Yes. Postpartum OCD may involve distressing intrusive thoughts, checking, reassurance-seeking, avoidance, mental reviewing, or other behaviors intended to create certainty or prevent harm. Therapy can help you understand the cycle between intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and compulsive responses while developing more effective ways to respond.

Do you support clients experiencing infertility or pregnancy loss?

Yes. We support clients navigating infertility, fertility treatment, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy after loss, and the uncertainty and grief that can accompany these experiences. You do not have to minimize your loss or move through it according to someone else’s timeline.

Can I bring my baby to an appointment?

Telehealth is often the most flexible option when a baby needs to remain with you. The feasibility of bringing a baby to an in-person appointment may depend on your therapist, the office setting, your baby’s age and needs, and whether having the baby present would allow you to engage meaningfully in the session. This can be discussed directly with your therapist.

Do you offer couples therapy?

Our primary service is individual psychotherapy. Individual therapy can still include work around communication, partnership changes, resentment, boundaries, and the division of parenting responsibilities. Contact us if you are specifically seeking couples therapy so we can clarify current options or help direct you toward an appropriate referral.

Do you offer medication?

Our therapists do not prescribe medication. We can help you explore your concerns, discuss questions you may want to bring to your physician or psychiatric provider, and collaborate with other members of your treatment team when appropriate and authorized by you.

Do you offer virtual therapy?

Yes. We offer telehealth for clients located in Illinois, as well as in-person therapy in Evanston.

Do you accept insurance?

We are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and UnitedHealthcare/Optum. Participation may vary by therapist, and coverage depends on your individual plan. We also offer self-pay services, out-of-network superbills, and a limited number of reduced-rate appointments.