Postpartum Anxiety
Therapy in California

Online Therapy for
Postpartum Anxiety

When your mind won’t slow down, even when everything seems “fine.”

Maybe you can’t stop checking on your baby.
Maybe you’re having scary thoughts about them.
Maybe your mind jumps to worst-case scenarios all day.
Maybe you’re constantly Googling, researching, tracking, or second-guessing your decisions in a desperate effort to feel more certain, calm, or “in control.”

And when people tell you everything is okay (or even when you know it yourself), your body doesn’t believe it.

If this sounds familiar, you may be experiencing postpartum anxiety (PPA).

At Palmetto Psychology Clinic, we provide specialized online therapy for postpartum anxiety across California.

We specialize in helping new moms quiet the mental noise and feel more grounded, present, and like themselves again so that they stop surviving and start truly enjoying this sweet season.

We’ve helped hundreds of California moms with PPA.
If this resonates, you’re not alone, and we can help.

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What Postpartum Anxiety Actually Looks Like

Postpartum anxiety doesn’t always look obvious from the outside.

Many women experiencing PPA are highly functioning, responsible, and “on top of things,” so from the outside, they look like they’re thriving. But internally, it can feel exhausting. You might:

  • Constantly overthink or replay your decisions

  • Feel unable to relax, even when your baby is sleeping

  • Wake up with a racing heart or knot in your stomach

  • Spiral with “what if” thoughts throughout the day

  • Check on your baby repeatedly for reassurance

  • Feel intense anxiety when someone else watches your baby

  • Track feeding, sleep, pumping, or milestones obsessively

  • Google symptoms or message your pediatrician constantly

  • Feel irritable, short-tempered, or emotionally overwhelmed

  • Struggle to trust yourself or your decisions

Many moms who struggle with these things tell us: “I know I’m being irrational, but I can’t stop.”

And that’s exactly what makes postpartum anxiety feel so isolating.

Why Postpartum Anxiety Feels So Intense

Becoming a parent comes with an enormous shift in responsibility, identity, hormones, sleep, and routine. Your brain is suddenly wired to protect something you love deeply, and for many women, that protective instinct gets stuck in overdrive.

Postpartum anxiety can show up as:

  • Constant worry and racing thoughts

  • Always staying alert and preparing for potential problems

  • Scary intrusive thoughts

  • Difficulty tolerating the unpredictability and lack of routine that can come with postpartum

  • Physical anxiety symptoms like racing heart, chest tightness, nausea, or difficulty sleeping

And often, it doesn’t look the way people expect anxiety to look. Many women don’t realize they’re experiencing postpartum anxiety because they assume:

  • “I’m just a cautious mom.”

  • “This is normal new mom stress.”

  • “I should be able to handle this.”

  • “A good mom should be worrying a lot".”

But living in a constant state of fear, tension, or mental spiraling isn’t something you have to keep pushing through.

Reach out

What Therapy for Postpartum Anxiety Looks Like

Therapy for postpartum anxiety is not about telling you to “just relax.”

At Palmetto, we help you understand how anxiety is operating in your mind and body while giving you practical, evidence-based tools to interrupt the cycle.

In therapy, we may work on:

  • Understanding anxiety and intrusive thoughts

  • Reducing overthinking and mental spiraling

  • Learning how to tolerate uncertainty

  • Getting more comfortable with being “out of control”

  • Managing physical anxiety symptoms

  • Rebuilding trust in yourself and your decisions

  • Helping you spend more time in the present (instead of the future)

  • Creating more space for rest, connection, and fun

Our approach is compassionate, collaborative, and tailored to your unique experience. We know how vulnerable it can feel to talk about these thoughts and fears, and we also know how treatable postpartum anxiety is with the right support.

At the end of therapy, our clients often tell us that their anxiety has reduced, and that even when anxiety does pop up, they know how to catch it so it doesn’t get in the way of living their lives the way they want to. They tell us they have more room for positive emotions, feel more present, and that life feels fuller and more meaningful as a result.

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FAQs about Postpartum Anxiety

  • Some level of worry is normal after having a baby. It’s a big transition, and everything is brand new - of course it feels like a lot!

    But when the anxiety feels constant, overwhelming, difficult to control, or starts interfering with sleep, decision-making, relationships, or your ability to be present, postpartum anxiety may be part of what’s going on.

  • The postpartum brain is wired to protect your baby, so your mind naturally spends a lot of time thinking about their safety and well-being.

    Postpartum anxiety often pulls people one step further into cycles of “what if” thinking that temporarily feel protective, but actually keep anxiety going.

    Therapy can help you understand these patterns and learn how to step out of them.

  • Many women with postpartum anxiety feel physically exhausted but mentally unable to shut off. Your nervous system may still feel “on alert,” making it difficult to fully relax or fall asleep. Or maybe your mind is racing with worries and questions, and you end up Googling for answers instead of resting.

    In therapy, we can help you learn new strategies to unwind and cope more effectively with your busy mind so you can get the rest you need.

  • Intrusive thoughts are extremely common in postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD. These thoughts are unwanted, distressing, and often directly conflict with your values, which is why they feel so upsetting.

    Having intrusive thoughts does not mean you want something bad to happen, and we can help you learn how to cope with them so they stop interfering with your enjoyment of this phase.

  • Checking behaviors (like nonstop monitor watching, tracking baby wearable data, or tiptoeing over to make sure the baby is still breathing) are often an attempt to reduce anxiety or create certainty - something we understandably crave in this unpredictable season!

    While they may bring temporary relief, they usually keep the anxiety cycle going over time. We’ll help you explore how this shows up for you and learn tools to break the loop.

  • Postpartum anxiety doesn’t always look like panic or crying. For many moms, anxiety can show up as irritability, rage, feeling overstimulated, or snapping more easily than usual, especially when you’re mentally overloaded and constantly on edge.

    Postpartum rage and irritability are often signals that something deeper needs support, like unmet needs, anxiety, or burnout.

    We can help you get to the root so it stops interfering with your decisions and relationships.

  • When anxiety is high, your brain can start convincing you that you’re the only person who can prevent something bad from happening (or the only one who will do things “right.”)

    This can make it incredibly hard to delegate, rest, or feel comfortable away from your baby.

    We’ll help you take baby steps so that you can reclaim some of your freedom and rebuild some capacity.

  • No! Many postpartum moms cope with anxiety by trying to control routines, schedules, tracking, or caregiving details. Usually, this comes from fear rather than being “too controlling.”

    That said, control efforts can start to interfere with life over time, and we specialize in helping moms let go of the need for control so that they can rebuild some flexibility and freedom.

  • So many capable, loving mothers have this thought, especially in moments of overwhelm. It’s often a reflection of how hard this transition is, not a reflection of your ability (or desire) to be a good parent.

  • Motherhood often comes with intense internal pressure to “do everything right.” That can lead to constant second-guessing and guilt, even when you’re doing more than enough. Learning how to relate differently to that guilt is a big part of the work we do in therapy.

  • It’s completely normal to feel excited and worried, especially about how having another baby will impact your relationship with your older children.

    Therapy can help you process those fears, set realistic expectations, and feel more emotionally prepared for the transition.

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FAQs about Therapy at Palmetto

  • Therapy at Palmetto is a collaborative, supportive process.

    Whether you’re seeking help for postpartum anxiety, depression, or challenges in motherhood, we’ll start by getting to know you — your story, your goals, and what feels most important to you right now — to create a therapy plan tailored to your specific circumstances.

    Over time, therapy will help you feel calmer, more grounded, and more connected to yourself and those around you.

    For more about our approach, visit our services page.

  • Finding the right therapist is key to feeling supported and understood. That’s why we start with a free consultation to learn more about what you’re looking for and match you with a clinician who specializes in your specific concerns.

    If it’s not the perfect fit, we’ll help connect you with someone who is.

  • Yes! We exclusively offer telehealth sessions for clients throughout California.

    Many clients, especially new and expecting moms, appreciate the flexibility of virtual sessions. Telehealth allows you to access care from the comfort of your home (and with your baby in your arms!) at a time that works for your ever-changing schedule.

  • Yes! We love seeing your little ones and you are welcome to cuddle, nurse, or contact nap with them during your sessions.

    To maintain your privacy and to ensure you get the most out of therapy, verbal toddlers and older children should not be in the room with you during therapy.

  • Our session fees vary depending on the clinician, type, and length of service.

    Fees reflect the expertise of our highly specialized doctoral-level psychologists. Rates fall within the typical range for private practice therapy in the Bay Area.

    We also offer lower-fee services with our highly trained student therapists.

    We’re happy to discuss your needs and share more about costs during your free consultation.

  • We are an out-of-network therapy practice, which means we do not bill insurance directly.

    Many of our clients receive partial reimbursement from their insurance company for therapy sessions. We provide monthly superbills to make the process simple.

    We recommend checking with your insurance provider about your out-of-network mental health benefits.

    Standard Notice: “Right to Receive a Good Faith Estimate of Expected Charges” Under the No Surprises Act

    You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost.
    For more information visit CMS.gov.

  • It’s a little different from client to client depending on needs, scheduling, and budget. We generally recommend that all clients start with us on a weekly basis.

    After making some initial progress, some clients will move to a biweekly cadence. As you approach graduation from therapy, you and your provider may elect to space sessions out to meet monthly or on an as-needed basis.

    You and your provider will work together to create a custom treatment plan tailored to your goals and needs.

  • It depends on your goals. Some clients come for short-term therapy to manage postpartum adjustment or anxiety, while others continue longer-term to work through patterns that have built up over time and to cope with the ever-changing challenges of motherhood.

    You and your therapist will collaborate to find a pace and approach that feels right for you and regularly check in about your progress.

  • That’s completely normal. Many clients start therapy uncertain about what they need — they just know something isn’t working.

    You don’t need to have the perfect words or plan to begin. Our therapists are here to meet you where you are and help you find clarity, confidence, and relief.

    If you’re unsure, book a free consultation so we can make recommendations and help you decide whether therapy is the right fit — no strings attached.

  • We offer a free consultation to help you explore whether therapy at Palmetto Psychology Clinic feels like the right fit.

    You can schedule directly through our website, email us at hello@palmettopsychology.com, call us, or send us a text at (628) 285-1745 — we’ll take care of the rest.

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Our Team

You Don’t Have to Keep Living in Survival Mode

If your mind constantly feels “on,” if you’re exhausted from overthinking everything, or if anxiety is stealing your ability to enjoy this season of life, you are not alone.

We offer online postpartum anxiety therapy across California, including San Francisco, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego.

You don’t have to wait until things feel “bad enough” to get support.

Start with a free consultation to find the right therapist for you

Book an intro call