Baby blues
In the first days after birth, most new parents have the baby blues: tears, mood swings and feeling overwhelmed. These usually ease on their own within two weeks.
Online therapy across Ontario
Prenatal and Postpartum Depression Therapy
Feeling low, teary or numb since pregnancy or birth? Therapy can help you feel like yourself again, and you can start from home.
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Signs of postpartum depression
Does any of this sound like you lately?
Postpartum depression doesn’t always look like sadness. For lots of parents it feels more like running on empty, or watching your life from behind glass. It can start during pregnancy or any time in the first year.
It can also come and go. A few good days, then the heaviness settles back in. Many parents put it down to tiredness or feel they should be coping better, which makes it easy to miss.
You don’t need to tick every box to deserve support.
Knowing the difference
Baby blues, or something more?
Most new parents have a few weepy, wobbly days after birth. If those feelings stick around past two weeks or keep getting heavier, it may be postpartum depression.
Baby bluesPostpartum depressionPregnancyBirth2 weeks1 year
Postpartum depression
Postpartum depression is heavier and lasts longer. It can start during pregnancy or any time in the first year, and it often doesn’t lift on its own.
Why it happens
It isn’t your fault.
Almost 1 in 4 mothers in Canada report feelings consistent with postpartum depression or anxiety.[1] (source, opens in a new tab) There’s rarely one cause. It usually builds from a few things at once.
Your body is recovering
Hormone levels drop sharply after birth, and weeks of broken sleep make everything feel heavier.
Your life changed overnight
Feeding struggles, too little support and a whole new sense of who you are can pile up quickly.
Your history comes with you
A hard pregnancy or birth, a long road to pregnancy, or past depression or anxiety can all play a part.
How therapy helps
Feel like yourself again, one step at a time
Therapy gives you a place to put it all down, with someone who understands the perinatal years. We start with whatever feels hardest right now, at a pace that works for you and your baby.
Ease the heaviness
Lighten the low moods and the guilt, a little at a time, until the days stop feeling so heavy.
Quiet the noise
Quiet the thoughts that keep circling, even when you’re trying to rest.
Feel close to your baby
Feel closer to your baby at your own pace, without pressure to feel a certain way.
Find your footing
Make sense of how life and relationships have changed, and learn to ask for support and accept it.
Heal older hurts
Work through a hard birth or older pain that still shapes how you feel.
Our approach
Specialized care for pregnancy and the early months
Sessions are warm and down to earth, and we go slowly when you need to. We draw on interpersonal therapy and CBT, two of the most studied therapies for postpartum depression, along with ACT.
Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C)
Postpartum Support International
EMDRIA Certified Therapist
EMDR International Association
Specialized in the perinatal years
I hold the Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) from Postpartum Support International. Pregnancy, birth and the early months are the centre of our practice.
Help with what’s underneath
If a hard birth or an earlier loss is feeding how you feel now, EMDR can help those memories settle. I’m an EMDRIA Certified Therapist.
Built around life with a baby
Sessions are by secure video, so you can join from home without arranging childcare. Saturday appointments are available too.
Nicole Graff-Rowe
MSW, RSW · PMH-C · EMDRIA Certified Therapist
- Online sessions, anywhere in Ontario
- Based in Waterloo Region
- No referral needed
About your therapist
A certified perinatal therapist who’s also a mom
I remember the sleep regressions, the feeding worries and not quite recognizing myself after my baby arrived. I started Nurtured Family Counselling so parents have somewhere to say the hard things out loud without being judged.
It’s okay to feel like you’ve lost yourself after having a baby. I want to understand your history, your struggles and your story, and help you move forward in a way that’s rooted in your own values and goals.
You can tell me the thoughts you haven’t said to anyone else. Scary or unwanted thoughts are a common part of postpartum depression, and you won’t be judged for them here.
FAQ
Questions parents ask before booking
It’s normal to have questions before reaching out. If yours isn’t here, you can send us a message.
What if I have scary thoughts about my baby?
Unwanted thoughts about harm coming to your baby are very common after birth. Having them doesn’t mean you’re a danger to your baby, and telling your therapist about them won’t, on its own, lead to a report. In the first session, we explain the rare situations where we’d have to share information, so there are no surprises.
What kind of therapist is best for postpartum depression?
Look for someone with specific training in pregnancy and postpartum mental health. The PMH-C certification from Postpartum Support International is one sign of that training, and it’s one I hold.
Can I start therapy while I’m pregnant?
Yes. Depression during pregnancy is common, and you don’t have to wait until the baby arrives to get help.
What if I’m taking medication, or thinking about it?
Therapy and medication often work well together. Medication decisions are made with your family doctor, nurse practitioner or psychiatrist, and with your permission we’re happy to coordinate with them.
Can dads and partners get postpartum depression?
Yes. About 1 in 10 new dads has depression during pregnancy or the first year,[2] (source, opens in a new tab) and other partners can struggle too. We work with partners as well, and you can read more about support for dads and partners.
Is therapy covered by insurance?
Many workplace health plans cover therapy with a Registered Social Worker, and you don’t need a referral to book. Fees, receipts and how to check your coverage are on the Fees and insurance page.
Get started
Postpartum depression is treatable.
You don’t have to wait until it gets worse. Let’s talk about what you’re feeling and how therapy can help.
Book a Free Consultation (opens in a new tab)