birth trauma therapy nj
therapy after a traumatic birth
What You're Experiencing Is Real
Birth trauma happens when your autonomy is taken away, when your wishes are overridden. When you're not heard, when something scary happens, and you feel trapped or helpless.
It's not about whether your baby is healthy. It's not about whether you "should be grateful." It's not about whether birth is hard for everyone.
It's about this:
You deserved to feel safe, and you didn't.
Your body and your nervous system know that.
And they're still holding it.
Many people don't even realize they have birth trauma. They think, "My baby is here, so I should be fine." But fine and traumatized can exist in the same person. You can be grateful and still be carrying something painful. Both things are true.
Organizations like Postpartum Support International recognize birth trauma as a real condition that deserves real care. You're not alone in this, and what you're feeling has a name.
“You’re not failing. Your nervous system is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. It learned that birth wasn’t safe. It’s trying to protect you.”
Your Birth Matters. And So Does What Happened.
You carry something that no one asked you to carry.
Maybe your birth plan changed without warning.
Maybe you made a choice and then weren't listened to.
Maybe medical interventions happened that you didn't consent to, or that felt frightening.
Maybe you felt powerless in a moment when you needed to feel safe.
And now—months later, or years later—you're still here with it. Startled by sounds. Anxious about your body. Struggling to trust care providers. Replaying it over and over. Wondering why you can't just move on like everyone else seems to.
How I Help You Move Forward
How I can help…
I work with birth trauma differently than most therapists. I came to therapy through my work as a birth doula—I've been with parents through labor, through fear, through medical complications, and unexpected changes. I know how it feels when your autonomy is stripped away in that moment. That matters.
Now, as a therapist and EMDR specialist, I bring that understanding into this work.
EMDR isn't talk therapy alone. It uses something called dual stimulation—in my office, gentle tappers that work both sides of your body—while we process what happened. This helps your brain metabolize the trauma differently. Instead of the memory staying vivid and in the forefront, constantly triggering you, it moves to a more neutral place. A place where you can remember it without being ruled by it. Where you can breathe without panic. Where you can get your everyday “normal” back.
EMDR is proven effective for trauma, including birth trauma. The American Psychological Association recognizes it as an evidence-based treatment.
This combination—my doula training plus EMDR—is rare. Most therapists don't have both. That means I can hold the specific complexity of what happened to you during your birth, and I can offer you a tool that's proven to help.
“You’re not broken. You’re responding to what happened to you.”
For Rainbow Baby Parents: You Don't Have to Choose Between Joy and Grief
If you've lost a baby and are now pregnant again—or parenting after loss—you know that this is a different kind of complicated.
You're supposed to be happy. And you are. But you're also terrified. You're carrying joy and grief at the same time. You're nervous about something happening again. You're holding space for the baby you lost while loving the baby you have.
No one tells you that this is this hard. That you'd be celebrating and grieving in the same breath.
That complexity deserves someone who understands it. Someone who won't rush you through the grief to get to the joy. Someone who knows that both are real and valid and deserve to be held.
This Is My Passion
Supporting people through the perinatal stage—pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and everything after—is at the heart of everything I do. I've held birthing persons’ hands through labor as a doula. I've seen what they carry. And I know this:
You are worthy of joy.
You deserve care that honors both your pain and your hope.
This is difficult work you're doing—healing from what happened, rebuilding trust in your body, learning to feel safe again. But you don't have to do it alone. I'm here to help you through this very real moment, because you matter. Your experience matters. Your healing matters.
What I Want You to Know Right Now
If you felt unheard or unsafe in your birth, I want you to know this:
You're not alone.
Many parents carry this, and most of them think they shouldn't. They think they should be over it by now. They're wrong.
This won't last forever. With the right support, you can process this. Your nervous system can learn that you're safe now. You can reclaim your body and your sense of agency.
There's a real, research-backed way to help. EMDR works for trauma—including birth trauma—and I know how to use it in a way that honors your whole story.
How We Work Together
When you come to me, you're not just getting a therapist. You're getting someone who understands what birth trauma is from the inside—from being there during labors, seeing how fast things can change, understanding how vulnerable you are in that moment.
Together, we will work at your pace. We'll process what happened without rushing. We'll help your nervous system shift from protection mode to safety. We'll rebuild your trust in your body and your choices.
I work primarily with the birthing parent—because your experience is what matters here. If your partner wants to understand and support you better, I also offer couples therapy. But this work is for you.
We meet in person at my office in Teaneck, Bergen County, or online if that's easier for you. You get to choose. You get your voice back. That's where we start.
Call for a complimentary 15 minute consultation
Our Services
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Family Therapy
Are you struggling with family communication or emotional distance? As a family therapist in Teaneck, NJ, I help you achieve these goals. Together, we'll work on improving communication, resolving misunderstandings, and creating a more connected, resilient family.
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Marriage Counseling
Do you want to rebuild trust, ease conflicts, or strengthen your relationships? We offer a unique and powerful way to address relationship dynamics by integrating both psychological and biological perspectives.
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Postpartum Depression
The transition to parenthood often brings changes in intimacy, communication, and relationship dynamics. Let’s work together to help ease this transition.
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Trauma Therapy
When you’re inner child is suffering you are suffering. Whether you're facing life transitions, parenting challenges, or emotional stress, I’m here to guide you toward a healthier, more harmonious family dynamic. Let’s start your journey to lasting change.
Mental Health services for individuals and families in NJ, NY & MD
We are licensed in different states and serve them all virtually. New Jersey we have an in-person location