Post-Partum Depression Counseling with Alina Morrow, LPC-S, Broken Arrow

Post-Partum Depression Counseling in Broken Arrow for Tulsa Area Residents

Disclaimer: The article below is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct advice, a personal diagnosis, or as an individual treatment plan. Always consult with a mental health professional or medical doctor if you have concerns.

Introduction and Overview

Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a severe form of depression that affects women after they give birth. Usually, it occurs a few hours later or in the first 4 weeks after birth, but there are cases when it begins one year later. In general, 50 to 70 percent of the general population of pregnant women experience a short period of depression after birth, a condition known as the "post-partum blues," which goes away without treatment.

A post-partum blue is characterized by feelings of anxiety, tearfulness, irritation, and restlessness. However, eight to 20 percent of the women that gave birth go on to develop a more serious condition called postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression symptoms include: sluggishness, fatigue, exhaustion, hopelessness, appetite and sleep disturbances, agitation and irritability, difficulty concentrating and thinking, uncontrollable crying, mood swings (highs and lows), feelings of worthlessness or guilt, lack of interest in the baby, inability to connect or bond with the baby, negative feelings towards the baby or intrusive thoughts of harming the baby, excessive preoccupation with the child’s health, loss of interest in things that were pleasurable in the past, loss of energy, social withdrawal, and even thoughts of death or suicide.

The exact causes that trigger postpartum depression are not known, but clinical experience and medical research suggests there are three major factors involved:

Hormonal changes (a woman experiences major hormonal fluctuation after giving birth to a baby. The level of serotonin decreases after delivery).
Situational risks (giving birth to a child represents a major change and transition in a woman's life and can cause a lot of stress).
Life stresses (ongoing stressful events increase the pressure a pregnant woman feels, a situation that can lead to postpartum depression).

A woman faces the risk of experiencing postpartum depression if:

She had a mood or anxiety disorder priort to the pregnancy.
She suffered from depression after a previous pregnancy.
She is under the age of 20.
She has experienced a stressful event during the pregnancy (illness, death or illness of a loved one).
She had a difficult, emergency, or premature delivery.
She did not plan or does not want the pregnancy.
She has a alcohol problems, uses illegal drugs or smokes.
She has a dysfunctional relationship with her husband or boyfriend.
She has a history of suicide attempts.
She has financial problems or difficulties.
She was raised in a dysfunctional environment with poor emotional support offered by the parents.

Postpartum Depression Treatment

Treatment includes several options that include psychological counseling, support groups and doctor prescribed medication.. The best results are achieved when the patient follows a recovery plan that includes all the three treatment options.

Psychological Counseling: There are two major forms of psychological counseling that have proved to be effective in treating postpartum depression:

interpersonal therapy and
marital counseling.

Interpersonal therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on the patient’s interpersonal relationships and role changing, while marital counseling focuses on solving marital/couple conflicts.

Support Group: A support group offers the comfort of shared experiences among people with the same affliction. It also provides educational and emotional support by decreasing the person’s sense and feelings of isolation.

If left untreated, the disorder can negatively affect the well-being of the mother, her relationship with family members, and the child's emotional, cognitive and social development.

If the symptoms occur early (few hours or days after the birth) and are severe, the woman should seek treatment in the early stages of the disorder. If the symptoms occur insidiously and later after birth, the chances that a woman will seek treatment decrease.

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Related Information:

General Symptoms of Depression

Depression in Teenagers

Depression in Women

Depression in Men

Depression in Elderly

Symptoms of Depression

Major Depression

Chronic Depression

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Post-Partum Depression

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Do you suffer from Post-Partum Depression? Tired of how it is making you feel? Contact Tulsa Therapist Alina Morrow, LPC-S, today to make an appointment and get the help and relief you deserve. You can reach me by texting or calling 918-403-8873 or by Email.

Page Last Updated:July 24, 2022

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How much does it cost per session?
A. My price is $150 for a 50-minute session.

Q. Who can come to counseling?
A. Anyone who wants guidance to improve their quality of life.

Q. What are the office hours?
A. Monday thru Friday from 10 am to 4 pm.

Q. How soon can you see us/me?
A. I can usually schedule you the week that you call.

Q. What do I need to do to make an appointment?
A. You can call, text or email me with the day and time you prefer, and we can go from there. PLEASE NOTE: A debit or credit card is required to reserve an appointment. The card has to be provided at the time you schedule your first appointment.

Q. What office policies do I need to be aware of prior to making an appointment?
A. All the clients that schedule appointments with me will be informed about the Making/Cancelling or Rescheduling Appointments Policy. This policy is included in the first appointment forms and is discussed with every client at the beginning of our work together. This policy states that each client will receive a text reminder 2 days (48 hours) prior to their scheduled appointment. The client is required to respond back by confirming, cancelling or rescheduling the appointment the lastet by 8pm the day I send the reminder. If the client fails to respond back, it will be assumed they cancelled the appointment without further notice and they become financially responsible for the booked appointment. Please know that at 8pm the appointment becomes available to other clients, and it is no longer yours.

Q. What is the role of the Making/Cancelling and Rescheduling Appointments Policy?
A. This policy helps me provide equal access to services to all clients (existent or new clients). Each time a client makes an appointment the allocated time is dedicated just to them; therefore, no one else has access to that appointment. This allows me to keep my schedule organized and coordinate the care of each client I have, as well as allocating the rest of the scheduling hours to others that are in need of services. When a client does not respond to my reminder, they directly affect several people. My schedule is affected, and other clients are prevented from having access to appointments. Please understand that mental health services also involve emergency or highly critical situations where clients need to receive services as soon as possible. If you (the client) do not respond to let me know the status of your appointment, I am not able to coordinate the care for other clients and attend to their needs. Clients that need services but cannot be scheduled are put on a waiting list. This is the reason I ask a confirmation by 8pm the day I send the reminder. After 8pm, the clients on the waiting list are contacted and the available appointments are offered to them. Usually the time span between the moment I send the appointment reminder and the latest time I accept confirmations or cancellation is usually 10 to 12 hours. I send the reminders in the first part of the morning (between 8 and 10 am). By not responding to my reminder in that time frame, you (the client) keep an appointment blocked and others will not have access to services. Therefore, you (the client) become financially responsible for making an appointment and not taking responsibility for it or disregarding the needs of others. Please understand that I cannot discriminate against clients. Since this is a policy all the clients abide by when they start counseling with me, I cannot differentiate between clients and make exceptions.