Postpartum OCD, PTSD & Placenta Accreta: A Therapist’s Healing Story
I thought I was “fine”. I wasn’t.
I had a healthy baby - wasn’t that all that mattered?
That’s what I kept telling myself after surviving pre-eclampsia, multiple postpartum hemorrhages, and two D&C procedures to treat placenta accreta.
I’ve always been someone who feels deeply. But after those birth traumas, I was terrified that if I allowed myself to feel the fear and grief of what I’d been through - it would swallow me whole.
I was worried I wouldn’t be able to show up as the mother I wanted to be.
So I pushed it down. I told myself I’d deal with it later. 🤦🏻♀️
When “Later” Became Necessary
After returning to work as an eating disorder therapist, I began feeling “off.” I didn’t resonate with the classic symptoms of postpartum depression, so I minimized what was happening to me.
But my body was screaming. 😮💨
I was experiencing physical anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and trauma responses that made ordinary, everyday moments feel unsafe.
It turns out I was experiencing postpartum OCD and postpartum PTSD - two perinatal mental health conditions that are far more common than most people realize, and far too rarely talked about.
As a therapist, I thought I could fix it alone. 🤦🏻♀️ I couldn’t.
Asking for Help - and Why It Saved My Life
With the support of my husband and my employer, I took a mental health leave. 🙌🏻
I reached out to Postpartum Support International (PSI) and was connected with perinatal mental health specialists. I began working with both a perinatal therapist and a perinatal psychiatrist. The combination of therapy and medication truly saved my life. ❤️🩹
Life After Postpartum Trauma
Today, my life is more beautiful than I ever imagined. ✨
I’ve gone on to have another child - and I’ve been able to reclaim my birth and postpartum experiences in a way I once thought impossible.
Now, it is my greatest honor to support others through pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood - helping them heal from birth trauma, childhood wounds, and struggles with food and body image. 🌱
If You’re Struggling, You Are Not Alone
Healing is possible. You do not need a diagnosis to ask for help.
🔵 Postpartum Support International HelpLine: Call or text 800-944-4773
🔵 Connect by PSI App: Download for free support on the go
🔵 National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Call or text 1-833-852-6262
🔵 More resources & free support groups: postpartum.net
