When Motherhood Feels Harder Than You Expected
Pregnancy and the postpartum period are often described as joyful, meaningful, and fulfilling—and they can be. But they are also times of profound emotional, physical, and relational change. Many women find themselves feeling more anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or unlike themselves in ways they didn’t anticipate.
You may be carrying worries about your baby’s health, your body, or the birth itself. You may be navigating sleep deprivation, hormonal shifts, changes in your relationship, or a growing sense of pressure to “get it right.” For some women, there is grief for the version of themselves or their life that feels farther away than expected.
These experiences are far more common than most women are led to believe. They are not signs of weakness or failure—they are signs of a nervous system and identity adapting to an enormous life transition.
Prenatal and postpartum counselling offers a space to slow down, make sense of what you’re feeling, and receive support that honors both the complexity of motherhood and the person you were before becoming a mother.
Common Experiences During Pregnancy & the Postpartum Period
The transition into motherhood affects every woman differently, and it rarely follows a predictable timeline. Some challenges emerge during pregnancy, others in the early postpartum weeks, and many surface months—or even years—later as identity, relationships, and expectations continue to shift.
Women often seek prenatal and postpartum counselling when they are experiencing:
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Persistent anxiety or worry about their baby, their body, or their ability to cope
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Low mood, emotional numbness, or feeling unlike themselves
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Overwhelm or mental exhaustion that doesn’t lift with rest
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Guilt or shame for not feeling as joyful or “grateful” as expected
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Changes in identity or a sense of losing connection to who they were before motherhood
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Relationship strain with a partner, family members, or support system
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Difficulty processing a birth experience that felt frightening, out of control, or disappointing
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Pressure to meet competing demands—parenting, work, recovery, and personal needs—without adequate support
For some women, these experiences meet criteria for postpartum depression, anxiety, or trauma. For others, they reflect a nervous system under sustained strain during a major life transition.
Both deserve care.
Counselling during pregnancy and the postpartum period is not only for crisis moments—it is also for women who want space to reflect, recalibrate, and be supported through a season that asks a great deal of them emotionally, physically, and relationally.
Our Approach to Prenatal & Postpartum Counselling at Eckert Centre
At Eckert Psychology & Education Centre, we understand pregnancy and the postpartum period as more than a medical or emotional event—it is a profound relational and identity transition.
Our approach is informed by research, clinical experience, and relational frameworks such as Molly Millwood’s work in To Have and To Hold, which recognizes that becoming a mother reshapes not only daily life, but a woman’s sense of self, relationships, expectations, and emotional landscape. This transition often brings both deep love and real loss—of autonomy, certainty, familiarity, or identity as it once was.
We view these experiences through the lens of the Eckert Centre Well-Being Model™, which recognizes that well-being is shaped by several interconnected areas:
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a woman’s internal emotional and nervous system experience
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her close relationships and attachment bonds
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the broader family and support system around her
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the meaning she is making of this transition and who she is becoming
When one area is under strain, it often shows up in others. Rather than focusing narrowly on symptoms, we help women understand why certain feelings are emerging and how to respond to them with greater clarity, compassion, and support.
Therapy at Eckert Centre is collaborative, relational, and paced to meet you where you are. We do not rush insight or impose expectations about how motherhood “should” feel. Instead, we create space to explore your experience honestly—supporting emotional regulation, identity integration, relationship shifts, and recovery from difficult or traumatic moments when present.
Our goal is not to fix or pathologize this season, but to support you in navigating it with steadiness, self-understanding, and care that adapts as your needs evolve.
What Prenatal & Postpartum Counselling Looks Like
Prenatal and postpartum counselling at Eckert Centre is designed to feel calm, respectful, and supportive—especially during a season when many women already feel overstimulated or stretched thin.
Sessions move at a pace that fits you. Some women come wanting space to talk through overwhelming emotions or intrusive worries. Others want help making sense of identity changes, relationship shifts, or lingering distress connected to pregnancy or birth. There is no expectation to know exactly what you need before starting.
Your therapist may support you in:
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making sense of intense or conflicting emotions
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learning tools to regulate anxiety, overwhelm, or low mood
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processing difficult or traumatic birth experiences at a safe pace
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navigating changes in identity, boundaries, and expectations
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strengthening communication and support within close relationships
For some women, counselling is short-term and focused around a specific transition. For others, it becomes a steadier place of support during a longer adjustment period. Therapy may remain individual, or in some cases include partner or parent support when that feels helpful.
Above all, counselling at Eckert Centre is a space where you do not have to perform, explain, or minimize your experience. You are met as a whole person—one who is adapting to a profound life change while still deserving care, understanding, and support.
Why Choose Eckert Centre for Prenatal & Postpartum Counselling
Choosing support during pregnancy or the postpartum period is a deeply personal decision. Many women arrive at Eckert Centre after realizing they want care that goes beyond reassurance or symptom checklists—care that understands the emotional, relational, and identity-level changes of this season.
Our team includes psychologists and counsellors with experience supporting women through perinatal mental health concerns, including anxiety, mood changes, birth-related trauma, and the complex emotional transitions that accompany motherhood. Care is thoughtful, individualized, and grounded in both clinical training and relational understanding.
Women choose Eckert Centre because we offer:
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Specialized, evidence-informed care for pregnancy and postpartum mental health
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A relational, whole-person approach guided by the Eckert Centre Well-Being Model™
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Therapists who understand identity shifts, not just symptoms
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Flexible support, whether you’re seeking short-term guidance or ongoing care
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In-person counselling in Calgary and secure virtual sessions across Alberta
We recognize that this season often unfolds in layers. Some women seek support early; others reach out months or years later when the emotional impact becomes clearer. Our role is not to rush that process, but to meet you with steadiness, skill, and care that adapts as your needs change.
The Power of 8™: A Supportive Rhythm During Pregnancy & Postpartum
Many women feel unsure about how long therapy should last or what “enough” support looks like during pregnancy or the postpartum period. To reduce uncertainty and help therapy feel purposeful, Eckert Centre often begins with our Power of 8™ approach.
This model offers a supportive rhythm rather than a fixed rule.
Counselling typically begins with weekly sessions, allowing space to build safety, stabilize emotional patterns, and make sense of what you’re experiencing. Around the midpoint, many women notice shifts—greater clarity, emotional release, or the emergence of deeper themes related to identity, relationships, or past experiences. This is a normal part of adjustment and growth.
At the eight-session mark, we pause together to reflect:
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What has changed or softened?
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What still feels tender or unresolved?
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What kind of support would feel most helpful moving forward?
From there, therapy may continue weekly, shift to bi-weekly, or become more periodic, depending on your needs, energy, and life circumstances. Some women return during later transitions—such as returning to work, subsequent pregnancies, or new developmental stages in motherhood.
The Power of 8™ ensures counselling feels intentional, responsive, and supportive—not open-ended or overwhelming—while honoring that healing and integration unfold at different paces for every woman.
Taking the Next Step
If pregnancy or the postpartum period has begun to feel more complex, emotionally demanding, or isolating than you expected, support can make a meaningful difference.
Whether you are navigating anxiety, low mood, identity changes, relationship strain, or the lingering impact of a difficult birth experience, prenatal and postpartum counselling offers a space to be supported with care and understanding.
We offer in-person counselling at our Calgary offices, with easy access for women and families living in Airdrie, Cochrane, and Okotoks. Secure virtual sessions are also available across Alberta, depending on your needs.
If you’re ready, you can:
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Book a first session (New Client: Adult Counselling), or
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Schedule a free consultation call to explore whether this support is the right fit for you
You don’t need to have everything figured out before reaching out. We’re here to help you take the next step with clarity, compassion, and care.
