Therapy for New Moms in Los Angeles, California
You're not lost. You're becoming.
Becoming a mother is a full identity shift, hormonal, neurological, relational, existential. It has a name (matrescence) and it deserves real support. As a motherhood therapist in Los Angeles, California, I help new moms and women navigating the longer arc of motherhood reconnect with themselves in the middle of all of it.
Matrescence, the transition nobody told you about
We talk endlessly about the baby and rarely about the woman who is also being born. Matrescence is the developmental passage of becoming a mother, and like adolescence, it's a whole-self reorganization. Disorientation is part of the process, not evidence that you're failing at it.
If you feel like a stranger to yourself, if old goals don't fit and new ones haven't formed yet, if relationships feel different and you're not sure who you're meant to be on the other side, you're in matrescence, and you don't have to walk through it alone.
What we work on together
Therapy creates space to grieve who you were, get curious about who you're becoming, and find steadier ground in the in-between. We hold the full picture: identity, relationships, work, the body, the mental load, and the quiet emotional labor no one sees.
I draw on psychodynamic insight (so we can understand what shaped you), CBT and solution-focused work (so you have tools for now), and EMDR when older wounds are pressing in.
Signs you might benefit
- Feeling like a stranger to yourself
- Grieving the version of you that existed before kids
- Old goals don't fit and new ones haven't formed
- Tension in your partnership around new roles
- Returning-to-work transitions feel impossible
- Mental load and burnout from holding everything
- Guilt no matter what choice you make
- Wanting more from this season than survival mode
Wondering if therapy could help?
A free 15-minute call is a low-pressure way to ask questions and see if we're a fit.
Schedule a consultationFrequently asked
Is it normal to feel like a stranger to myself after having a baby?
Yes. Identity disruption is one of the most universal, and least talked about, parts of becoming a mother. There's even a name for this developmental passage: matrescence.
What is matrescence?
Matrescence is the developmental transition of becoming a mother, a hormonal, neurological, relational, and existential reorganization, much like adolescence. It is a normal passage, not a personal failing.
Do I have to be a 'new' mom to benefit?
No. The transitions of motherhood don't end after the first year. Returning to work, having a second child, weaning, school-aged shifts, and midlife motherhood are all worth real support.
Do you offer virtual sessions for moms in California?
Yes. I work with mothers across California virtually, no commute, no babysitter, no leaving the house.
Related care
Ready to feel a little less alone?
Reach out for a free 15-minute consultation. We'll talk about what you're carrying and whether we're a good fit.
Book a free consultation