Collaborative counselling for the emotional, relational, and practical changes that can come after birth, in person or online across Alberta. Psychologists registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). In-person sessions in Edmonton and St. Albert. Virtual sessions anywhere in Alberta. Evening and weekend appointments available as well.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Postpartum Mental Health Counselling Is Right for You

You may not be sure whether what you are feeling since having a baby is a real problem, or just what this stage is supposed to feel like. People keep telling you the early months are hard. So it can be difficult to know whether you need support, or whether you should keep pushing through until things settle.

You might also be uneasy about saying any of this out loud. Some parents worry that admitting they are struggling will sound ungrateful, or make it seem like they are not coping the way a parent should.

Maybe you are getting through the feeds, the changes, and the settling, but feel strangely far away from all of it. Maybe small things bring on tears or a flash of anger that does not feel like you. Or maybe the days have started to blur, and you cannot remember the last time you had a thought that was only about you.

These reactions make sense. The weeks and months after birth can bring emotional, relational, practical, and identity changes all at once, often on very little sleep. Feeling unsettled by that is a human response to a lot of change. It does not mean you are failing, and it does not mean something is permanently wrong with you.

If you are trying to work out whether talking with someone could help, you may wish to read on and see what this kind of support looks like. You do not need a name for what you are feeling before you reach out.

Who We Help

Postpartum counselling may be a good fit if you:

• are a birth parent, non-birthing parent, adoptive parent, or co-parent who feels unlike yourself since the baby arrived
• feel overwhelmed, flat, anxious, or on edge more often than you expected
• notice strain in your relationship, or feel your sense of who you are has shifted (our Relationships After Birth page covers couple concerns in more depth)
• keep returning to a birth or feeding experience that did not go the way you hoped (see also Difficult Birth Recovery)
• want room for your own needs alongside caring for a baby
• are a partner or family member trying to understand how to support someone, or finding this period hard yourself

This service may not be the right fit if you:

• are in immediate danger, or may act on thoughts of harming yourself, your baby, or someone else. Please use the crisis resources below.
• are not safe at home. Counselling can still be part of your support, but safety comes first, and the Family Violence Info Line below can help you plan.
• need a formal psychological assessment or diagnosis. Psychological assessment is a separate service with its own process. Our Postpartum Depression Assessment page explains that service.
• need court reports, parenting evaluations, or other legal or forensic work. These needs are outside this counselling service.
• have questions about physical recovery, medication, or your baby's health. A physician, midwife, nurse practitioner, or pharmacist is the right first contact for those.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling appointments and this page are not emergency services. If you may act on thoughts of harming yourself, your baby, or another person, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a routine counselling appointment.

• 911 for immediate danger
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free)
• 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24/7)

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Postpartum Mental Health Counselling Is

Postpartum mental health counselling is a private, one-to-one conversation with a trained clinician about how you are coping after birth. Some people choose counselling when they want space to talk through how they have been feeling or coping. Sessions may explore adjustment, relationships, self-expectations, support systems, and day-to-day coping.

The Government of Canada's postpartum guide treats emotional well-being as part of postpartum health, alongside physical recovery and caring for a baby (Government of Canada, n.d.). Statistics Canada has also looked at how parents in Canada access postpartum health care and perinatal mental health support (Statistics Canada, n.d.). Getting support after birth can involve practical barriers. Counselling is one option among several.

Counselling is not:

• a legal service or an investigation
• crisis intervention or emergency care
• a psychological assessment or a diagnosis, which is a separate service
• medical care, or a replacement for your physician, midwife, nurse practitioner, or psychiatrist

You set the pace. Your therapist will not push you to talk about anything before you are ready. What you share is confidential within limits set by law, and your therapist will explain those limits at your first session. You can find the details in the confidentiality and privacy section below.

Each clinician works within the scope of their registration and training. Counselling can be one part of a broader support plan, alongside medical or community support when relevant. If your needs go beyond what counselling can offer, your therapist may talk with you about other options.

Symptoms: Signs the Postpartum Period May Be Affecting You

You do not need to recognize yourself in every item, or in any particular item, for counselling to be useful. These are some of the experiences people describe after birth:

• feeling flat, numb, or distant during moments you expected to enjoy
• crying more easily, or feeling irritable or angry in ways that surprise you
• worry that keeps circling, often about whether you are doing enough or doing it right
• holding yourself to standards nobody could meet, then feeling guilty when you fall short
• a tiredness that sleep does not fix, or being unable to rest even when you get the chance
• feeling more distant or tense with a partner, family, or friends
• losing track of who you are outside of caring for the baby
• replaying a birth or feeding experience over and over
• pressure from family, culture, work, or money that keeps adding up

These can be understandable reactions to a period of major change. Having them does not mean something is permanently wrong with you, and this list is not a diagnosis. If any of these have been taking up more room than you would like, structured support may help you sort out what is happening and what you need.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. Use the Match with a Therapist tool or browse Our Therapists. Each profile lists the clinician's areas of focus. If you would rather talk it through, our admin team can help at 780-904-4880.
• Book your first session. You can book through our online booking system. In the first session, your therapist reviews consent, privacy, and the limits of confidentiality, so you can ask questions before deciding what feels right to share. Then you talk about what has been happening, what matters most right now, and what you hope might be different.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist agree on goals and a plan that fits your life. Care is intended to be collaborative and client-centred.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly or every two weeks, and adjusted to what you need. Virtual sessions may be easier to fit around a baby's schedule.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist regularly reviews with you what is helping and what is not. The plan can change as your needs change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Your voice shapes the work at every stage, including when to slow down, change focus, or stop. You can read more on our Getting Started with Therapy page and our What to Expect From Therapy page.

Evidence and Approaches

Research on psychological support after birth is still developing, and no single approach suits everyone. This section describes three broad parts of postpartum counselling and what the sources behind this page say about each. The specific methods your therapist uses will depend on their training and your goals, and they can explain those methods to you.

Talk-Based Psychological Support

What it helps with: Making sense of the emotional, relational, and identity changes that can follow birth, and finding ways of coping that fit your life.

Evidence summary: Psychological approaches have been studied for postpartum concerns, including in a systematic review and network meta-analysis of psychological interventions for postpartum depression ("Psychological Intervention for Postpartum Depression," n.d.). What turns out to be useful can vary by person, goals, and circumstances.

Limitations: Research focused on depression may not reflect every postpartum experience. Findings describe groups of people and cannot predict how any one person will respond.

Counselling as Part of Coordinated Care

What it helps with: Concerns that overlap with physical recovery, medication, sleep, or infant care, where more than one professional may be involved.

Evidence summary: Guidance on antenatal and postnatal mental health describes perinatal mental health care as something that may involve shared planning and coordination with other health professionals where appropriate (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], n.d.). In line with this, counselling can be one part of a broader plan that includes medical or community support when relevant.

Limitations: This guidance comes from the United Kingdom, and care pathways in Alberta differ. It does not mean any particular intervention is right for every person.

Client-Led Exploration Without a Label

What it helps with: Supporting people who are unsure how to describe what they are feeling, or who do not see themselves in a diagnosis.

Evidence summary: The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) publishes public education material on postpartum depression, which reflects that emotional difficulties after birth are a recognized area of psychological care (Canadian Psychological Association [CPA], n.d.). You do not need a label for your experience to discuss it in counselling. A therapist can help you clarify what you would like help with.

Limitations: A public education fact sheet is not research and does not show how well any approach works. It also does not replace an individual conversation with a health professional.

What Results to Expect

Progress is rarely a straight line. Good weeks can be followed by harder ones, and that does not mean counselling has stopped helping.

Some people notice shifts within a few months. Others find that longer-term work suits them better, especially when several pressures are stacked together.

What you get from counselling can depend on:

• what you have been through, both before and after the birth
• your current circumstances, including sleep, support at home, and other stresses
• how well you and your therapist work together

No therapy can guarantee a particular outcome, and outcomes vary from person to person. Fit with your therapist matters. If it does not feel right, you can change therapists or try a different approach at any point.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential. Your therapist will not share information about you without your consent, except in specific situations where the law requires or allows it.

Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists and follow its Standards of Practice. They also follow the CPA's Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists.

Alberta has more than one privacy law. Private clinics are generally governed by the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), which sets rules for how private organizations collect, use, disclose, and keep personal information. The Health Information Act (HIA) applies to health custodians, such as Alberta Health Services, hospitals, and physicians, and to people working on their behalf. If part of your care involves one of these custodians, the HIA governs how that custodian handles your health information.

There are a few legal limits to confidentiality. Your therapist may need to share information without your consent if:

• there is a risk of serious harm to you or to someone else
• a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, which Alberta law requires to be reported
• a court orders the release of records

Your therapist will explain these limits clearly in your first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal, and you can ask again at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to talk about my birth, or everything that has happened, in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Some people want to talk through a birth or a hard moment step by step. Others would rather focus on what is happening now, such as sleep, relationships, or the pressure they feel each day. Both are valid starting points, and you can change direction at any time.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within limits set by law. Your therapist will not share information without your consent except where there is a risk of serious harm, a concern that a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, or a court order. Privacy in private practice in Alberta is generally governed by PIPA. Your therapist will go over all of this at your first session, and the confidentiality and privacy section above has more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no fixed number. Some people find a shorter stretch of counselling is enough to feel steadier, while others benefit from longer-term support. You and your therapist will review progress regularly and decide together whether to continue, change focus, or finish.

What if my therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is fine to say so. You can tell your therapist directly, or contact our admin team at 780-904-4880 and they can help you find a different clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I have sessions online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available to people located anywhere in Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply as in person. Availability varies by clinician, so check when you book.

Do I need a diagnosis or a referral to book?

No diagnosis is needed. You do not need a label for your experience to discuss it in counselling, and a therapist will not assume a diagnosis from a first conversation. You can book directly online or by phone. Some insurance plans have their own requirements, so it is worth checking your coverage.

Is postpartum counselling only for birthing mothers?

No. Postpartum support may be relevant to people with different identities, family structures, and caregiving roles, including non-birthing parents, adoptive parents, and partners. The focus is on your experience and your goals.

What if I am afraid of what I might say?

Some parents hold back because they are unsure what a therapist will do with what they hear. You can ask your therapist, before sharing details, how confidentiality works and when they would be required to share information. This is explained at the start so that you can decide what feels right to share. If you are worried you may act on a thought of harming yourself, your baby, or someone else, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Meet Your Clinicians

Our team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and Student Therapists are master's-level practicum students.

Each clinician's profile describes their training and areas of focus. You can look for someone whose experience includes perinatal mental health, the transition to parenthood, or birth and postpartum support. Browse Our Therapists, try the Match with a Therapist tool, or call 780-904-4880 and our admin team can help you choose.

Children and Youth

A new baby changes things for everyone in a household. Wholesome Psychology also offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people, including older siblings who may be finding the changes at home hard. Therapists who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches, and they work with parents and caregivers to support the child at home. You can learn more on our Child and Youth Counselling page.

If You Would Like to Talk With Someone

You can take the next step in whatever way feels manageable right now:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy

Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Canadian Psychological Association. (n.d.). "Psychology Works" fact sheet: Post-partum depression.
• Government of Canada. (n.d.). Your guide to postpartum health and caring for your baby.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (n.d.). Antenatal and postnatal mental health.
• Psychological intervention for postpartum depression: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. (n.d.).
• Statistics Canada. (n.d.). Access to postpartum health care and perinatal mental health support, 2024 Parental Experiences Survey.