Welcome! I am glad you are here. I am a licensed therapist offering individual and relationship counseling services to teens (14+) and adults. My office is based in Portland, Oregon however I'm primarily meeting with clients via secure Telehealth sessions.
I have a 10 year+ background working with children and their caregivers in various settings (school, residential treatment center, in-home, private play-therapy practice) and recently made the transition to working with new parents. I am a certified perinatal mental health specialist and have extensive training in child development, attachment parenting, postpartum mood issues, and grief & loss.
“Perinatal” typically refers to the period of time beginning around conception, throughout pregnancy and birth, and ending around one year post-birth (although I believe one is never really not postpartum). The perinatal experience can bring up a profound sense of joy and fulfillment, and, at the same time, cause anxiety, stress, grief, overwhelm, loss of identity, and total defeat. When I became a mother myself, I realized firsthand just how challenging parenthood is and the immense lack of societal support. Parenthood is an incredibly vulnerable and life-altering transition and a massive undertaking even with a strong support system. Unfortunately, our culture does not often openly talk about the latter experiences and I am deeply passionate about changing this narrative in my work with new parents, especially mothers in those very raw, first few months after birth.
Some of the concerns I can help you with include:
- processing pregnancy and anticipatory birth anxiety
- envisioning and planning a desired birth plan/team that aligns with your values
- working through a birth story that resulted in grief and/or trauma
- facilitating reconnection to sense of self after birth
- helping you integrate your new identities
- working through intergenerational family patterns, memories and trauma that resurface when becoming a parent
- challenges adjusting to and juggling various new roles
- coping with intrusive thoughts
- support with postpartum mood disorders such as depression and anxiety
If you think I may be a good fit for you therapeutically, please reach out! I offer a free 30-min consultation where you can get to know me and ask questions.
Sophie Holliday
LPC, NCC, PMH-C