Perinatal & Postpartum Therapy in Pasadena, Studio City & Los Angeles

Motherhood is often described as one of life's most joyful and meaningful experiences. And it can be. But pregnancy, childbirth, and the transition to parenthood can also bring unexpected feelings of anxiety, grief, loneliness, resentment, and uncertainty.

You may love your child deeply while missing parts of your former life. You may feel grateful for your family while struggling with the demands of caring for them. You may find yourself feeling overwhelmed, disconnected from your partner, or unsure of who you are outside of motherhood.

For some women, these experiences include significant anxiety, depression, or intrusive thoughts. For others, the struggle is harder to name: a sense of having lost touch with themselves, their relationships, or the life they once imagined.

At Rebecca Lesser Allen, PsyD & Associates, we offer a thoughtful, compassionate space to explore the emotional complexities of pregnancy, postpartum life, and motherhood, without judgment or expectations about how you should feel.

The Psychological Transition to Motherhood

Becoming a mother is not simply the addition of a new role. It can be a profound reorganization of identity, relationships, and the way we understand ourselves.

Motherhood often brings us into contact with parts of our own histories that we haven't thought about in years. Our experiences of being parented, our expectations of ourselves, and our ideas about what it means to be a good mother can suddenly take on new emotional significance.

You may find yourself struggling with perfectionism, feeling responsible for everyone's well-being, or experiencing guilt when your own needs conflict with those of your family.

You may also be surprised by feelings of ambivalence, anger, boredom, or longing for independence, emotions that can be especially difficult to acknowledge in a culture that often idealizes motherhood.

Therapy offers an opportunity to make room for the full range of these experiences, to understand what they mean to you, and to develop a relationship with motherhood that feels more authentic and sustainable.

Pregnancy, Postpartum Anxiety & Depression

Pregnancy and the postpartum period can bring significant changes in mood, anxiety, and emotional well-being.

Some women experience persistent sadness, hopelessness, or difficulty finding pleasure in everyday life. Others feel consumed by worry, unable to relax, or constantly anticipating something going wrong.

Postpartum anxiety may involve intrusive or frightening thoughts, difficulty sleeping even when the baby sleeps, or a persistent feeling of being on edge.

These experiences can be isolating, particularly when they don't match what you expected this period of life to feel like.

We provide support for women navigating:

• Perinatal and postpartum depression

• Pregnancy and postpartum anxiety

• Intrusive thoughts, excessive worry, and perfectionism

• Difficulties with emotional regulation and overwhelm

• Birth trauma and distressing medical experiences

• Challenges with attachment, bonding, and adjustment

• Relationship difficulties and changes in intimacy

• Identity shifts, guilt, and loss of independence

• Parenting stress and the emotional demands of caregiving

You don't have to wait until your symptoms become severe to seek support.

Postpartum Depression Treatment

Postpartum depression can affect how you feel about yourself, your relationships, and your experience of motherhood. You may feel persistently sad, irritable, overwhelmed, emotionally disconnected, or unlike yourself. Sometimes these feelings coexist with a deep love for your baby, making them especially confusing or difficult to talk about.

Our therapists provide individual psychotherapy for postpartum depression and related emotional difficulties. Treatment is tailored to your needs and may include exploring the emotional and relational changes that accompany motherhood, understanding patterns of anxiety and self-criticism, processing difficult birth experiences, and developing strategies to manage distress.

We offer postpartum depression therapy in Pasadena and Studio City, as well as online throughout California. You don't have to navigate this experience alone.

Fertility Challenges, Pregnancy Loss & Reproductive Grief

The path to parenthood is not always straightforward.

Infertility, fertility treatments, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, and difficult reproductive decisions can bring feelings of grief, uncertainty, shame, anger, and profound loneliness.

These experiences may also affect your relationships, sense of identity, and trust in your own body.

Therapy can provide space to process loss, navigate difficult decisions, and explore the emotional impact of experiences that are often minimized or misunderstood by others.

Relationships, Identity & the Changing Family

The transition to parenthood can profoundly change the dynamics of a relationship.

Partners may find themselves feeling more like coworkers than romantic companions, negotiating responsibilities while struggling to find time for intimacy, rest, or emotional connection.

Old patterns around conflict, caretaking, vulnerability, and dependence may become more pronounced under the demands of raising children.

Motherhood can also change relationships with parents, siblings, friends, and the wider family. Questions about boundaries, expectations, and the kind of parent you want to be may take on new urgency.

Our work explores these changes with curiosity, helping you better understand your emotional needs, your relationships, and the ways you want to move forward.

Our Approach to Perinatal & Maternal Mental Health

Our approach is grounded in psychodynamic, relational, and attachment-based perspectives.

We are interested not only in reducing distress, but in understanding the deeper emotional experiences that accompany pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, and motherhood.

Therapy can help you recognize patterns shaped by your own history, make sense of conflicting feelings, and develop greater compassion for yourself.

Depending on your needs, treatment may also include practical strategies for managing anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, and everyday stress.

We believe that mothers deserve a space where they are not expected to care for anyone else, perform a particular role, or have all the answers.

Support Beyond the Postpartum Period

The psychological work of motherhood doesn't end when your baby turns one.

New challenges often emerge as children grow, family roles evolve, and your own needs and aspirations change.

Whether you're parenting a newborn, a toddler, or older children, therapy can offer space to consider who you are becoming, what you need, and how to remain connected to yourself while caring for others.

Our Therapists

Our practice offers perinatal and postpartum therapy with clinicians who bring different areas of expertise and therapeutic approaches. We welcome inquiries for individual therapy during pregnancy, the postpartum period, and throughout the transition to motherhood.

If you're looking for a therapist, please reach out for a free 15-minute consultation. We'll help you identify a clinician whose experience, approach, and availability are a good fit for your needs.

Dr. Rebecca Lesser Allen, PsyD

Dr. Lesser Allen is a licensed clinical psychologist whose work explores the intersection of relationships, identity, family dynamics, and emotional development. She brings a psychodynamic and relational perspective to the psychological complexities of motherhood, including postpartum adjustment, anxiety, identity changes, and the ways our own experiences of being parented shape our lives as parents.

‍ ‍Learn More About Dr. Lesser Allen

Sarah Wright, MA, AMFT, APCC

Sarah has a particular interest in the inner lives of women, including motherhood, desire, belonging, and the tension between our responsibilities to others and our own emotional needs. Her depth-oriented, attachment-based approach offers space to explore identity, relationships, and the often-conflicting feelings that accompany becoming and being a mother.

‍ ‍Learn More About Sarah

Tracy Bitterolf, AMFT

Tracy brings a warm, compassionate, and relational approach to working with women navigating pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, and the emotional complexities of motherhood. She supports clients experiencing anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and the challenges of balancing their own needs with the demands of caring for others. Drawing on attachment-based and relational perspectives, Tracy helps clients explore the ways their histories, expectations, and relationships shape their experiences of motherhood, while creating space for greater self-understanding, emotional connection, and compassion.

‍ ‍Learn More About Tracy

Perinatal & Postpartum Therapy in Pasadena, Studio City & Online

Rebecca Lesser Allen, PsyD & Associates offers individual psychotherapy in Pasadena and Studio City, serving clients throughout Los Angeles and surrounding communities.

Online therapy is also available to clients throughout California.

Getting Started

Whether you're navigating pregnancy, adjusting to life with a new baby, struggling with the emotional demands of motherh

Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation

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