When your birth experience still feels heavy or hard to think about
If parts of your pregnancy, labor, delivery, or postpartum experience felt overwhelming, frightening, or out of your control—you’re not alone.
Even when everything looked “okay” on the outside, your body may still be holding onto what happened.
Therapy can help you process the experience, feel safer in your body, and move forward without it feeling so present.
Many people search for “traumatic birth” or “can birth cause PTSD”. If that’s what brought you here, you’re in the right place.
What Is Birth Trauma?
Birth trauma isn’t defined by what should have been traumatic.
It’s defined by how your body experienced it.
Birth trauma can come from:
feeling out of control
not being heard or supported
medical complications or interventions
fear for your or your baby’s safety
unexpected or overwhelming experiences
Even if your baby is healthy.
Even if others say “everything turned out fine.”
Your experience still matters.
Birth trauma is often connected to
Signs You May Be Experiencing Birth Trauma
You might notice:
Intrusive memories or flashbacks
Nightmares about your birth experience
Avoiding reminders (photos, hospitals, conversations)
Feeling overwhelmed when thinking about what happened
Fear, anger, grief, or guilt that feels hard to shake
Anxiety around medical care or future pregnancies
Difficulty trusting your body
Feeling disconnected from your baby, partner, or yourself
Constantly feeling on edge or hyperaware
These are not signs that something is wrong with you.
They are signs your nervous system is still trying to protect you.
Why This Happens
During overwhelming experiences, your brain and body shift into survival mode.
Sometimes, the experience isn’t fully processed.
So instead of becoming a memory, it stays active in your system.
Showing up as:
Triggers
Flashbacks
Emotional reactions
Physical tension
How Birth Trauma Therapy Helps
Therapy helps your brain and body:
Process what happened safely
Reduce the intensity of memories and triggers
Feel less reactive and more grounded
Rebuild trust in yourself and your body
Reconnect with your baby and relationships
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting.
It means the experience no longer feels overwhelming.
Therapists for Birth Trauma
Work with a therapist who understands birth trauma
Different therapists support different parts of the healing process. You can choose what feels like the best fit for you.
Chelsea Kunapuli, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, PMH-C
Supports emotional processing and trauma using Brainspotting, helping you feel safer, connected, and at ease in your body.
Caitlin Ismay, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
Supports trauma, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm, helping you feel more grounded, regulated, and steady as you move through the healing process.
Not sure who’s the right fit?
Help Me Find the Right Therapist
Our Trauma-Informed Approach
We use evidence-based, nervous system–focused approaches, including:
Brainspotting for accessing stored emotional experiences
Somatic techniques for regulating the body
Attachment-based therapy for rebuilding safety and connection
All work is done at your pace, in a way that feels safe and supported.
Who We Support
We work with:
Pregnant and postpartum individuals
Parents with difficult or unexpected births
Emergency or medically complex deliveries
NICU experiences
Pregnancy loss or infertility histories
Individuals and couples
You do not have to justify your experience to deserve support.
Related Services
You don’t have to carry this alone
If your birth experience still feels unresolved, therapy can help you feel more grounded, safe, and like yourself again.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Help Me Find the Right Therapist