--- title: Postpartum Therapist Austin, TX | PPD & Birth Trauma | Heiser Counseling description: Postpartum depression therapist specialising in PPD, postpartum anxiety, rage & birth trauma. Telehealth in Texas & Washington. Private pay. Accepting new clients. url: https://heisercounseling.com/services/postpartum-mental-health canonical: https://heisercounseling.com/services/postpartum-mental-health author: Destany Schadder, LPC, R-DMT, MA credentials: Destany Schadder, LPC, R-DMT, MA location: Texas (telehealth) · Washington State (telehealth) practice: Heiser Counseling — 800 S. FM 1626, Suite 102, Buda, TX 78610 contact: destany@heisercounseling.com | 512-937-3991 --- # Postpartum Therapist Austin, TX | PPD & Birth Trauma | Heiser Counseling > Postpartum isn't just depression. It's anxiety, rage, identity loss, grief, and an enormous transition that nobody fully prepares you for. As a postpartum depression therapist and somatic LPC, Destany sees all of it. **Provider:** Destany Schadder, LPC, R-DMT, MA **Location:** Texas (telehealth) · Washington State (telehealth) **Contact:** [destany@heisercounseling.com](mailto:destany@heisercounseling.com) | [512-937-3991](tel:5129373991) **Book:** [Request a free consult](https://heisercounseling.com/connect) --- ## The fourth trimester nobody talks about The postpartum period is one of the most intense identity transitions a person can experience. Your body has changed, your role has changed, your relationships have changed — and you're supposed to be grateful and joyful while running on no sleep. Postpartum mental health concerns affect 1 in 5 new parents. They include postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, postpartum rage, and birth trauma. As a postpartum depression therapist trained in somatic therapy and EMDR, Destany works with the full range of these experiences — not just the ones that fit neatly into a diagnosis. She sees new parents in Austin, TX and via telehealth across Texas and Washington State. None of these mean you are a bad parent. They mean you are a human going through something enormous, and you deserve support that sees all of it — including the parts that are hard to say out loud. If you're having scary, unwanted thoughts about something happening to your baby, you are not alone — and it does not mean you are dangerous or a bad parent. Intrusive thoughts are one of the most common, least talked-about symptoms of postpartum anxiety and OCD. The fact that they horrify you is a sign of how much you care, not a warning sign. Saying them out loud, in a space that won't panic, is often the fastest way to take away their power. > "Asking for help is the most important thing you can model for your child." — Destany Schadder, LPC, R-DMT, MA --- ## Signs & Symptoms of Postpartum Mental Health - Anxiety that won't quiet down - Intrusive thoughts that scare you - Feeling disconnected from your baby or yourself - Rage and overwhelm - Grief for your pre-baby self - Feeling like you're not doing this right **You are not alone:** Postpartum mental health concerns are common, treatable, and not your fault. If you're having thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, please contact the Postpartum Support International helpline: 1-800-944-4773. --- ## Therapeutic Approaches for Postpartum Mental Health ### Postpartum Support Destany provides specialized support that addresses the full physiological and emotional spectrum of the postpartum period — working with your nervous system directly, not just talking through symptoms, to help it settle after birth. ### Birth Trauma Destany helps you process the distressing memories of a difficult or traumatic birth, so your body can stop reliving it and start feeling safe again — using EMDR, which doesn't require you to relive the story in detail. ### Identity Work Destany helps you navigate the massive, rarely-acknowledged identity shift into motherhood — what's clinically called matrescence — with care and without shame. --- ## What to Expect from Postpartum Mental Health Therapy **01 — Free Consult** We talk about what's going on — no judgment. Together, we figure out what kind of support fits. **02 — Stabilisation** First, we address what's most acute — sleep, safety, the loudest symptoms. **03 — Deeper Work** When you have more capacity, we go into the identity, grief, and relational shifts of new parenthood. **04 — Integration** Finding a version of yourself that includes being a parent — not one that erases everything else. Early sessions often focus on getting through the day and the nights. Later, it can mean having an intrusive thought pass through without it hijacking your whole day. --- ## Session Details - **Session length:** 50 minutes - **Format:** Telehealth (video) - **Location:** Austin, TX · Texas (telehealth) · Washington State (telehealth) - **Fee:** Private pay — superbill provided - **Frequency:** Weekly, especially in early postpartum --- ## Common Questions About Postpartum Mental Health Therapy ### How soon after birth can I start therapy? As soon as you feel ready. There's no minimum waiting period. Earlier support often prevents symptoms from worsening. ### I had my baby a year ago. Is it still postpartum? Yes. Postpartum mental health concerns can emerge or persist for years. If you're still struggling, the timing doesn't disqualify you from support. ### What if I'm pregnant, not postpartum yet? Perinatal mental health support is for the whole pregnancy-to-postpartum period. Starting during pregnancy often leads to better outcomes after birth. ### I'm an adoptive or non-gestational parent. Does this apply to me? Absolutely. Postpartum mental health concerns can affect any new parent regardless of how they became one. ### What is the difference between baby blues and postpartum depression? Baby blues are a normal hormonal response in the first 1–2 weeks after birth — tearfulness, mood swings, anxiety. Postpartum depression is more persistent, more intense, and doesn't resolve on its own. It can include profound sadness, disconnection from your baby, intrusive thoughts, rage, and inability to cope. If you're past two weeks and still struggling, or if symptoms are severe at any point, please reach out. ### What is matrescence? Matrescence is the developmental process of becoming a mother — as significant a shift as adolescence, but without the cultural acknowledgment. Your brain, body, relationships, and sense of self are all changing at once. Much of what gets labelled postpartum depression is also the disorientation of matrescence — the identity upheaval of becoming a parent. Therapy creates space to navigate that with care. ### Do you offer postpartum therapy in Austin, TX and Washington State? Yes. Limited in-person appointments are available in Austin, TX, and telehealth sessions are available across Texas and Washington State. --- ## About the Therapist **Destany Schadder, LPC, R-DMT, MA** is a Licensed Professional Counselor (Texas) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Washington State), and a Registered Dance/Movement Therapist. She specializes in trauma, anxiety, somatic therapy, and EMDR, bringing a body-first approach to mental health treatment. Heiser Counseling is based in Austin, TX and offers telehealth services across Texas and Washington State. - [Learn more about Destany](https://heisercounseling.com/about) - [View all services](https://heisercounseling.com/services) - [Request an appointment](https://heisercounseling.com/connect)