Therapy vs Coaching After Baby: How to Know What Support You Need
My Experience With Seeking Support After Baby
My husband once said to me,
“You’ve done therapy before — why don’t you give that a try again?”
So I did.
I logged back into my old account, scheduled the appointment, and waited for the Zoom call feeling hopeful. What I remember most from that season wasn’t a long therapeutic process — it was one moment in particular.
I told the therapist I thought I had postpartum depression.
She told me that based on how I was interacting with my baby, she wasn’t concerned. That I wasn’t showing signs of PPD.
And I remember thinking… what the heck?
I had gone in asking for help, and I left feeling confused. I told myself I must be fine. I trusted that assessment and tried to move on.
Spoiler alert: I wasn’t fine.
Looking back, I don’t believe therapy failed me — and I don’t believe therapy is ineffective. What I see now is that at that point in my life, it simply wasn’t the right fit for what I was actually needing.
That experience didn’t mean nothing was wrong with me. It meant I was in a gray space — not in crisis, but not supported either.
No one had ever warned me about the identity shift of motherhood.
The constant undercurrent of fear something might happen to my baby.
The resentment that quietly surfaced when my husband’s life looked unchanged.
The emotional load that didn’t fit neatly into “it’s hard” or “you won’t sleep.”
I didn’t need a diagnosis in that moment.
I needed to be seen.
I needed tools.
I needed support to help me move forward instead of feeling stuck.
And no amount of praying or begging God was helping my nervous system settle.
When Therapy May Be Necessary
Therapy can be an incredibly important and supportive option, especially when emotions begin to feel overwhelming, unmanageable, or disruptive to daily life. Working with a licensed mental health professional can offer safety, stabilization, diagnosis, and treatment when deeper clinical support is needed.
Therapy may be especially helpful if you are experiencing:
Persistent feelings of depression, hopelessness, or emptiness
Panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, or anxiety that feels consuming or unrelenting
Trauma symptoms related to pregnancy, birth, loss, or past experiences
Thoughts of harming yourself or feeling like you don’t want to exist
Significant disruptions to sleep, appetite, or daily functioning
Emotional pain that feels intense, unpredictable, or hard to control
A desire for diagnosis, clinical treatment, or medical collaboration
Seeking therapy does not mean you’ve failed — it means your mental health and nervous system deserve specialized care and protection. Therapy exists to support deep healing, safety, and stabilization, and for many women, it is life-changing.
When Coaching May Be a Supportive Option
Postpartum and motherhood coaching is designed for women who are functioning, showing up, and holding a lot — but quietly struggling underneath it all.
Coaching is not about diagnosis or treatment. It is about helping you feel steadier, more connected to yourself, and supported through one of the biggest identity shifts of your life.
Coaching may be a good fit if you feel:
Overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or stuck in survival mode
Anxious or on edge, but still able to manage daily responsibilities
Disconnected from yourself, your body, or your sense of identity after baby
Unsure how to regulate emotions in the moment, especially during parenting stress
Like you need space to process without being labeled or pathologized
Drawn to nervous system support, emotional regulation, and gentle guidance
In need of encouragement, clarity, and practical tools during transition
Coaching offers a space to slow the body first, reconnect internally, and build awareness in a way that feels supportive rather than overwhelming. It focuses on the present and the path forward — helping you respond with intention rather than react from survival.
Why Therapy and Coaching Aren’t Competing
For many women, coaching fills the gap between “I’m fine” and “I’m not okay.” It offers support without requiring you to reach a breaking point first.
Coaching does not replace therapy, and it does not compete with it. It works alongside other forms of care, offering emotional regulation, identity support, and grounded encouragement during seasons of transition.
Why I Began This Work
I began my coaching practice because I couldn’t find the kind of support I was looking for — someone who honored faith, understood the nervous system, and supported the very real emotional and identity shifts of motherhood.
I wanted to help fill the gap for women who knew they needed support but didn’t feel like they were in crisis — just overwhelmed, unseen, and searching for steadiness.
Choosing the Support That Meets You Where You Are
God blesses people with different gifts to support different needs in different seasons. Seeking help does not mean your faith is weak, that you are far from God, or that He doesn’t care about you.
If you’re here and considering support, I believe that isn’t accidental. You are allowed to choose the kind of care that meets you where you are — without shame, comparison, or explanation.
There is no right or wrong choice.
Only the support that fits this season of your life.
Want to stay connected?
If these words resonated, I’m building a gentle community space for mothers who want support, grounding, and connection during this season.
Gentle Note
This content is for educational and supportive purposes and is not a substitute for mental health or medical treatment. If you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself or are in crisis, please seek immediate professional support.