Therapy for women
Motherhood
You had no idea that being a mom could be so tough.
You thought that you were well prepared for the arrival of your little one, but no amount of reading could have readied you for what was ahead.
Nothing you have ever experienced can compare with the demands of motherhood. Sleepless nights, diaper blow-outs, toddler tantrums and teenager troubles…
You feel breathless trying to keep pace with the needs of everyone around you.
Perhaps your journey has also included some unexpectedly painful moments; infertility, serious illness or a medical diagnosis for you or your child, or very difficult behavioural challenges with your kiddo.
Dealing with this has brought its own kind of soul numbing pain as you tried to navigate the added layers of complexity.
You know deep down that you want to be the kind of mom who is patient and loving with her kids.
But when it comes to living that out in the middle of all the chaos, you feel defeated.
It’s not like you to break down crying ‘over spilt milk’. To catch yourself whispering swear words under your breath, or having unkind thoughts you’d never dare say out loud.
Underneath the hum of chaos that surrounds you, there is a growing sense of exhaustion and anxiety.
Your feelings of helplessness grow every time you try unsuccessfully to bring some order to your unpredictable world.
Somehow, along the way, exhaustion, the constant demands and unpredictability of motherhood seems to have stolen your inner peace.
You’ve become stressed and cranky.
Your marriage has started to suffer and coffee has become your best friend.
You wonder why no one warned you that on some days, motherhood would feel impossible.
You wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but there are times that the only thing that gets you through is imagining yourself on a deserted island with no one calling your name.
Other moms seem to be rockin’ it, but, secretly, you’re convinced you’re going to feel like a hot mess for at least the next decade.
You never expected that motherhood was going to be easy, after all you had read all the parenting books and were fully prepared for there to be bad days.
But you never thought your life would feel so utterly hopeless and out of control.
Support for Maternal Mental Health
I wish I could promise you that I could make motherhood feel easy.
I wish that somehow our work together would make all of your days flow peacefully and that you’d feel like a ‘good mom’ all.the.time.
Sadly, I can’t.
But what I can offer is a place where you can be raw and vulnerable about the reality of your journey as a mom. I can sit in the trenches with you.
I can teach you some skills and tools to help you regain a semblance of inner peace, even when the world around you feels chaotic.
Together, we can tackle ‘mom guilt’, birth trauma or perinatal mood disorders and identify practical ways for you to feel less overwhelmed day-to-day.
Support for Maternal Mental Health, Birth Trauma, and Emotional Overwhelm:
- You get clear on what is most important to you as a mom and how to do that day-to-day without feeling like you are losing your mind.
- You learn practical strategies to deal with anxiety and feeling overwhelmed.
- Process experiences where you felt frightened, powerless, dismissed, or unsafe—whether or not there were medical complications.
- You increase your ability enjoy being in the moment and find a sense of inner peace even when your life circumstances feel overwhelming.
- You be able to get free from ‘mom guilt’ and learn how to be kinder and gentler towards yourself, even when you’ve dropped the ball.
- Work through emotions associated with children growing into new stages (school-aged, teens, young adults)
Therapy for Moms that don’t feel Pinterest Worthy
Listen, being a mom is a seriously tough job. It magnifies all your emotions. Happiness, anger, anxiety and fear all seem more intense when you are a mom….especially when you are working off of 3 hours of sleep a night for the past week ’cause someone’s been teething….or had the stomach flu.
Counselling for maternal mental health ann motherhood at Restore. Renew. Revive. will help you deal with your own ‘stuff’, find more calm in the chaos and feel (re)energized (without needing to go to the spa) so you can continue caring for your people.
Together, you and I will work to develop skills and strategies to deal with the anxiety that so often accompanies motherhood and tame the feelings of being never good enough, overwhelmed and helpless. We’ll get clear about the kind of mom you want to be even in the middle of chaos and unpredictability and work together to identify strategies to get you there.
We will identify practical ways to help you live well, while doing the very demanding job of being a mom.
Support for Birth Trauma
Birth trauma can look many different ways. It may involve a difficult or frightening labour or delivery, unexpected medical interventions, feeling unheard or unsupported, or a loss of control around how your birth unfolded. Even when everyone tells you that you or your baby are “healthy,” the emotional impact of your experience can linger. Therapy offers a gentle, trauma-informed space to make sense of what happened, honour your experience, and begin to feel more settled and at ease in your body and nervous system.
Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders (PMADs)
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can show up during pregnancy or at any point after birth. You might notice constant worry, intrusive thoughts, irritability, low mood, guilt, or that sense that you’re just barely holding it all together. As a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Provider (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International, I offer informed, compassionate care that recognizes how common—and very treatable—these experiences are. As a mom who struggled postpartum myself, I know how hard it can be to not feel like yourself while also trying to show up for what feels like the most important job of your life. You don’t have to do this alone, and you don’t have to wait until things fall apart to reach out for support.
Support Beyond the Postpartum
Many of the mothers I work with are well beyond the early postpartum months. As children grow and family demands shift, stress, anxiety, and overwhelm can resurface—or show up for the first time. You may be navigating parenting challenges, changes in identity, relationship strain, or the cumulative impact of years of putting yourself last. As a mom of three (almost) grown kids, I understand how long the marathon of motherhood can feel—and how exhausting it can be at times. Therapy can be supportive at any stage of motherhood, helping you reconnect with yourself and find steadier footing in the midst of ongoing demands.
Here is what to expect:
Free Consultation:
Book a free 15 minute no-obligation call so we can chat more about working together.
It’s my hope that even before your first session you’ll be confident that we can work well together. And, if I’m not the right person for you, you can expect that I will point you in the right direction, so you can get the help you need.
I want you to be able to ask any questions you have about therapy with me, and anything else on your mind so you’ll know we’ll be a good fit so that coming to therapy in my Bedford office doesn’t feel stressful.
First Session:
Our first session is 50 minutes and is focused on getting to know you, understanding what you’ve been through, and identifying what feels most important for you right now.
People are often really nervous to come to their first counselling session, so I want you know that it’s going to feel just like having a conversation with me.
We’ll explore your journey with motherhood—from pregnancy and birth to the days that followed—at a pace that feels comfortable for you. We’ll clarify what you’re hoping for from therapy and by the end of the session, we’ll have a shared understanding of the way forward, and you’ll leave with a few practical ideas to try between sessions.
Ongoing Counselling Sessions:
For the first 2-3 sessions I generally meet with people weekly so that we can build momentum in the right direction. At these sessions, I will check in with you to see how things have been going between sessions. You can expect each session to include talking about practical steps you can take to move in the right direction and learning new skills and strategies to take get you there.
You can expect that I’ll be asking you to test these things out between visits so that you’ll be making progress between each time we see each other.
Once you start to notice improvements, we will spread out our visits to give you the chance to take the skills we’ve worked on together and test them out as you live your life.
On average, I see individuals for 10-20 sessions over a period of time. Of course, this depends on you, your situation and how quickly change starts happening. But this is something we will talk about together, because, ultimately, I want therapy to be something that adds to your life and doesn’t feel like one more stressful thing to add to your week.
More About Marcy Daniels MSW, RSW
As a Registered Clinical Specialist Social Worker—and a mom to three children who have somehow grown into teenagers and young adults—I view myself as part coach, mentor and cheerleader for other moms in the trenches. My journey has been tough and I’ve learned a few things along the way that I feel confident will be helpful for you too.
Coming to therapy with me offers you a safe place to unload—honestly and vulnerably—to a listening ear that will not judge you. Working with women, and mothers in particular, is a passion of mine. I’ve intentionally built my clinical training and experience in this area, including my certification as a Perinatal Mental Health Provider (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International, so that I can offer you not only solid professional knowledge, but also lived experience that deepens my empathy and compassion for mothers who are struggling.
I help mothers move from feeling anxious and overwhelmed to feeling more grounded, confident, and hopeful about the future. Even when it feels like things will never change, healing and growth are possible. My work with clients is trauma-informed and paced to your nervous system. It’s focused on helping you feel more regulated, clear, and present in your daily life
All sessions are provided through secure video using JaneApp, a privacy-compliant platform designed for healthcare services. I am licensed to work with clients who are physically located in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick at the time of their appointment.
Who Benefits Most From This Therapy
Counselling can be especially helpful for mothers who feel overwhelmed, anxious, or exhausted, and who are frustrated with themselves for feeling like they’re falling short. Many of the moms I work with are managing on the outside while struggling internally, feeling disillusioned by the realities of motherhood and unsure why things feel so hard. Therapy offers a compassionate, practical space to make sense of these experiences and find more effective ways to cope.
You don’t need to be newly postpartum to benefit from this work. Many of the mothers I support are further along in the journey and find that stress, anxiety, or unresolved experiences resurface as their children grow. Therapy can offer support at any stage—not just the early months.
You will benefit from therapy if:
- You feel like running away to a deserted island to escape the constant calling of your name
- You feel a sense of being anxious or overwhelmed with all challenges that motherhood brings
- You beat yourself up for the 6 baskets of laundry that have yet to be folded and put away and other similar mom dilemmas
- You notice that you are no longer interested in activities, people and places that once brought you pleasure
- You find yourself crying often and feeling like you are incapable of balancing the demands on you
- Self care has become a third cup of coffee and a bag of chips eaten in the privacy of your bathroom
- You wonder if you should save the money for your kids therapy rather than coming to your own; you’re convinced you are messing it up so badly he’ll need it!
Common Reasons Moms Reach Out:
You might seek support if you’re experiencing:
Birth trauma or a difficult pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum experience
Postpartum anxiety, depression, or mood changes (PMADs)
Ongoing anxiety, overwhelm, or burnout in motherhood
Difficulty adjusting to changes in identity after becoming a parent
Feeling “on edge,” irritable, numb, or not like yourself
Guilt, shame, or constant worry about whether you’re doing enough
To process emotions about your children grow into new stages (school-aged, teens, young adults)
What Does Therapy Cost?
Individual therapy sessions cost $180/50 minutes
My services are covered by most insurance plans and I am able to direct bill to most insurance companies. I also offer a limited number of reduced fee spots through Open Path Collective.
If direct billing is not available for your plan, you will receive a detailed receipt that you can submit to your insurance provider yourself or keep for income tax purposes.
I recommend you check your plan specifics before scheduling a session.
What is Birth Trauma?
Many women don’t identify their experience as trauma because there were no medical complications and their baby was healthy. However, birth trauma can also include experiences where you felt frightened, powerless, dismissed, or unsafe—regardless of whether complications were present. You don’t need a dramatic story or tragic ending for your experience to matter or to deserve support.
There are times when working with me might isn't the best fit:
- You have been diagnosed with postpartum psychosis and have not yet recieved treatment.
- You are being physically, emotionally or verbally abusive with your children
- You are actively suicidal
- You are looking for parent coaching because your kids have a number of very difficult behaviours you don’t know how to address
If any of these apply to you, I can provide you with the appropriate referrals.
What are your office hours? Where are you located?
I am available for therapy sessions
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 2 pm-9 pm
Friday 8 am-5 pm
Saturday 9 am-5 pm.
All sessions are provided through secure video using JaneApp, a privacy-compliant platform designed for healthcare services. I am licensed to work with clients who are physically located in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick at the time of their appointment.
Your Next Steps:
Here are some of the ways I help women in my Bedford, Nova Scotia Counselling Office:
Anxiety
Self Esteem
Separation, Divorce & Relationships
Motherhood
Life Balance
Resources
1600 Bedford Highway Suite 220, Bedford, NS B4A IE8, Canada I (902) 702-7722 I info@restorecounselling.ca
Office Hours: Mon/Tu/Wed/ Thurs 2pm-9pm Friday 8am-5pm Saturday 9am-5pm
Reception Hours: Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm
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