A Postpartum Therapist in Denver on Redefining Pregnancy & Postpartum Care

Pregnancy Is Changing, and So Are We

In August of 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General declared parental stress a public health issue, and highlighted the need for more parental support. It is clear that as parental stress and mental health issues become more prevalent, we also need to readjust and redefine pregnancy and postpartum care.

As expecting mothers, many are holding invisible cultural assumptions about the type of support they will need throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum. These assumptions often contrast with the reality many moms experience throughout their motherhood experience.

As a postpartum therapist in Denver, I believe birthing people and parents need emotional, creative, and identity-focused preparation, not just medical guidance. They need preparation that encompasses their whole person—mind, body, and spirit—because becoming a mother touches on all of these aspects.

What a Postpartum Therapist in Denver Sees in Her Work With Pregnant Moms

Hi, I’m Leanne Morton, LPC, ATR, licensed professional counselor, holistic art therapist, perinatal mental health specialist, and mother of two. In my counseling practice in Denver, I support women and moms as they reconnect with their minds, bodies, and spirits. Through creativity, somatic awareness, and gentle exploration, my clients heal from trauma, shift long-held patterns, and navigate the profound identity changes that come with pregnancy and motherhood.

A Shift in Perspective

Something I often notice in my work with pregnant moms is how much energy goes into preparing for the physical experience of labor, which is important, of course. But many aren’t given space to prepare for the bigger transition: postpartum. When supports are not in place prior to baby’s arrival, I see moms struggle much more than parents who prepare emotionally and mentally for their postpartum experience.

In therapy, my role is to help moms quiet the noise—both external expectations and internal pressures—so they can feel grounded, empowered, and connected to their own innate wisdom and learn how to get the support they need and deserve as they move into this new chapter.

The Hidden Realities of Modern Pregnancy (Especially the Second Time Around)

Many parents are surprised by how different a second pregnancy feels. In my work with second-time moms, a few themes show up again and again:

It’s harder to slow down and enjoy the pregnancy.
So many moms share that their first pregnancy felt special because they were able to give it their time and attention. With the second, there’s usually a toddler needing snacks and and supervision, which means soaking in the pregnancy often falls to the bottom of the list.

Pregnancy becomes “secondary.”
Moms tell me they care deeply about their baby and this season, and yet the day-to-day often feels dominated by caring for their first child. It’s not that the second pregnancy isn’t meaningful, but that life is simply fuller.

Outside support drops off.
Culturally, we tend to assume that second-time moms have it figured out. Many moms I work with feel that family, friends, and even providers offer less support the second time around, even though their emotional needs may actually be greater.

Self-care shifts into survival mode.
Between exhaustion, a heavier mental load, and juggling multiple roles, self-care often becomes a just-get-through-the-day kind of thing.

All of these realities make emotional support (not just logistical support) so important. Second-time moms deserve space to process, feel, and be cared for. That’s where therapeutic, creative support can make such a difference. Working with someone who understands the emotional landscape of pregnancy and postpartum, like a postpartum therapist in Denver, can help you navigate this transformative time.

Why Traditional Preparation Isn’t Enough

Most prenatal care focuses on physical check-ins, logistical planning, and learning newborn care. And while those things matter, they often leave out the deeper layers parents actually need support with, such as:

• Emotional preparation

• Nervous system regulation

• Trauma history support

• Mental health history

• Identity shifts

• Relational and societal pressures

When these pieces are overlooked, something important gets missed. If providers aren’t asking about mental health history, trauma, or how a mother is preparing emotionally for postpartum, we end up with what so many moms describe after birth: feeling overwhelmed, unsupported, and unsure of how to navigate the massive shifts happening inside them.

The Prevalence of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADS)

This is part of why perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are so common—because the system isn’t truly caring for them, not because moms are failing themselves.

Through my work, I’ve seen just how many women don’t know what their choices or options are when it comes to healthcare. And honestly, that’s one of the biggest gaps in Western maternal care: mothers aren’t informed, supported, or invited into their own power.

A More Holistic Approach to Pregnancy & Postpartum Preparation

A colleague and I run the Pregnancy Support Circle here in Denver, a space created to offer education, emotional support, and a more holistic way to prepare for postpartum. We designed this group because, as moms ourselves, we deeply felt the gap between outdated medical narratives and what parents actually need. We wanted moms to enter postpartum feeling informed, empowered, and held by community, not left to figure it out alone.

A Whole-Person Approach

In Pregnancy Support Circle, we weave together mindfulness, body-based tools, expressive arts, trauma-informed guidance, and supportive community. Together, these practices help expectant moms regulate their nervous systems, reconnect with their intuitive wisdom, and prepare not just for birth, but for the profound transition that follows. It’s a whole-person approach: mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual support. Because motherhood touches every layer of who you are.

If you’re expecting, I encourage you to look for similar groups or therapeutic support from a perinatal therapist in your area. You deserve to feel supported, grounded, and guided as you move through this rite of passage into motherhood.

A Movement Toward More Empowered Motherhood

We are slowly starting to recognize motherhood as a profound transformation, but too many moms still move through pregnancy and postpartum without the support they truly need. Shifting the cultural narrative means centering what mothers have always deserved: community, emotional and identity preparation, space to slow down, trauma-informed care, and the freedom to follow their intuition and make informed choices.

Reclaiming Pregnancy & Postpartum Care

You deserve to reclaim pregnancy and postpartum a season of connection and deep self-trust. You deserve support that honors your whole self: mind, body, and spirit. If you’re seeking a more empowered experience, holistic and emotional support can make all the difference.

In my work, I help bridge this gap through creative practices, steady emotional support, and guidance that helps moms reconnect with their inner wisdom as they navigate this life-changing transition.

If you feel called, you’re warmly invited to:

• Join the Pregnancy Support Circle

• Explore counseling with a postpartum therapist in Denver

You don’t have to walk this path alone, Mama. Let’s walk this path together.