Sad, empty, or hopeless most days
Or numb, which can be worse. You’re going through the motions but feel disconnected from your own life.
Postpartum depression · Austin & online in 40+ states
Postpartum
depression support.
You imagined feeling joy. Instead you feel nothing, or dread, and you’re watching someone else’s life from the inside.
Getting through the day takes everything you have. You look at your baby and wonder why this doesn’t feel the way everyone said it would. This is not your fault, it is not who you are, and it is one of the most treatable things I see. I’m a perinatal psychologist and a mom, and I’d like to help.
A 15-minute call with me, Dr. Jana Rundle.
This is for you if
Symptoms,
not character flaws.
Postpartum depression affects about one in seven new moms. It’s driven by hormonal shifts, sleep loss, and the enormity of becoming a mom, not by how much you love your baby or how badly you wanted this. If it’s lasted more than two weeks, please don’t wait.
Struggling to feel connected to your baby
You take care of her perfectly well and feel nothing much when you look at her. Then you feel terrible about that.
Can’t sleep even when the baby sleeps
Exhausted and wired at the same time. Lying awake while everyone else in the house is out.
Consumed by guilt, or irritable at everyone
You snap at your partner, your older kid, yourself. Underneath the irritation is the belief that you’re getting all of this wrong.
If this sounds like you, you don’t need to be sure what it is. A 15-minute conversation is the next step.
Book a free consultationRelief first
What we’d actually work on.
Therapy for postpartum depression with me isn’t analyzing your childhood or talking in circles. It’s about getting you real relief, starting now, and then rebuilding. Depending on what’s going on for you, we might work on:
Saying it out loud
“This is hard” and “I’m not okay,” without guilt. Most moms have never said either sentence to anyone before they say it to me.
Challenging the dark thoughts
The ones that say you’re a bad mom, that she’d be better off without you, that you’ll never feel like yourself again. They are symptoms, and they lie.
Rebuilding connection
With your baby, your partner, and yourself, at a pace that doesn’t feel forced. Bonding is a process, and it can start late.
Building a support system that actually supports
Figuring out what you need, learning to ask for it specifically, and letting go of the idea that you should be able to do this alone.
The strain on your relationship
Depression changes the dynamic with your partner. It needs attention too, and often he needs help understanding what this is.
Medication, if it would help
I don’t prescribe, but I coordinate with your OB or a psychiatrist when therapy alone isn’t enough. Many moms do best with both.
Working with me
Not the textbook version. The real one.
I’m Perinatal Mental Health Certified, with specialized training in postpartum mood disorders. I understand the hormonal and biological side of this, and I understand the lived side: trying to function while your brain chemistry works against you, with a newborn who needs you anyway.
You can see me in person at my Austin office with your baby along, or by video during a nap. Either way, this is a place you don’t have to perform.
- 01
A 15-minute call
You tell me what’s going on; I tell you honestly whether I’m the right fit. If you need something more urgent than therapy, I’ll say so.
- 02
A plan built for relief
Weekly for the first 8 to 12 weeks, when the momentum builds, then every other week or monthly.
- 03
Check what’s working
We set what “better” looks like in your words and keep checking it, so a bad day doesn’t get mistaken for a failed plan.
Related
If one of these is closer.
Postpartum depression rarely travels alone. If the worry is louder than the sadness, or if this is less about mood and more about being spent, one of these may fit better. You don’t have to choose before you call.
A few practical details
Before you reach out.
In person at my Austin office.
Online in 40+ states.
How do I know if it’s postpartum depression or the baby blues?
The baby blues start a few days after birth and lift on their own within about two weeks: weepy, moody, overwhelmed, but still yourself underneath. If you’re past two weeks and it hasn’t lifted, it’s getting heavier, or it started later in the first year, that’s depression. It does not reliably go away on its own, and you don’t have to be sure before you call.
Can I bring my baby to sessions?
Yes, please. There are babies in my office most weeks, and they are the highlight of my day. Feed, rock, change; none of it derails anything. On video, a baby on your lap is completely normal.
What if I’m having thoughts of harming myself or my baby?
If you’re afraid you might act on them, or you can’t keep yourself or your baby safe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room now; don’t wait for an appointment. Call or text 988 for crisis support. If the thoughts frighten you but you know you won’t act on them, that is very common in postpartum depression and anxiety, and it is something we treat. Telling me about them gets you help, not trouble.
How long does treatment take?
Most moms notice real change within the first several weeks, and I usually tell people they feel like themselves again around the third month. We meet weekly for the first 8 to 12 weeks, then taper. Untreated, postpartum depression can hang on for a year or more, which is the strongest reason not to wait it out.
Will I have to take medication?
Not necessarily. Mild to moderate postpartum depression often responds to therapy alone. For moderate to severe symptoms, medication alongside therapy tends to work best. I don’t prescribe, but I coordinate closely with your OB or a psychiatric prescriber, and the decision is always yours.
Can I breastfeed while being treated for postpartum depression?
Yes. Therapy has no effect on breastfeeding at all. If medication is part of your plan, many options have been studied carefully in nursing moms; your prescriber will weigh that with you. Whether to continue, change, or stop breastfeeding is your decision.
Do you coordinate with my OB or pediatrician?
With your permission, yes. That matters most when medication is involved or when there are concerns about your or your baby’s wellbeing. You sign a release that says exactly what can be shared.
Will it come back if I have another baby?
Having had postpartum depression once raises the odds of having it again, which is exactly why planning the next pregnancy early makes such a difference. I work with moms during pregnancy to put a plan and support in place before the baby comes, so if it does return, we catch it in days rather than months.
What if my partner thinks I’m just tired or need to try harder?
Postpartum depression is a medical condition, not a willpower problem. Your partner’s understanding isn’t required for you to get help, and partners often come around once they see the change. If it helps, I wrote a post for partners about what postpartum really looks like that many moms forward.
Does insurance cover this?
I’m an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of the session and I give you a monthly superbill to submit to your insurance; many PPO plans reimburse a portion. Current fees are on the fees and insurance page, and the first 15-minute consultation is free.
Your next step
You don’t have to wait until it’s worse.
A free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Jana Rundle. Babies welcome.