Navigating Postpartum Depression During the Holiday Season: Support from Megan Wen, LMSW, PMH-C
The holiday season is meant to be a time of joy and celebration, but for new mothers coping with postpartum depression (PPD), it can feel overwhelming and isolating. If you’re struggling with feelings of sadness, anxiety, or guilt as a new mom during the holidays, you’re not alone—and help is available.
The holiday season is meant to be a time of joy and celebration, but for new mothers coping with postpartum depression (PPD), it can feel overwhelming and isolating. If you’re struggling with feelings of sadness, anxiety, or guilt as a new mom during the holidays, you’re not alone—and help is available.
In this blog, we’ll explore how PPD can feel intensified during the holiday season and provide actionable tips for navigating this time. Plus, discover how Megan Wen, LMSW, PMH-C, a licensed therapist specializing in perinatal mental health, can provide the expert support you need.
What Is Postpartum Depression?
Postpartum depression affects roughly 1 in 7 new mothers, manifesting as persistent sadness, anxiety, irritability, and feelings of hopelessness. Unlike the “baby blues,” which resolve within a few weeks, PPD can linger for months, affecting your ability to enjoy motherhood and daily life.
During the holidays, these feelings can become even more pronounced due to:
Heightened Expectations: The pressure to create a “perfect” holiday can feel overwhelming.
Social Obligations: Family gatherings and social events may feel draining or anxiety-inducing.
Disrupted Routines: Holiday schedules can interfere with your baby’s sleep patterns and your ability to rest.
Emotional Reflection: The contrast between societal cheer and personal struggles can intensify feelings of inadequacy or guilt.
How to Manage Postpartum Depression During the Holidays
1. Set Realistic Goals: Forget perfection; focus on small, meaningful moments that matter to you and your baby.
2. Prioritize Rest: Sleep deprivation can worsen PPD. Stick to a routine and seek help when needed to prioritize rest.
3. Establish Boundaries: It’s okay to say no to events or traditions that feel overwhelming. Your mental health comes first.
4. Seek Support: Talk openly with your partner, trusted loved ones, or a therapist about what you’re experiencing.
5. Connect with a Professional: A mental health professional specializing in postpartum care can help you develop effective coping strategies.
Meet Megan Wen, LMSW, PMH-C
If you’re feeling overwhelmed this holiday season, Megan Wen, LMSW, PMH-C, is here to support you. As a licensed social worker and certified perinatal mental health specialist, Megan is dedicated to helping mothers navigate the unique challenges of postpartum depression with empathy and expertise.
Megan offers personalized care tailored to your needs, including practical tools to manage stress, improve your emotional well-being, and embrace the joys of motherhood—even during difficult times.
Why Choose Megan Wen?
Specialized Expertise: Megan is certified in perinatal mental health, providing a deep understanding of the challenges faced by new moms.
Compassionate Approach: Her empathetic, nonjudgmental style creates a safe space for you to share and heal.
Actionable Strategies: Megan focuses on empowering you with practical tools to manage your mental health and thrive as a mother.
Take the First Step Toward Healing
Postpartum depression is challenging, but it’s treatable. With the right support, you can regain a sense of balance, confidence, and joy.
Visit Megan Wen, LMSW, PMH-C to learn more about her services or schedule an appointment. Don’t let postpartum depression define your holiday season—let Megan help you create a path toward peace and well-being.
Make this holiday season about giving yourself the gift of care and compassion. Reach out to Megan Wen today. You deserve to feel supported, understood, and empowered in your motherhood journey.
New Moms Support Group
Motherhood is a life-changing journey, but it can also come with unexpected challenges. If you’re struggling with postpartum depression or other perinatal mental health concerns, you’re not alone. Megan Wen, a compassionate professional with advanced training in trauma-informed care and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is here to help you navigate this transition with understanding and support.
This support group offers a safe and welcoming space where moms can share their experiences, find encouragement, and build connections with others who truly understand. Research shows that support groups can reduce feelings of isolation, improve mood, and promote resilience in managing postpartum challenges.
We understand how difficult it can be to find time for yourself as a mom. That’s why this group is designed with flexibility in mind. Moms are welcome to bring their babies, so you don’t have to choose between getting support and caring for your little one. Whether you need to nurse, soothe, or simply hold your baby during the session, you’re encouraged to do whatever works best for you to participate meaningfully.
Together, we’ll explore ways to manage the emotional, physical, and social changes of motherhood while celebrating small victories and building confidence. Join us to find the strength, understanding, and connection you need during this transformative time.
Take the first step toward feeling better—you deserve it.
Sign up today and begin your journey to a more supported motherhood.
The Art of Letting Go
In the face of perfectionism, art therapy can serve as a powerful antidote. Art therapy fosters mindfulness, openness, expression, and acceptance of mistakes, all of which are lost in the abyss of perfectionistic thinking. The integration of art in the counseling space is a relatively new implementation, but the benefits have already been shown to be remarkable.
The Benefits of Art Therapy for Perfectionists
Written by Kylie DeWard
Young adults are reporting significantly higher scores for perfectionism now than they were in previous generations, according to the American Psychological Association. Young adults aren’t the only ones struggling, though. It seems that everywhere, particularly in the media, there is an unspoken message whispering to us, “None of this is good enough, and neither are you!”
In the face of perfectionism, art therapy can serve as a powerful antidote. Art therapy fosters mindfulness, openness, expression, and acceptance of mistakes, all of which are lost in the abyss of perfectionistic thinking. The integration of art in the counseling space is a relatively new implementation, but the benefits have already been shown to be remarkable.
Understanding Perfectionism
Perfectionism is the relentless desire for everything to be correct and flawless. This can manifest in a variety of ways, and differently for each age group.
For adults, perfectionism can look like:
Avoiding tasks that need to get done
Being hypercritical of others
Having acute awareness of how things could go wrong
Feeling apathetic towards achievements
Making a mistake triggers intense shame
For teenagers, perfectionism can look like:
All-or-nothing thinking
Defensiveness/sensitivity to criticism
Often bringing up past failures in conversation
Self-consciousness
Difficulty making decisions / General procrastination
For kids, perfectionism can look like:
Difficulty getting started with a task, an activity, or play (task paralysis)
Big meltdowns after receiving correction
Extreme frustration after setbacks or mistakes
Negative self-talk (“I am bad”)
Vocally critical of others
The growth of social media offers no comfort to these feelings. Societal pressures and expectations only seem to grow continually, which makes the increase of perfectionism in recent years no surprise.
How Art Therapy Heals
Did you know Jackson Pollock’s famous drip paintings were created thanks to an accident? Accidents happen all the time during artistic creation, and that is the beauty of art therapy! Art therapy has been shown to offer healing to perfectionistic thinking. In a safe environment, like those created in a counseling space, art can show us how to adapt and make the most of our mistakes. Rather than seeing an error as a reason to quit, shut down, or belittle ourselves, art shows us that mistakes can actually lead to beautiful masterpieces!
Counselors who utilize art therapy may ask you to express and explore through something like a drawing, a painting, or building blocks. You would be surprised how much insight you and a counselor can gain from observing how you create! This unique form of expression paired with the freedom of creativity restores feelings of control, self-understanding, and self-esteem. It is a beautiful process!
What We Do at 616 Counseling
In a world of growing perfectionism, it is important for counselors to keep up with best practices to properly aid those struggling. At 616 Counseling, we not only provide art therapy services, but we have an entire room of our office dedicated to art and play therapy for limitless opportunities for expression. From an indoor sandbox to countless drawing, painting, and doodling tools, to sensory toys, to fidgets and Legos… we offer countless ways to engage in art and play therapy, so you can decide what works best for you.
If you think you, your child, or a loved one would benefit from this style of counseling, we highly recommend reaching out for support through our website.