What Are Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders?
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, commonly referred to as PMADs, are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth. They include postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, postpartum rage, perinatal anxiety, and birth-related trauma. They can begin during pregnancy or anytime in the first year after delivery, and they affect both mothers and non-birthing parents.
PMADs are not a sign of weakness or bad parenting. They are a clinical condition, driven by hormonal shifts, sleep deprivation, identity changes, and a nervous system under significant strain. They are also highly treatable, particularly when the therapist understands the specific presentation and does not simply apply a generic anxiety or depression framework to what is a distinct clinical picture.
If you are pregnant or postpartum and something feels off, that is enough reason to reach out. You do not need to be in crisis to deserve support.
How Erin Approaches Perinatal Mental Health at Nido Waco
Erin McGinty Fort, MS, MHA, LPC-S, CEDS-S, completed advanced training in perinatal mood disorders in 2019, the same year she became a mother. That combination of clinical training and lived experience informs how she works with perinatal clients in a way that is difficult to replicate from textbooks alone.
Erin treats the full spectrum of PMADs: postpartum depression, perinatal and postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, and birth trauma. She is particularly well-suited to clients whose presentation involves intrusive thoughts or compulsive checking behaviors, where the overlap between postpartum OCD and general postpartum anxiety requires a therapist who understands both and can distinguish between them clinically.
Treatment draws on CBT, ERP (where OCD features are present), IFS, and DBT, tailored to where you are in the perinatal period and what you are actually experiencing, not a one-size-fits-all postpartum protocol.
You Are Not a Bad Parent for Having These Thoughts
One of the most isolating parts of perinatal mood disorders is that the thoughts and feelings involved often feel shameful to disclose. Intrusive thoughts about harming the baby, overwhelming rage, feeling detached from your child, or simply not feeling the joy you expected: these are symptoms, not character flaws.
Erin works with parents who are terrified to say out loud what they are actually experiencing. That is precisely the conversation her work is built around. Nothing you bring to a session will be met with judgment.
What to Expect from Perinatal Therapy at Nido Waco
Initial Assessment
Treatment
Coordination
Frequently Asked Questions about Perinatal Mental Health Therapy
Many perinatal mood disorders overlap and present differently in different people. Postpartum depression does not always look like sadness; it can look like numbness, rage, or disconnection. Postpartum anxiety can look like constant worry, physical symptoms, or intrusive thoughts. The assessment will help clarify what is going on and what approach fits best.
Yes. Perinatal therapy covers the full perinatal period, including pregnancy. Starting before delivery can be especially helpful if you have a history of anxiety, OCD, or depression, or if a previous postpartum experience was difficult.
No. PMADs can persist well beyond the first year, and many people do not seek help until later. If you are still struggling, that is not unusual and it is not too late for treatment to help.
Nido Waco is in-network with UnitedHealthcare (Optum) and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. For all other plans, Nido Waco is a private pay practice. Erin can provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement if applicable.
Yes. Postpartum mood disorders affect non-birthing partners as well. If your partner's experience after the birth of your child is affecting you, or if you are experiencing your own postpartum symptoms, Erin works with all parents in the perinatal period.
You Do Not Have to Feel This Way
If you are pregnant or postpartum and something does not feel right, the right support is available.
Nido Waco Counseling & Consulting
1615 Wooded Acres Dr, Suite CWaco, TX
76710-2863 View Staff & Treatments
