Mental Health Support
Mental Health Resources
Trusted mental health resources for pregnancy, postpartum, and motherhood – because emotional well-being matters just as much as physical recovery.
Whether you need immediate help, professional support, or simply a place to start, you deserve support that takes you seriously.
You don’t have to wait until you’re in crisis to ask for support.
Start where you are. Support is for hard days, not only emergencies.
FIND THE RIGHT KIND OF HELP
What kind of mental health support do you need?
Different moments call for different kinds of support.
Start with what feels closest to what you need right now.
Immediate Help
Crisis support, urgent mental health help, and guidance for situations that need attention right away.
Find immediate help →Professional Support
Therapists, perinatal mental health specialists, providers, and directories that can help you find ongoing care.
Find professional support →Peer & Community Support
Support groups, peer connection, and spaces where you can talk with people who understand what this season can feel like.
Find peer support →WHEN YOU NEED HELP NOW
Immediate mental health support
If you feel like you may hurt yourself or someone else, you are experiencing a mental health emergency, or something feels seriously wrong, reach out for immediate support.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
If you are in emotional distress, experiencing a mental health crisis, or need someone to talk to, trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day.
Call or text: 988
Visit the 988 Lifeline →National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
Free, confidential support for pregnant women, mothers, and families before, during, and after pregnancy. Professional counselors are available 24/7.
Call or text: 1-833-TLC-MAMA
(1-833-852-6262)
If there is immediate danger
Severe confusion, hallucinations, delusions, extreme agitation, or behavior that creates an immediate safety concern can require emergency medical care.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
If possible, stay with the person and make sure the baby and others are somewhere safe while help is being arranged.
FIND ONGOING SUPPORT
Professional mental health support
You do not need to know exactly what kind of help you need before reaching out. A therapist, perinatal mental health specialist, or healthcare provider can help you talk through what you are experiencing and decide what support makes sense next.
Find a perinatal mental health provider
Postpartum Support International’s provider directory can help you find therapists, psychiatrists, medical providers, clinics, and support groups with training in perinatal mental health.
Search the PSI Provider Directory →Look for specialized training
The PMH-C credential identifies professionals who have completed specialized education and certification in perinatal mental health. PSI maintains a searchable list of current credential holders.
Find a PMH-C provider →Start with a provider you already know
Your OB-GYN, midwife, primary care provider, or another trusted healthcare professional can also be a good place to begin. You can tell them what has been feeling difficult and ask for help finding appropriate mental health support.
You do not have to wait for a scheduled postpartum visit to bring up how you are feeling.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THIS ALONE
Peer & community support
Sometimes what helps most is talking with someone who understands the season you are in. Peer support can offer connection, perspective, and a place to say the things that may be hard to explain anywhere else.
Join a virtual support group
Postpartum Support International offers free virtual groups for pregnancy, postpartum, parenting, loss, and a range of specific experiences. Groups are led by trained facilitators and are designed to be supportive and judgment-free.
Explore PSI support groups →Find support in your area
PSI also connects families with local and regional resources. This can be a helpful place to look for community groups, nearby support, and organizations serving parents where you live.
Find local support →Connect with someone who has been there
Through Connect by PSI, parents can access peer mentors, support groups, trusted resources, and other ways to connect with people who understand perinatal mental health challenges.
Learn about Connect by PSI →TRUSTED INFORMATION
Understanding maternal mental health
Maternal mental health includes much more than a diagnosis. Pregnancy, postpartum recovery, sleep disruption, changing relationships, hormones, caregiving, and the everyday demands of motherhood can all affect how you feel. These trusted resources can help you understand what is common, what may need additional support, and when to talk with a healthcare professional.
Mental Health During & After Pregnancy
A broad introduction from ACOG to emotional and mental health changes during pregnancy and postpartum, including when additional support may be helpful.
Explore ACOG’s guidance →When Something Doesn’t Feel Right
CDC’s Hear Her campaign encourages mothers to speak up about physical or emotional changes that feel unusual, concerning, or difficult to manage.
Explore CDC Hear Her →Understanding Perinatal Depression
For mothers who want more information about depression during pregnancy or postpartum, NIMH explains symptoms, risk factors, treatment, and how to find help.
Read the NIMH guide →Perinatal Mental Health Resources
ACOG provides additional evidence-based information about perinatal mental health conditions, screening, treatment, and support during pregnancy and the postpartum year.
Explore ACOG resources →FROM BOOBS FOR BABIES
Understanding the emotional side of motherhood
Not every hard day means something is wrong. Motherhood can be mentally, physically, and emotionally demanding even when you are doing well. These articles explore some of the experiences that can feel overwhelming – and when extra support may help.
READ NOW
When Motherhood Feels Like Too Much
Mental load, noise, constant interruptions, being touched out, lack of sleep, and hormones can all add up. This article looks at why motherhood can sometimes feel like too much – and practical ways to make the load a little lighter.
Read the article →COMING SOON
Maternal Mental Health: What Every Mother Should Know
A clear, evidence-based guide to maternal mental health, common conditions, warning signs, treatment, and where to find help.
COMING SOON
When Motherhood Doesn’t Feel the Way You Expected
An honest look at the gap between what motherhood is supposed to feel like and what it can actually feel like for the woman living it.
You do not have to wait until things feel unbearable to ask for support.
Mental health support is not only for emergencies. You are allowed to reach out because you are overwhelmed, exhausted, anxious, struggling, or simply not feeling like yourself.