Should I go back to work?

That's not a question therapy answers for you, but it's exactly the kind of question therapy helps you answer. The work involves separating what you actually want from what you think you're supposed to want, looking at the realities of money, childcare, and your partner, and making a decision you can stand behind.

I have postpartum depression and I think work is making it worse. What do I do?

That's a clinical question worth taking seriously. Sometimes the work environment is genuinely toxic for someone in a depression flare. Sometimes work is a stabilizer. A perinatal therapist can help you tell the difference and figure out what kind of accommodation or change is needed.

I left my career and I'm more depressed than I've ever been. Did I make the wrong choice?

Not necessarily. Many people experience grief and identity disruption after leaving a career, even when the choice was right for the family. Therapy can help you process the loss without locking you into reversing the decision, and sometimes it leads to discovering that something needs to change.

My partner and I keep fighting about whose career takes the hit. Can therapy help?

Yes. This is one of the most common couples' fights in the parenting years, and it usually requires structured conversation rather than reactive arguments. Individual therapy or couples work, often both, can move it.

Can I get therapy online if I live in Arizona?

Yes. Phoenix Health provides telehealth therapy to residents of Arizona. Sessions are conducted via secure video from your home, office, or anywhere private — no commute required. All Phoenix Health therapists are licensed and authorized to practice in Arizona.

What is a PMH-C certification?

PMH-C (Perinatal Mental Health Certification) is awarded by Postpartum Support International (PSI) to clinicians who have completed advanced training in perinatal mental health — covering postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, birth trauma, and related conditions. It represents the gold standard of specialization in this field.

How do I know if I need therapy?

If you're struggling — with your mood, your thoughts, your relationship, or just how you're coping — that's enough of a reason to talk to someone. You don't need a diagnosis. A free consultation is a low-commitment first step.

💼Career & Motherhood

You don't have to choose between who you are and who you became.

Therapists in Arizona

"Going back to work broke my heart. Staying home broke my identity. There's no winning."

✓See a specialist this week✓PMH-C Certified Therapists✓Telehealth · see anyone from home✓In-network in Arizona

In network with

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No commitment. We'll confirm your coverage before your first session.

You might benefit from therapy if…

✓You're returning to work and the grief is bigger than you expected
✓You're a stay-at-home parent and you're losing your sense of self
✓You're going part-time and you feel like you're failing at both ends
✓Your career trajectory has changed and you're grieving the version that didn't happen
✓You're considering leaving your career and you can't tell if it's the right call or burnout talking
✓Your relationship has shifted around career decisions and there's tension underneath it

Dr. Emily Guarnotta

Psychologist & Founder

From our founder
Almost every working mother I see has carried the same quiet grief: that nobody warned her how impossible the choices would feel. There's no version of this that doesn't cost something. The work is being clear-eyed about the costs and choosing the version you can actually live with, instead of the one you think you're supposed to want.

What therapy looks like

Therapy for career and motherhood is often a blend of identity work, decision-making support, grief work, and relationship work. Many Phoenix Health therapists hold PMH-C certification and explicitly work with the career-and-motherhood intersection, which means they understand the specific pressures of parental leave policies, the workplace, the cost of childcare, and the cultural double-binds. Early sessions tend to focus on getting clear on what's actually happening: what decisions are in front of you, what your values are, where the grief is, and what your partner and family system actually look like. From there the work might involve clarifying what you want regardless of what you can have, mourning the paths that aren't open, and building practical structures that protect your identity and your health. This kind of work is often less time-limited than symptom-focused therapy. Many clients work for 6 to 12 months, sometimes longer, because the questions evolve as the kids grow and as careers change.

Your therapist

Most Phoenix Health therapists hold PMH-C certification — the gold standard in perinatal mental health.

Sailys Concepcion
LMHC, LPC, LPCC, PMH-C
Sailys is a bilingual therapist who helps parents navigate the emotional journey of pregnancy, postpartum, infertility, and loss across California, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Washington, and Louisiana.
Licensed in CA, LA, WA, AZ, GA, FL

Career & Motherhood in Arizona — browse by city

Phoenix →Tucson →Mesa →Chandler →

Real clients. Real relief.

What our clients say about their experience.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“"I kept trying to be fully present at work and fully present at home and I was doing neither well. I was in a meeting thinking about pickup and at pickup thinking about the presentation. My therapist helped me figure out what I was actually trying to prove and who I was trying to prove it to. Most of it was myself."”

— working mom of 2

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“"I was good at my job before I had my son and when I came back I felt like a different person wearing my old clothes. I couldn't hold a thought for more than thirty seconds. My confidence was gone. My therapist helped me understand that the cognitive load of new parenthood is real, and that I wasn't suddenly bad at what I'd spent fifteen years building."”

— mom returning to work

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“"Going back to work at twelve weeks felt like choosing something that wanted me over something that needed me. I cried in the parking lot for the first month. My therapist helped me stop framing it as abandonment and start seeing it as modeling something for my daughter. That didn't make it easy. It made it survivable."”

— working mom

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I went back to work at 12 weeks and cried in the parking lot for a month. My therapist helped me figure out what actually needed to change and what was just the grief of the transition. I stayed in the job, but on different terms. It was the right call.”

— Olivia, working mom of one

Expert care.
Covered in Arizona.

✓Aetna (incl. CVS Health, First Health, & Meritain)
✓BCBS (incl. Anthem, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, & state plans)
✓Cigna / Evernorth
✓United Healthcare (UHC) / Optum (incl. UBH, UMR, Surest, Oscar, & Oxford)

Most clients pay less than $20 per session.

Accepted Insurance Networks

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Mental health parity in Arizona

Arizona follows the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), which requires insurers to cover mental health services at the same level as physical health care — the same copays, the same deductible treatment, no additional visit limits. Arizona also enforces parity for Medicaid (AHCCCS) behavioral health services. If your insurer denies a mental health claim that would have been covered for a comparable medical service, you have the right to appeal and to request the clinical criteria used in the decision.

Crisis support: Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741

Ready to start Career & Motherhood therapy? Here’s how it works.

The whole process takes about 5 minutes. We handle insurance — you just show up.

1
Book your free call
A quick 15-minute chat to hear what you're going through, answer your questions, and make sure we're a great fit for your needs. No cost, no commitment.
2
Get matched
We'll pair you with the right specialist for your specific situation. We'll also check your insurance, so you know your exact cost per session before moving forward.
3
Start your first session
Meet your therapist from the comfort of home. No commute, no waiting rooms, no judgment. Most clients notice a real difference within just 2 to 3 sessions.

No commitment · Most insurance accepted · Available this week

Common questions

That's not a question therapy answers for you, but it's exactly the kind of question therapy helps you answer. The work involves separating what you actually want from what you think you're supposed to want, looking at the realities of money, childcare, and your partner, and making a decision you can stand behind.
That's a clinical question worth taking seriously. Sometimes the work environment is genuinely toxic for someone in a depression flare. Sometimes work is a stabilizer. A perinatal therapist can help you tell the difference and figure out what kind of accommodation or change is needed.
Not necessarily. Many people experience grief and identity disruption after leaving a career, even when the choice was right for the family. Therapy can help you process the loss without locking you into reversing the decision, and sometimes it leads to discovering that something needs to change.
Yes. This is one of the most common couples' fights in the parenting years, and it usually requires structured conversation rather than reactive arguments. Individual therapy or couples work, often both, can move it.
Yes. Phoenix Health provides telehealth therapy to residents of Arizona. Sessions are conducted via secure video from your home, office, or anywhere private — no commute required. All Phoenix Health therapists are licensed and authorized to practice in Arizona.
PMH-C (Perinatal Mental Health Certification) is awarded by Postpartum Support International (PSI) to clinicians who have completed advanced training in perinatal mental health — covering postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, birth trauma, and related conditions. It represents the gold standard of specialization in this field.
If you're struggling — with your mood, your thoughts, your relationship, or just how you're coping — that's enough of a reason to talk to someone. You don't need a diagnosis. A free consultation is a low-commitment first step.

From the Phoenix Health resource center

Articles and guides about career & motherhood

From 'My Money' to 'Our Money': How to Manage Financial Anxiety as New Parents

Having a baby is one of the most significant financial events of your life. Between the new expenses, a potential drop in income during parental leave, and the long-term cost of raising a child, money can become a source of intense and persistent stress. This financial anxiety is a powerful, yet oft…

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Therapy Options for Working Mother Stress

Working mother stress isn't one thing, which means therapy for it isn't one thing either. Here's how to match your specific situation to the type of support that will actually help.

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Why Returning to Work After Having a Baby Feels So Hard

Returning to work after maternity leave involves more than logistics. The grief, the identity split, and the internal criticism you're dealing with are real — and they deserve to be named.

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