Anxiety doesn't care that this is supposed to be a happy time.
Therapists in San Francisco, California
"The anxiety started during pregnancy and hasn't gone away."
+9 moreNo commitment. We'll confirm your coverage before your first session.
Virtual therapy for San Francisco families
You're back at standup eight weeks postpartum, smiling on Zoom while your stitches still hurt. You've been told the right things about leave and balance, but the unspoken expectation is that high-performing people in this city handle this. Postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety do not care how senior you are. New parents across the Mission, the Castro, SOMA, the Sunset, the Richmond, and the Haight describe the same quiet pattern: the city makes it easy to be productive and hard to be vulnerable. Add in rent that makes one income unworkable, parental-leave policies that vary wildly by employer, and a partner whose company expects them back fast, and the postpartum window can feel less like recovery and more like a sprint you're losing. Phoenix Health therapists hold PMH-C certification, the specialty credential in perinatal mental health, and see Bay Area clients entirely by secure video. Sessions fit between meetings, during a nap, or before bedtime. Our clinicians specialize in postpartum depression, perinatal anxiety, birth trauma, and the specific kind of identity shift that high-achieving parents rarely have language for. Asking for help right now is the most productive thing on your list.
San Francisco neighborhoods: the Mission · the Castro · SOMA · the Sunset · the Richmond · the Haight
You might benefit from therapy if…
- ✓Anxiety started in pregnancy and hasn't lifted since
- ✓You have panic attacks, often at night or first thing in the morning
- ✓You're hyper-aware of every physical sensation, your baby's movements, your own breathing
- ✓You can't enjoy good moments because you're bracing for what comes next
- ✓You're sleep-deprived but also wired, and rest feels impossible
- ✓You're managing it alone because you don't want to worry your partner
Dr. Emily Guarnotta
Psychologist & Founder
From our founder
I see anxiety this severe and I want to say the obvious first: this is not your personality. Pregnancy and the postpartum period change your brain chemistry, your sleep, and your sense of identity all at once. Of course something is going to react. The work is figuring out which lever to pull, and that's what a perinatal specialist does well.
What therapy looks like
Our Perinatal Anxiety specialists in San Francisco, California
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
Analisa Velasco-Lopez
LCSW
Analisa is a bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California who offers a holistic and trauma-informed approach to supporting parents through every stage of their family-building journey.
Licensed in CA
Nadine Mejia
LCSW, PMH-C
Nadine is a licensed clinical social worker who helps parents navigate postpartum depression, grief, and major life transitions in California, South Carolina, and Florida.
Licensed in CA, SC, FL
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Natalia Cruz Navarro
LCSW
Natalia Cruz Navarro is a bilingual therapist who supports parents through pregnancy loss, birth trauma, and postpartum mental health challenges in California.
Licensed in CA
Real clients. Real relief.
What our clients say about their experience.
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“"I couldn't sleep during pregnancy and everyone said just wait until the baby comes. But the insomnia wasn't tiredness, it was my mind refusing to let go. I'd lie there cataloging every possible thing that could go wrong. My therapist gave me real tools for a racing brain and taught me the difference between preparation and catastrophizing."”
— high-risk pregnancy
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“"The anxiety started before I even got a positive test. By twenty weeks I had a list of symptoms I was tracking daily and a second opinion scheduled for every scan. My therapist helped me understand that anxiety in pregnancy isn't overcaution, it's a pattern my brain learned. Once I understood it, I could work with it instead of just fighting it."”
— expecting mom
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“"I spent most of my pregnancy convinced something was wrong. Every appointment felt like a countdown to bad news. Therapy helped me actually enjoy the last two months."”
— first-time mom
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“I had panic attacks every morning during my second pregnancy. I thought I had to white-knuckle through it. My therapist taught me how to interrupt the cycle in my body before it got loud. By the third trimester I was sleeping again.”
— Diana, 32 weeks pregnant
Expert care.
Covered in California.
- ✓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)
- ✓Magellan Healthcare
Most clients pay less than $20 per session.
Accepted Insurance Networks
Ready to start Perinatal Anxiety 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
- Many anxiety medications, particularly certain SSRIs, are considered first-line options and are used during pregnancy and breastfeeding when the clinical picture calls for it. The decision should be made with a prescriber who knows perinatal psychiatry. Your therapist can help you think it through and coordinate care, and untreated severe anxiety also carries risks worth weighing.
- Yes, very much so. Health-focused anxiety is one of the most common forms in this phase, and it responds well to therapy that focuses on learning to live with uncertainty rather than trying to resolve it. ACT is often especially helpful here.
- For some people it's an old anxiety that flared in a new context. For others it's a first episode triggered by hormonal, identity, and sleep changes. Either way, perinatal anxiety has specific patterns and triggers that a generalist may miss, which is why working with a perinatal-trained therapist tends to be faster and more effective.
- Chronic untreated anxiety can affect both you and the baby, which is why getting support matters. But the anxiety you're feeling right now is not damaging your baby. What's most protective is getting treatment, which is exactly what you're doing by looking for it.
- Yes. Phoenix Health provides telehealth therapy to residents of California. 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 California.
- 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 perinatal anxiety
Trusted by leading voices in parenting and mental health
OBs, doulas, and pediatricians refer their patients to us because we specialize in maternal mental health.
The sooner you start,
the sooner you'll
feel like yourself again.
You've been surviving. It's time to start healing.
No commitment · Covered by insurance · Available this week
Learning resources
🌊Read our Perinatal Anxiety guides →Often goes alongside