You love your baby. So why do you feel so lost?
Therapists in Bloomington, Minnesota
"I love my baby but I feel nothing. I cry all the time and I don't know why."
Up to 1 in 5 mothers experience postpartum depression — the most common complication of childbirth.
+9 moreNo commitment. We'll confirm your coverage before your first session.
Virtual therapy for Bloomington families
The twelve-week mark arrives and the calendar invitation for your return-to-work meeting is already sitting in your inbox. Bloomington and the southern suburbs are corporate country. Large employers along the airport corridor and the 494 strip account for a lot of the parents here, and a leave policy that reads generously on paper still ends on one specific Monday, whether or not you are ready for it. Around Normandale, Oxboro, Eden Prairie, Burnsville, and Apple Valley, the day is built around driving: the daycare drop-off, the commute, the pickup window that does not move for anybody. Fitting a weekly appointment into that is a logistics problem before it is a clinical one. It also lands at exactly the wrong time. The weeks around returning to work are one of the highest-risk windows for postpartum depression and anxiety, and one of the least supported. Phoenix Health therapists hold PMH-C certification, the specialty credential in perinatal mental health, and see clients across the south metro entirely by secure video. A session fits inside a lunch hour or the quiet stretch after bedtime, with no drive on 494 and no childcare to arrange first. We work with postpartum depression, perinatal anxiety, birth trauma, the return-to-work transition, and pregnancy loss, and we see couples as well as individuals. Major Minnesota insurance plans are accepted, and we confirm your benefits before your first appointment.
Bloomington neighborhoods: Normandale · Oxboro · Eden Prairie · Burnsville · Apple Valley
You might benefit from therapy if…
- ✓You cry often and can't always explain why, or you can't cry at all when you feel like you should
- ✓You feel numb or disconnected from your baby, even though you know you love them
- ✓You're exhausted in a way that sleep doesn't fix, and getting through the day feels like a heavy lift
- ✓You've had thoughts that your family would be better off without you, or that you made a mistake having a baby
- ✓You've lost interest in things that used to feel good, and you can't imagine feeling like yourself again
- ✓You're irritable, snappy, or angry in ways that don't feel like you
Dr. Emily Guarnotta
Psychologist & Founder
From our founder
When I had my first child, I was shocked by the challenges I faced as a new mother.
Like so many women, the shame of postpartum depression and anxiety kept me silent for nearly two years. When I began working with postpartum clients, I was struck by how many stories were so similar to my own.
I founded Phoenix Health to make it easier for new mothers like me to find the right help.
What therapy looks like
Your therapist
Most Phoenix Health therapists hold PMH-C certification — the gold standard in perinatal mental health.
Real clients. Real relief.
What our clients say about their experience.
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“"I thought I was a bad mom for not bonding with my baby. Within three weeks of starting therapy, I could finally hold my daughter without crying. My therapist helped me see that postpartum depression wasn't my fault and gave me tools that actually worked."”
— mom of 1
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“My OB screened me at six weeks and said I was fine. I wasn't fine. I was smiling through every appointment while barely surviving at home. My therapist was the first person who actually asked the right questions and didn't move on until I answered honestly. That intake conversation changed everything.”
— mom of 3
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“I went back to work when my daughter was 12 weeks old and just shut down. I was going through the motions at work and at home, and I couldn't tell anyone because I was supposed to be grateful. My therapist helped me understand that functioning on the outside doesn't mean you're okay on the inside. Six months later I actually feel present in my own life.”
— working mom of 1
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“I spent months telling everyone I was fine. My therapist was the first person who didn't accept that. We worked through what was actually underneath the smiling, and by month four I noticed I was laughing with my daughter without performing it. That was the moment I knew I was coming back.”
— Hannah, 6 months postpartum
Expert care.
Covered in Minnesota.
- ✓Aetna (incl. CVS Health, First Health, & Meritain)
- ✓Cigna / Evernorth
- ✓United Healthcare (UHC) / Optum (incl. UBH, UMR, Surest, Oscar, & Oxford)
Most clients pay less than $20 per session.
Accepted Insurance Networks
Ready to start Postpartum Depression 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
- Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mood disorder that can affect people after childbirth. Symptoms include persistent sadness, difficulty bonding with your baby, exhaustion, feelings of worthlessness, and in some cases thoughts of self-harm. PPD is not a character flaw — it is a medical condition that responds well to treatment.
- Without treatment, PPD can persist for months or longer. With therapy (and sometimes medication), most people experience significant improvement within weeks. Starting treatment early leads to better outcomes.
- Yes. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) are both evidence-based treatments with strong results for postpartum depression. Many Phoenix Health therapists specialize specifically in perinatal mood disorders.
- Most insurance plans cover mental health therapy under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Phoenix Health is in-network with major insurers. We verify your specific benefits before your first session.
- Baby blues peak around day 5 and lift on their own by about 2 weeks postpartum. If sadness, numbness, irritability, or hopelessness are still significant after the first 2 to 3 weeks, or they keep getting worse, that's a sign of postpartum depression, not baby blues. Postpartum depression can also start months after birth, sometimes around weaning, going back to work, or a return of your period.
- Not necessarily. Many people recover with therapy alone. SSRIs are a first-line option for moderate to severe symptoms and can be safely used during pregnancy and breastfeeding for most people, but the decision is yours and your prescriber's. Your therapist will help you think it through and coordinate care if you choose to add medication.
- Yes, it can be. In the perinatal period, depression often shows up as irritability, rage, or numbness rather than the classic tearful sadness. If you're snapping at your partner, losing your temper in ways that don't feel like you, or feeling emotionally flat, that's worth taking seriously.
From the Phoenix Health resource center
Articles and guides about postpartum depression
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.
You won't feel
this way forever.
Let's start.
Most people feel meaningfully better within 8 to 16 weeks of starting treatment.
No commitment · Covered by insurance · Available this week
Learning resources
🌧Read our Postpartum Depression guides →