Joy and terror at the same time. That's pregnancy after loss.
Therapists in San Francisco, California
"I'm pregnant again but I can't let myself feel excited. I'm terrified."
+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…
- ✓You're pregnant after a miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, or termination for medical reasons, and the fear is constant
- ✓You're holding your breath until the next scan, then starting over
- ✓You can't let yourself buy anything for the baby, decorate, or talk about plans
- ✓Anniversary dates of the previous loss are coming up, and you're bracing for them
- ✓You feel guilty about the previous baby or the previous pregnancy
- ✓You don't know how to talk to your partner about it without making things harder for them
Dr. Emily Guarnotta
Psychologist & Founder
From our founder
Pregnancy after loss is one of the hardest stretches I treat, because the people around you want you to be happy and you're busy trying to survive each week. Therapy gives you somewhere to put all of it, the grief and the terror and the slow, careful hope, without having to manage anyone else's reaction.
What therapy looks like
Our Pregnancy After Loss 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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“"After my stillbirth I was terrified to try again and terrified not to. When I finally got pregnant, I dissociated for most of the first trimester, just protecting myself from more loss. My therapist helped me reconnect before the baby arrived so I wasn't meeting him already armored."”
— loss mom
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“"I refused to buy anything for the nursery until 36 weeks. I wouldn't let my husband tell anyone. I went to every appointment convinced they were going to find something wrong. My therapist helped me understand that the hypervigilance made sense, and also that it was costing me the pregnancy. Slowly we worked on staying in the present instead of waiting for bad news."”
— expecting mom, 2nd pregnancy
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“"I got pregnant again six months after my loss and couldn't celebrate. Every week past where we'd lost the last one felt like permission to breathe a little more, and every week before it felt like holding my breath. My therapist helped me stop spending the pregnancy in survival mode and actually be present for it. It wasn't easy. It was worth it."”
— mom after loss
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“I lost my first at 22 weeks. When I got pregnant again I couldn't breathe until I was past that week. My therapist helped me make a plan for the day I crossed that line and for every scan after. I am holding a baby now and I am still grateful for how she got me there.”
— Jordana, after stillbirth
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 Pregnancy After Loss 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
- Acute, severe, sustained anxiety can affect pregnancy outcomes, which is exactly why getting support matters. But everyday anxiety in response to a real history is not damaging your baby. What's most protective is treatment, which is what you're doing by looking for help.
- Protective detachment is extremely common in pregnancy after loss. Many people unconsciously hold back attachment until they feel safer, often after the gestational week of the previous loss, after a key scan, or sometimes not until they're holding the baby. That's your nervous system protecting you. It doesn't predict your bond.
- Earlier is better. Many clients start before they're pregnant or in the first trimester. Having tools and a relationship with a therapist in place before the highest-anxiety milestones makes a real difference.
- Yes. Loss at any gestational age, and after birth, is treatable with grief and trauma-focused therapy. Many of our therapists have specific training in this work.
- 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 pregnancy after loss
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 Pregnancy After Loss guides →Often goes alongside