Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Schaefer.
Hi Kelsey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I opened up my private practice about three years ago after the birth of my first baby (my daughter). I was inspired to venture off into solo private practice specializing in perinatal mental health after my own experience with postpartum depression and anxiety. I was 6 months postpartum when things started to feel really dark for me. Motherhood was not what I expected at all, especially being a working mom. Juggling my work (which was in a different specialty at the time) and mothering had me in shambles. I remember being in tears, incessantly scrolling Google, trying to find an explanation for why I was feeling the way I was feeling. I was completely perplexed as to why I (a therapist who had been practicing for nearly 10 years at that point!) was so clueless about all things postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. Prior to my experience with PPD and PPA, I very much had the “it won’t happen to me” mentality because I felt pretty resourced as a soon-to-be mom, especially being a therapist with a bunch of tools in her toolbox. Of course, no parent has complete immunity to perinatal mental illness, so after beginning my own therapy, I realized I wanted to make it my mission to ensure no parent ever felt as blindsided by postpartum and the transition into parenthood as I did.
As my practice grew, I decided to pursue training in birth work as a birth doula. I have always been incredibly interested and drawn to pregnancy and birth. In fact, when I was a kid, I used to tell people I wanted to deliver babies when I grew up! The fascination I’ve had with birth has never gone away, so when I started working with more pregnant women, it became clear to me that one of the best and most prophylactic ways to improve maternal mental health, is to improve the birth experience.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, so far, so good! For the first time in my professional career, I feel so motivated, passionate, and excited about my work. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I get the privilege to work with pregnant and postpartum women. It’s truly such a sacred time in a woman’s life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m a mother of two and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Los Angeles, specializing in individual therapy for pregnant and postpartum women. Before opening my private practice, I worked in more clinically acute settings such as inpatient residential treatment centers and hospitals. The intensity of this work provided me with a vast array of clinical skills that also happen to be evidence-based ways to treat perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, such as postpartum anxiety and depression.
I also offer childbirth education and birth doula services in my practice. My goal is to provide wraparound support for moms from the time of conception, throughout pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond. Not many birth doulas are also licensed therapists, and as many birth workers know, the support we provide is not only educational and physical, but highly emotional. My combined skillset of psychotherapy and birth work is what sets me apart from other practitioners in this space.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned since opening up my therapy and doula practice is to always “put my oxygen mask on first” before helping others. I’m a mom, too, and have learned to consistently prioritize my own mental health, personal limits, boundaries, and self-care practices so I can show up as the best version of myself for my clients and my family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kelseyschaefertherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseyschaefertherapy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Kelsey-Schaefer-Therapy-100095126464687/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmschaefer/
