When you're struggling with anxiety, stress, or intrusive thoughts after having a baby, researching to find a new therapist can feel like an insurmountable task.

You may be confused by the letters behind a therapist's name: MD, PsyD, LMFT, LCSW, and more. Then there are the letters describing the different types of training they have: CBT, ACT, EMDR, IFS, and on and on.

Let me break down some of the basics for you.

What do all those letters mean?

When you're looking for a therapist, the first thing you'll want to understand is their license.

Different mental health professionals have different licenses and training backgrounds. For example:

MD — Medical Doctor… In the psychology world, this is usually psychiatrists who specialize in mental health and can prescribe medication. In California, most psychiatrists don’t provide on-going therapy, but serve new moms in their medication management to ensure they have the optimal prescriptions available for their symptoms
LMFT — Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist… LMFTs are therapists who have masters degrees and are trained in the psychotherapy and the management, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health disorders. They work with individuals and families to help alleviate symptoms through different therapy modalities.
LCSW — Licensed Clinical Social Worker… LCSWs are masters-level clinicians who support individuals and families. LCSWs can provide therapy, but they are also trained in systems work and are generally very well-versed in community resources available for clients and patients.
PsyD — Doctor of Psychology… PsyD therapists are those who are trained both in psychotherapy, and in research. Most of PsyD’s were required to do research in their graduate work, and many have a very specific area of expertise as a result. Many PsyD’s also serve as professors of psychology students, in addition to theraputic and research work.

There are differences in training between these professions, but several different types of licensed clinicians can provide individual therapy for perinatal mental health.

Beyond someone's professional license, you may also want to look at their specialized training and experience.

What is a PMH-C?

In the perinatal mental health world, one credential you may come across is PMH-C, which stands for Perinatal Mental Health Certification.

The PMH-C is a certification offered through Postpartum Support International (PSI) for professionals who have demonstrated specialized knowledge in perinatal mental health and completed the certification requirements.

It's not a separate therapy license. Instead, it's an additional credential that can help you identify clinicians who have pursued specialized education in the perinatal field.

There are many excellent therapists who work with pregnant and postpartum women who don't have a PMH-C, so I wouldn't use it as your only criterion. But if you're overwhelmed by all the letters and aren't sure where to start, looking for a therapist who has both a clinical license and specialized perinatal training can be a helpful place to begin.

What do CBT, ACT, EMDR, and all those other letters mean?

This is where things can get particularly confusing.

The letters after a therapist's name may describe a therapy approach or specialized training, rather than a professional license.

Some of the approaches you may see when searching for a perinatal therapist include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It can be particularly helpful for identifying unhelpful thought patterns and developing practical strategies for managing anxiety and depression.

CBT has a strong evidence base for treating perinatal depression and anxiety.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

IPT focuses on relationships and major life transitions. That makes intuitive sense in the perinatal period, when your relationships, roles, and identity can change dramatically.

IPT is also an evidence-based treatment for perinatal depression.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is part of the broader cognitive behavioral therapy family and focuses on psychological flexibility: learning to make room for difficult thoughts and feelings while taking action based on what matters to you.

ACT is one of the approaches I use in my own practice.

I particularly like it for motherhood because so much of parenting involves situations we simply cannot control. Instead of spending all of our energy trying to eliminate anxiety, guilt, uncertainty, or uncomfortable thoughts, we can learn to respond differently to them and make choices that are aligned with our values.

EMDR

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapy approach commonly used to work with trauma.

For perinatal clients, this can be particularly relevant when someone has experienced a traumatic birth, pregnancy loss, infertility, or another experience that continues to feel emotionally overwhelming.

Again, you don't necessarily need to find a therapist who uses every one of these approaches.

The most important thing is finding someone whose training and experience fit what you're actually struggling with.

And then there's the "do we vibe?" factor.

This part is harder to put on a therapist's website.

You can find someone with the perfect credentials, the right certifications, and years of experience treating exactly what you're experiencing—and still not feel comfortable with them.

That's okay.

In therapy, we often talk about rapport, or the relationship and sense of connection between therapist and client. Feeling understood, respected, and comfortable enough to be honest with your therapist matters.

You don't need to find someone who feels exactly like you. But you should feel like you can be yourself with them.

If you have a consultation with a therapist and immediately think, I don't think this person gets me, that's useful information.

And if you talk to someone and think, Oh. I could actually tell this person the things I'm embarrassed to say out loud, that's useful information, too. If you’ve been in therapy before, you probably know: it really matters if you feel safe and comfortable with your therapist.

If you're a new mom, looking for a perinatal therapist in California, you can learn more about California Perinatal Therapy and our team, or reach out to see whether one of us might be a good fit for what you're experiencing.