PERINATAL COUNSELING · COLUMBIA, MISSOURI AND TELEHEALTH STATEWIDE
Prenatal & postpartum counseling in Columbia, Missouri
Mental health support for the season surrounding pregnancy, with Erica Kroll, M.Ed., LPC
Perinatal counseling supports parents through the emotional, relational, and psychological changes that can accompany pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. Sessions are held over secure telehealth anywhere in Missouri, and Erica is currently accepting new clients.
Session details at a glance
Counseling for pregnant and postpartum parents.
Perinatal counseling supports parents through the emotional, relational, and psychological changes that can accompany pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. This includes support for anxiety, depression, trauma, ambivalence, and adjustment, as well as space to explore identity shifts, relationships, and evolving life goals during this period.
Erica Kroll, M.Ed., LPC, a licensed professional counselor specializing in perinatal mental health, provides counseling for individuals and families throughout Missouri via a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform. She is currently accepting new clients and specializes in mental health support during pregnancy, postpartum, and the transition to parenthood.
AREAS OF SUPPORT · 01
Pregnancy counseling
Pregnancy can bring a wide range of emotions, including excitement, fear, uncertainty, grief, or ambivalence. Counseling during pregnancy offers space to explore these experiences while building emotional awareness and coping skills that support both mental health and preparation for birth.
Pregnancy counseling may support you in exploring birthing options and models of care, processing previous birth experiences or losses, clarifying your values and preferences for birth, and learning to advocate for yourself within medical settings. Sessions may also focus on reducing prenatal anxiety, depression, or obsessive thoughts, increasing body awareness for birth, and developing coping strategies for labor and contractions.
For individuals with a history of trauma, including sexual abuse or prior medical trauma, counseling can support recognition of triggers and development of strategies for safety and regulation during pregnancy and birth.
Pregnancy counseling can support
- Explore birthing options
- Resolve birth trauma or loss
- Develop and clarify a vision for your birth
- Learn to advocate for yourself in your care
- Prenatal depression, anxiety or OCD
- Reduce anxiety, ambivalence, or fear
- Increase body awareness for birth
- Develop and recognize your inner resources for birthing
- Learn coping strategies for contractions
- Navigate your care during birth
- Address past sexual abuse or trauma and learn to recognize and cope with triggers during pregnancy and birth
- Screening, support and treatment for depression, anxiety, OCD, or other mental health concerns
AREAS OF SUPPORT · 02
Postpartum counseling
The postpartum period can be emotionally complex and difficult to navigate. Many parents experience conflicting emotions, mood changes, anxiety, or intrusive thoughts after the birth of a baby. Early support can help reduce distress and prevent symptoms from becoming more severe.
Postpartum counseling may include processing birth experiences, adjusting to changes in identity and relationships, navigating conflict with a partner, addressing lack of support from family or friends, and receiving screening and treatment for postpartum depression, anxiety, or obsessive compulsive disorder. Counseling can also support early parenting challenges and the transition into new routines and responsibilities.
If you are looking for a postpartum therapist or counseling for new moms, Erica provides telehealth therapy throughout Missouri and is currently accepting new clients.
Postpartum counseling can support
- Conflicting emotions after having a baby, or scary thoughts that worry you: addressing these early can prevent escalation and severity
- Explore birth experiences, from the most difficult to the most joyful
- Lack of support from partner, friends and/or family
- Treatment and screening for postpartum depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder
- Address difficulties adjusting to parenting and lifestyle change
- Conflict with partner
- Early parenting and adjustment
AREAS OF SUPPORT · 03
Preconception counseling
Preconception counseling supports individuals who are considering pregnancy or navigating complex feelings about becoming a parent. This may include processing previous traumatic birth experiences, pregnancy loss, abortion, or infertility, as well as exploring fears, ambivalence, or life transitions related to pregnancy and parenting.
Sessions can also support thoughtful exploration of birthing options and models of care, helping you weigh values, risks, and preferences before pregnancy.
Preconception counseling can support
- Resolve past traumatic birth experience
- Resolve previous experiences of abortion
- Address past sexual abuse or trauma
- Explore fears, life transitions, and ambivalence about becoming a parent, being pregnant, or giving birth
- Explore birthing options and weigh pros and cons of models of care
HOW IT WORKS
Beginning counseling
Perinatal counseling is mental health support for the season surrounding pregnancy: from preconception through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
It offers a dedicated space to work through anxiety, depression, birth trauma, grief, identity shifts, and relationship changes with a therapist who specializes in this period of life.
01
Reach out
Email Erica at [email protected] or use the contact page. Erica will respond to schedule a first session and answer any questions you have about whether counseling is a good fit.
02
Meet over telehealth
All sessions take place over a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform, so you can meet with Erica from anywhere in Missouri.
03
Session fees
Sessions are $130 for 45-50 minutes. Sliding scale options may be available; please ask.
04
Insurance and superbills
Erica is out of network for insurance. Depending on your plan, you may be able to submit a superbill for partial reimbursement. Superbills are provided on request.
YOUR THERAPIST
Erica Kroll, M.Ed., LPC
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR · EMDR-TRAINED
Erica holds a Master of Education in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri and has spent more than two decades supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum as a therapist, birth doula, childbirth educator, and prenatal yoga teacher. Her counseling work is trauma-informed and grounded in EMDR training.
Erica also provides general counseling for adults at ericakroll.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is perinatal counseling?
Perinatal counseling is mental health support for the season surrounding pregnancy: from preconception through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. It offers a dedicated space to work through anxiety, depression, birth trauma, grief, identity shifts, and relationship changes with a therapist who specializes in this period of life.
How much does a session cost?
Sessions are $130 for 45-50 minutes. Sliding scale options may be available; please ask.
Do you take insurance?
Erica is out of network for insurance. Depending on your plan, you may be able to submit a superbill for partial reimbursement. Superbills are provided on request.
Do I need to live in Columbia, Missouri?
No. All sessions take place over a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform, so you can meet with Erica from anywhere in Missouri.
What can counseling help with?
Common reasons people reach out include prenatal or postpartum depression and anxiety, intrusive or scary thoughts, obsessive compulsive disorder, birth trauma, pregnancy loss, fear of birth, adjusting to parenthood, and relationship changes. Erica is EMDR-trained for trauma-focused work.
How do I get started?
Email Erica at [email protected] or reach out through the contact page. Erica will respond to schedule a first session and answer any questions you have about whether counseling is a good fit.
ERICA KROLL, M.ED., LPC · PERINATAL COUNSELING
You are welcome to reach out
Telehealth anywhere in Missouri · $130 per 45-50 minute session · Currently accepting new clients
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