Carolyn Wagner (she/her)

MA, LCPC, PMH-C
Accepting Clients

Expert care for perinatal and postpartum depression/anxiety, infertility, pregnancy loss, and motherhood transitions.

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Illinois

Services
  • Individual

About My Clients

Is the transition to motherhood more difficult than you expected? Do you wonder what you're doing wrong? You may be tired of the sadness, guilt, worry, scary thoughts, and anger. You may be feeling disconnected and isolated, wondering if you're cut out for motherhood. You might not even remember how you felt before all of this started. But one thing is for sure: you're ready for some relief. You're ready to start feeling like yourself again.

My Background and Approach

Clients come to me looking for a therapist who TRULY gets the unique needs of moms, because therapy should be a place where you feel seen, and understood. Sessions with me are interactive, warm, and supportive. Together we chart a path out of the darkness and overwhelm. And we always go at your pace, never pushing to a place you don't feel ready to be. I help my clients find balance, self-trust, and joy by equipping them with the tools to understand why the transition to motherhood is so hard, to forgive themselves for what they see as failings or shortcomings (hint: they aren’t actually those things!), and to find a sense of self and purpose in mothering.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

In 2019, I became one of the first clinicians in the country to become certified as a perinatal mental health specialist. This certification required extensive coursework, several years of work with this incredible population, and passing a rigorous exam. It reflects my dedication to serving mothers from preconception to empty-nesting. Much of the advice moms hear about coping with things such as postpartum depression and anxiety is simply not helpful. Sometimes, it’s actually harmful. Well meaning loved ones, and even therapists who are not specifically trained in maternal and reproductive mental health, view these struggles as just another form of “regular” anxiety or depression. But the truth is that it’s something VERY different, and those strategies or techniques simply aren’t going to work. This can often lead moms to feeling broken and like there is no hope for feeling better. This is why it is so important to work with someone with expertise in this area.

I offer online counseling in the following states:

At A Glance

  • Experience: 15 years of practice
  • Languages: English
  • Rate: $175 - 175/session

Reach out to Carolyn