When your mind won’t slow down and you’re tired of holding it all together

For many women, anxiety intensifies during major life transitions, especially:

• Trying to conceive
• Fertility treatments
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy after infertility or loss
• The postpartum period
• Adjusting to life with a new baby

Your brain suddenly feels responsible for keeping another human safe.

That pressure can lead to:

• constant checking
• intrusive thoughts
• fear that something will go wrong
• guilt about not feeling calm or joyful enough

These experiences are incredibly common in Perinatal Mental Health, yet many women don’t realize they’re dealing with anxiety.

You thought you’d feel more excited—but your mind won’t slow down.

You might have expected to feel calm, reassured, or even joyful during your pregnancy.

Instead, your thoughts keep racing.

You might be:

• worrying something could go wrong
• overanalyzing every symptom or decision
• feeling on edge, even when everything looks “normal”
• struggling to relax or feel present

Whether this is your first pregnancy or not, anxiety during pregnancy is more common than most people talk about.

You don’t have to keep managing it on your own.

What pregnancy anxiety can look like

Some women come in with a diagnosis. Others just know something doesn’t feel right.

You might experience:

• constant “what if” thoughts
• panic or sudden waves of fear
• intrusive thoughts that feel upsetting or hard to control
• difficulty sleeping because your mind won’t turn off
• a sense of pressure to do everything “right”

This can show up as:

• generalized anxiety
• panic attacks
• obsessive or intrusive thoughts
• anxiety related to pregnancy or your baby’s wellbeing

You do not need a formal diagnosis to benefit from therapy.

If anxiety is making this pregnancy feel harder, that’s enough.

Why anxiety can feel so intense during pregnancy

Many of the women I work with are used to being the responsible one.

They’re balancing:

• demanding careers
• relationships and marriage
• decisions about their pregnancy and future
• expectations they’ve placed on themselves

From the outside, they’re holding everything together.

But internally, the pressure builds.

During pregnancy, your brain becomes more alert to potential risk. For some women, this shows up as constant worry, tension, and difficulty relaxing.

Your nervous system can start to feel like it’s always “on.”

How therapy helps with pregnancy anxiety

Therapy helps calm your nervous system and shift the patterns that keep anxiety going.

In our work together, we focus on:

• understanding what’s driving your anxiety
• identifying the thought patterns that keep worry looping
• learning tools to calm your body quickly
• reducing overthinking and mental spirals
• building confidence in handling uncertainty
• helping your brain and body feel safer

This is not about forcing yourself to “just relax.”

It’s about learning how to respond to your anxiety in a way that actually works.

Signs anxiety may be affecting your pregnancy

You might benefit from therapy if:

• your mind constantly jumps to worst-case scenarios
• you feel tense even when things are going well
• you have trouble sleeping because your brain won’t turn off
• you worry about your baby’s safety throughout the day
• you feel mentally exhausted from holding everything together

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and support is available.

What makes me different and effective?

I’m Jerusha Hull, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) and 16 years of experience working exclusively in reproductive and perinatal mental health. I’m recognized as a subject matter expert by Postpartum Support International — and I’m a mom of two, so I understand the reality of this season in a way that goes beyond clinical training.

In our sessions, I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS) — choosing the approach that fits you, not a formula. My work is attachment-based at its core, which means the relationship we build together is part of what heals.

Babies are welcome in session. Need to nurse, pump, rock, or walk while we talk? Please do. What matters is that you show up — however that looks on any given day.

You don’t have to keep waiting to feel like yourself

I provide therapy for pregnancy anxiety to women across Virginia, including:

• Arlington
• Northern Virginia
• the DC metro area

I  also work with women virtually across New Jersey, Maryland, Washington DC, Texas, Florida, and Vermont. You don’t need a referral, and you don’t need to be at rock bottom to deserve support.

Ready to take the first step? Request a free 15-minute consultation — appointments are available now.

All sessions are offered virtually, making it easier to access support from your home.