THERAPY FOR FERTILITY CHALLENGES, PREGNANCY LOSS, AND NEW PARENTS IN PASADENA, CA AND ONLINE ACROSS CALIFORNIA.
If stepping into parenthood feels more overwhelming or heavier than you expected — especially as parts of your own childhood resurface — you’re not alone.
Let’s make sense of it together.
Ana Velouise (she), LMFT, PMH-C
This Isn’t How You Thought It Would Be
You imagined feeling excited, supported, and confident as you stepped into parenthood. Instead, you feel anxious, irritable, and unexpectedly low.
You replay conversations in your head. You second-guess your decisions. You find yourself spiraling on Reddit at 2 a.m., searching for reassurance that you’re not missing something — or that you’re not somehow broken or alone in this.
You may feel jealousy toward friends whose journeys seem easier. Or shame for feeling that jealousy at all. You might be crying more than you expected, snapping at your partner, or quietly wondering, Why does this feel so hard for me?
Whether you’re trying to conceive, navigating pregnancy loss, or newly postpartum, the emotional weight can feel isolating and disorienting.
And if parts of your own childhood are resurfacing along the way — old wounds, unmet needs, complicated feelings about your parents — that can make everything feel even heavier.
You don’t have to stay stuck in the spiral.
It may not feel possible right now, but you can feel more grounded again. You can move through grief without feeling defective. You can stop outsourcing reassurance and start trusting yourself. You can care for yourself without believing you’re failing everyone else.
Together, we’ll gently untangle what’s being stirred up — both in the present and from your past — and build coping tools that truly support you. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s feeling more like yourself again — and knowing you don’t have to navigate this alone.
Hi, I’m Ana. I believe becoming a parent is one of life’s most profound and destabilizing transitions.
Whether you are longing to conceive, grieving a loss, or adjusting to life with a newborn, this season can test you in ways you never anticipated. It can stretch your identity, surface old wounds, and challenge your sense of control — often all at once.
In our work together, I offer steady presence and grounded care. When everything feels chaotic or overwhelming, we begin with your nervous system — helping you feel safe and supported before trying to analyze or fix anything. From there, we gently normalize what you’re experiencing and reflect on what may be unfolding beneath the surface.
I approach this work with both clinical training and lived understanding of how nonlinear and humbling this road can be. My role isn’t to rush you through this or push you toward quick insight. It’s to help you navigate this season in a way that strengthens you — rather than unravels you.
SPECIALITIES
Trying to conceive can gradually take over your thoughts, your relationship, and your daily life. The waiting, uncertainty, and repeated disappointment can leave you anxious, isolated, and quietly overwhelmed. In our work, we’ll focus on developing practical coping tools and processing the grief and stress so you can move through this season without feeling powerless. Learn more.
Pregnancy loss (miscarriage, TFMR, stillbirth) can be deeply painful and disorienting, especially when life around you continues on. You may be carrying grief, anger, guilt, or unanswered questions. Together, we’ll process what happened at a pace that feels supportive — helping you make space for the loss within your story, without feeling undone by it. Learn more.
The postpartum season can bring love and connection alongside anxiety, irritability, or feeling unexpectedly low. If you don’t fully recognize yourself right now, you’re not alone. We’ll focus on nervous system regulation, accessing support, and understanding what’s being stirred up so you can feel more grounded in this new chapter. Learn more.
When a birth experience feels frightening, chaotic, or out of your control, the impact can linger in your body and mind. You may notice heightened anxiety, replaying what happened, or difficulty trusting yourself again. In therapy, we’ll gently process the experience and restore a sense of safety and agency at a pace that respects your nervous system. Learn more.
Building your family as an LGBTQ+ parent brings unique joys alongside unique stressors. You deserve space to be fully seen and understood by a therapist who shares lived experience as a fellow queer parent and understands the nuances of building a family outside heteronormative expectations. Learn more.
Parenting multiples brings a distinct intensity — emotionally, physically, and logistically. As a therapist and fellow twin parent, I understand how quickly things can feel overwhelming, and I bring practical insight and emotional support that aligns with the realities of life with twins. Learn more.
Getting Started Is Simple
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You can book a free consultation directly through my online scheduler. This gives us a chance to briefly connect, talk through what’s bringing you in, and see if working together feels like the right fit.
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In our early sessions, we’ll focus on reducing what feels most intense right now — the spiraling, the overwhelm, the grief — while building a strong foundation of trust and safety in our work together. You don’t have to tell your whole story at once. We’ll move at a pace that feels manageable.
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As we continue, we’ll address both the present stress and the deeper patterns being stirred up. You’ll develop practical tools, process unresolved experiences, and begin responding from a more grounded place — so this season strengthens you rather than unravels you.
Therapy isn’t just good for you, it benefits all those around you, too.
Infertility, Loss & Postpartum Articles
Thoughtful guidance and coping tools for the hardest days.