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When You’re Tired of Just Surviving


You wake before dawn, the baby asleep on your chest in fragments of doze and wakefulness. The house is still, but your mind is already racing. You lie there trying to steady your breath, but the heaviness in your chest feels too familiar. You’ve slept maybe two hours total, and already the questions start looping: Is she breathing okay? Did I feed her enough? What if something’s wrong and I don’t notice?

This is the part of motherhood no one really talks about — the space between exhaustion and panic, when the world is quiet, and you’re wide awake, holding everything together.

You move through the motions of the morning: changing diapers, warming bottles, soothing cries. Your body aches in ways you didn’t expect. The incision tugs when you stand, your pelvis feels unstable, and your breasts ache and leak. You catch your reflection in the mirror and barely recognize yourself. Puffy eyes. Hollow cheeks. A version of you that feels lost between who you were and who you’re supposed to be now.

You Feel Yourself to Unraveling

By midmorning, your partner is at work, and the quiet feels too loud. You cradle your baby and hum softly, but tears still come — hot, unexpected, and full of shame. You tell yourself to stop crying, to pull it together. You tell yourself other moms handle this just fine. But inside, you feel like you’re unraveling.

You stay busy — folding laundry, loading the dishwasher, scrolling your phone — but your heart won’t slow down. You can’t stop checking things, can’t stop the what-ifs.What if something happens to her? What if something happens to you? What if you never feel like yourself again?

You need more connection

When a friend texts, “How are you?” you hesitate. You want to say, “We’re doing great,” but instead you write, “It’s been a hard day.” She offers to bring lunch. You almost say no because you don’t want her to see the mess, the tears, or the fear. But you say yes anyway. When she comes, she doesn’t try to fix you. She just hugs you, holds the baby, and reminds you that you’re not alone. For a moment, you feel seen — and you realize how deeply lonely you’ve been.

Later that night, you wonder if this is still “normal,” or if it’s something more. You open your phone and search for postpartum therapist Virginia, postpartum therapist Maryland, or postpartum therapist DC. You scroll through pages until one catches your eye — a therapist who helps moms with postpartum anxiety, depression, and the feeling of being completely overwhelmed. The words describe exactly what you’ve been living, even the parts you haven’t said out loud.

Something inside you shifts. Maybe this is your enough. Maybe it’s time for help.

A Space to Breathe Again

We’re Sultana Karim and Jennifer Blue, both perinatal therapists serving Virginia, Maryland, and DC. Together, we facilitate the Perinatal DBT Group, a group designed to help pregnant and postpartum moms who are struggling with anxiety, depression, and overwhelm feel calm, confident, and connected in their parenting journey.

Through Perinatal DBT, we blend Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)attachment-based parenting, and mindfulness to help you move from survival mode toward steadiness and connection. In this skills-based therapy group for moms in Virginia, DC, and Maryland, you’ll find a space where you can be real about what’s happening — a place where you can finally say, “I’m struggling,” and be met with understanding instead of judgment.

In each group session, we’ll practice coping strategies for stress, communication, and letting go of the endless “what ifs.” You’ll learn how to ask for help without guilt, communicate openly with your partner, and set boundaries that protect your peace. Many moms begin to feel calmer, less reactive, and more connected to themselves and their families.

As therapy progresses, you’ll start to regulate your emotions in ways that also help soothe your baby. You’ll gain tools to manage postpartum anxiety and depression with compassion instead of criticism. You’ll see yourself becoming the parent you hoped to be — not perfect, but present.

By the time most moms complete the Perinatal DBT group, they say they finally feel like themselves again. They laugh without guilt, rest without panic, and show up for their babies and partners with clarity and confidence. They feel grounded, hopeful, and proud of the person and parent they’ve become.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

It’s okay if you’re scared to reach out. It’s okay if you’re not sure whether what you’re feeling “counts” as postpartum anxiety or depression. You don’t need to have the right words or know exactly what kind of help you need.

If you’re feeling anxious, disconnected, or unsure of yourself as a new mom, our Perinatal DBT group therapy for moms in Virginia, Maryland, DC, and Michigan that can help you feel less alone.

You deserve to rest without guilt.
You deserve to feel joy without fear.
You deserve to find yourself again.

When you’re ready, reach out. Whether you’re searching for support groups for moms in Virginia, therapy groups for moms in DC, or postpartum anxiety therapy in Maryland, Perinatal DBT is a space where you can exhale, reconnect, and begin to heal.

You don’t have to keep walking through this in the dark. 

Group Information

Who is this group for?
This group is for moms and birthing parents who:

  • Are pregnant or up to five years postpartum

  • Feel anxious, depressed, or emotionally overwhelmed

  • Struggle with identity shifts or connection after birth

  • Want to feel calmer, more confident, and supported

You don’t need a diagnosis to join. Just a willingness to learn, heal, and connect.

Details:

This is a 10 week closed group that will meet weekly on Thursdays starting January 22 from 7pm-8:30pm (90 minutes) on Zoom. So, you don't have to leave your home and you can choose to have your little one with you or not. 

This group is limited to 6-8 participants.


Investment Options:

Pay-Per- Session

- Intake Evaluation (60 mins.): $175

- Group Session: $60 per group 

- Individual Skills (20 mins.): $75 

Prepaid Package (Save $50)

- $800 total: includes intake, 10 group sessions, & 1 individual skills sessions

Financial Assistance

If cost is a barrier, you can request a FREE 15 minute consultation to discuss scholarships and sliding scale options. Scholarships are available for DC, MD, & VA residents. 

Insurance
This is an out of network services. Free concierge billing support is available for claim submission.

Meet the Facilitators

Together, we co-facilitate this group to provide both structure, connection, humor, and support.

Sultana Karim, M.A., LPC, CCTP, PMH-C

Jen Blue, Psy.D

What is Perinatal DBT?

Perinatal DBT is a therapy group for pregnant and postpartum moms that combines DBT, mindfulness, and attachment-based parenting to help you manage stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.

How long is this group?

This group is a 20 week group that focuses on 4 modules: Mindful Parenting, Restore Balance, Co-Regulation, & Tend to the Forest. However, we divided this groups into two parts that are 10 weeks each. Part 1 covers Mindful Parenting & Restore Balance modules and Part 2 covers Co-Regulation & Tend to the Forest. Below are the modules:

Mindful Parenting: You’ll learn about mindfulness skills to be able to manage stress and balancing how to attune to both your needs and your child’s needs, and improve how you communicate your experiences (thoughts and feelings) to others. 

Restore Balance: You’ll learn understand how our brains and bodies your stress response and how stress supports and protects us, ways to “cope ahead” for recurring stressors and develop a tool kit for managing high levels of stress, and skills to self-soothe to be able to comfort  your baby/child.

Co-regulation: You’ll learn about the importance of mood regulation, how your emotions and experiences play a role in your communication with others, explore your parenting style and utilize parenting moments to hold your child’s needs for exploration and safety, and explore different techniques to challenge intrusive and negative thoughts.

Tend to the Forest: You’ll focus on attending to yourself with kindness and self-compassion  while passing these traits to your child. You’ll explore moments of exploration, growth, restoring emotional balance and repair rupture in your relationship with your child. You’ll learn about the importance of social support and develop skills to ask for help.  

Typically, Part 1 is covered in the Winter (January) & Part 2 is covered in the Fall (September).

Do I have to share my story in group?

You share only what feels comfortable. Listening and learning are welcome forms of participation. 

How to sign up?

You can sign up by contacting us to schedule your 15 minute phone consultation.

What is the cost for this group?

For group therapy, you must complete an initial intake session before attending any module of this curriculum.

The cost of the intake session is $175 for a 60 minute session. Each group therapy is 90 minutes and the cost $60 per session. You have the option to prepay (where you can save $50) or pay by session. 

Participating in all parts (20 group therapy sessions) are equivalent to the cost of about 8 individual therapy sessions. You’ll gain skills to improve your mental health, and confidence in yourself and your parenting skills. You’ll receive peer support from other parents like yourself so that you no longer feel alone and isolated in your parenthood journey.

Can I bring my baby or child?

Babies and toddlers are welcome in virtual sessions — we understand how real mom life is. 

Can I use my insurance for group therapy services?

We do not accept insurance and are considered as an out of network provider. See our investment page to learn more about how we help our clients file out of network claims with their insurance. 

Additionally, we work with a few non-profit organizations that offer scholarships that can cover partial to full amount of the cost for the group. Please note that these scholarships are for those who live in the DMV area. 

If you have additional questions, please contact us at skarim@karimcounseling.org to schedule a FREE 15 minute consultation.

Can I participate in both individual and group therapy at this practice?

Yes, you can. During your initial intake session, speak with your therapist about your interest in participating in both individual and group therapy. Get started by contacting us.

Can I participate in individual therapy with another therapist and participate in group therapy at this practice?

Yes, you can participate in group therapy in this practice while also participating in individual therapy in another practice. We would love to coordinate with your primary therapist in your treatment.

What if I have additional questions, how do I get those questions answered?

You can fill out our contact us form or email us at skarim@karimcounseling.org to schedule a FREE 15 minute consultation.

Group has already started. How can I join the next group?

If you are interested in the next Perinatal DBT group, complete this contact form: Contact

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Healing in Community

Therapy doesn’t erase the hard parts of motherhood, but it helps you meet them differently. 


You deserve peace, rest, and connection.
You don’t have to do this alone. 

… schedule your free 15 minute phone consultation.