Claire Pichel, MA, LCSW, PMH-C, NAT-C - Trauma and Maternal Mental Health Trained
From birth stories to boundary stories: Supporting mothers through it all
From birth stories to boundary stories, motherhood brings unexpected challenges - whether you're struggling with mood changes after having your baby, navigating complicated family dynamics, or feeling like your past is showing up in your parenting. As a trauma-trained therapist specializing in maternal mental health, I'm here to help you find your way through.
I believe that lasting change requires more than just talking. Anxiety, emotional shifts, and the deep transitions of motherhood live in our bodies - that's why I use approaches like EMDR, polyvagal work, and somatic awareness to help you heal both mind and body. Whether you're dealing with postpartum anxiety, complex family relationships, or feeling disconnected from yourself in motherhood, we'll work together to create meaningful change.
Just as motherhood is built on connection, healing happens through relationship. I create a warm, safe space where you can feel truly seen and heard - in all the messy, beautiful complexity of your journey. While I'll walk beside you with expertise and compassion, I'm not here to create dependency. Think of me as a guide helping you clear the clouds so your own inner wisdom as a mother can shine through.
My clients discover their own authentic way of mothering, set healthy boundaries with family, and find more joy and ease in their parenting journey. Together, we'll help you move from surviving to thriving - from the chaos of witching hour to the peace of finding your own path.
From birth stories to boundary stories, I help mothers create more joy, peace, and ease in their motherhood journey.
My training in trauma-informed somatic therapies gives me the expertise and experience you deserve and need. But at the end of the day, you probably want to know how exactly I can relate to your journey as a mother, right?
I can relate because I've walked this path myself. I've experienced the depths of postpartum depression and OCD, navigated the grief of pregnancy loss, and know firsthand the challenges of protecting your growing family's peace while managing complex family dynamics. I understand what it's like to feel overwhelmed by emotions while trying to be everything to everyone - all while dealing with well-meaning but overwhelming family advice and expectations.
I too have had to unlearn unhelpful patterns of relating and set boundaries that felt uncomfortable at first. I still am! I know what it feels like to question yourself, to wonder if you're doing this motherhood thing "right," to feel like there's something wrong with you when you're struggling with your mood during what's "supposed to be" the happiest time of your life. It's painful, and you shouldn't have to navigate it alone.
So I don't show up with my clients as just a well-trained therapist with experience. I show up as someone who truly gets what it's like to struggle with postpartum mental health and family dynamics, someone who's done her own work in therapy, and someone who knows there's hope and healing on the other side.
Training and Education
I firmly believe that continuing education and consultation are the cornerstone of my ability to best support you.
California State Licensed Clinical Social Worker LCSW91575
Masters in Social Work, Specialty in Health and Military
Masters in Somatic Psychology
Certified Perinatal Mental Health Counselor through PSI
EMDR Trained through EMDRIA
Certified Narcissistic Abuse Counselor, trained with Dr. Ramani
Training in Grief and Loss
Sexuality and Health Training, National Institutes of Health
Sex and the Military: Other Invisible Wounds Training, USC
Certified in Problem Solving Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Trained Massage Therapist
Trained Dance Instructor