Pregnancy and postpartum
Counseling for pregnancy, new parenthood and loss
True North Vitality offers perinatal and postpartum counseling at its Irwin office in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and online. Nicoletta Whiteman, MA, LPC, focuses on maternal and perinatal seasons, supporting adults and couples through pregnancy, the months after birth and pregnancy loss. The practice is Christ-centered, and faith can be part of sessions.
- 3 Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselors
- Greensburg · Irwin · Ligonier
- Online across Pennsylvania
- Christ-centered counseling
This may help if
- You are pregnant and feel more anxious or low than you expected.
- Since the baby came, you feel sad, irritable, numb or overwhelmed most days.
- Intrusive, unwanted thoughts about the baby's safety keep coming back.
- Your birth experience was frightening or did not go the way you hoped.
- You have been through a miscarriage, stillbirth or another pregnancy loss.
- You and your partner feel distant from each other in the newborn months.
What is perinatal and postpartum counseling?
Perinatal means during pregnancy and the first year after birth. Perinatal and postpartum counseling is support with a licensed counselor through that season, whether the hard part is worry in pregnancy, the weight of the newborn months or grief after a loss.
Mental health conditions in this season are common, and they are not your fault. Perinatal depression can begin during pregnancy or after birth. Anxiety, obsessive thoughts and trauma after a hard birth can also happen, and these conditions can affect partners and fathers as well as the parent who gave birth. They can be treated, and you do not need a diagnosis to ask for help.
Is it the baby blues or something more?
Baby blues are brief mood changes in the first two weeks after birth. When symptoms are intense or last longer than two weeks, it may be postpartum depression, which usually does not get better without treatment.
Signs can include ongoing sadness or hopelessness, irritability, losing interest in things, tiredness, changes in sleep or appetite, trouble concentrating, trouble bonding with the baby, and thoughts of harming yourself or the baby. If you notice these, contact your doctor or midwife as well as a counselor. Counseling works alongside your medical care and does not replace it. Medication questions in pregnancy or while nursing belong with your doctor; our counselors do not prescribe medication.
Help right now
- National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: call or text 1-833-852-6262, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in English and Spanish.
- If you are thinking about suicide or harming yourself or your baby, call or text 988 or call 911. True North Vitality is not an emergency service.
- Confusion, seeing or hearing things others do not, or feeling out of touch with reality after birth can be postpartum psychosis, a medical emergency. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. See our crisis resources page for more options.
Who provides perinatal counseling here?
Perinatal and postpartum counseling at True North Vitality is with Nicoletta Whiteman, MA, LPC. Maternal and perinatal seasons of life are one of her areas of focus, along with grief and loss, trauma, relationship challenges and life transitions. She holds a dual master's degree in Professional Counseling and Marriage & Family Therapy and sees clients aged 12 and up, including adults and couples. She has trained in perinatal mental health through Maternal Mental Health NOW and the Bringing Light to Motherhood course, talks about maternal mental health on podcasts, and hosts online community groups for moms.
Nicoletta sees clients at our Irwin office on the second floor of the Landmark Professional Pavilion, 150 Robbins Station Road, just off Route 30 in North Huntingdon Township. The building has its own parking lot. The office is up a flight of stairs with no elevator, so if stairs are hard right now, online sessions are an option. Ask when you call whether you can bring your baby to sessions.
What can sessions cover?
Because Nicoletta also works with couples, a partner can join some sessions if that would help. Faith can be part of the conversation, including prayer and Scripture, and mothers who are unsure about faith are welcome too. For loss, our grief counseling page says more.
- Worry, low mood or fear during pregnancy
- Postpartum depression, anxiety and intrusive thoughts
- A birth that felt traumatic or disappointing
- Grief after miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss
- Sleep loss, identity changes and pressure to enjoy every moment
- Communication and closeness with your partner after a baby arrives
How do I start?
- Book a free 20-minute consultationCall, email or use the form on our contact page. The call is a chance to share what is going on and ask about scheduling around feeds, naps and appointments.
- PaperworkIntake forms are completed before the first session.
- First sessionNicoletta listens to what pregnancy, birth or loss has been like and what feels hardest now, and you set goals together.
- Ongoing sessionsWeekly sessions are encouraged for the first month when possible. Sessions are 55 minutes.
Does insurance cover postpartum counseling?
Some of our counselors work with insurance and others see clients on a self-pay basis, and plans differ by counselor. Call with your plan name and we will tell you what your options are, or see our insurance page. Nicoletta sees clients in Irwin on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and online.
Common questions
Can I start counseling while I am still pregnant?
Yes. Perinatal mental health conditions can begin during pregnancy, and some people want support before the baby arrives to prepare for the changes ahead. You are welcome to call at any point in pregnancy or after birth, and ask on the consultation call how sessions can work around your due date.
Is counseling only for mothers?
No. Perinatal mental health conditions can affect partners and fathers too. Nicoletta sees adults and couples, so a partner can come with you or ask about sessions of their own. Ask on your consultation call which option fits best.
Should I talk to my doctor or midwife first?
Please tell your doctor or midwife about any symptoms, whether or not you start counseling. They can check for physical causes and talk with you about medical treatment. Counseling works alongside that care and does not replace it.
Can I have sessions online with a newborn at home?
Yes. Nicoletta offers online sessions by secure video through SimplePractice. They are only for clients located in Pennsylvania at the time of each session. Our online therapy page explains how it works.
References
Published by True North Vitality, a counseling practice of Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselors in Westmoreland County. Last updated November 2, 2026. This page is general information, not medical or mental health advice, a diagnosis or a substitute for care.
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Ready to take the first step?
Call, email or send a short message to book a free 20-minute consultation. We’ll help you choose a counselor and an office in Greensburg, Irwin or Ligonier, or meet online anywhere in Pennsylvania.