Why Should I Specialize In Perinatal Mental Health? 

Society is stronger when parents are cared for.

A big part of our work at The Perinatal Collective is education, and training for those in the perinatal field. If you’ve come across our work for your own professional development, you might be a counsellor, social worker, doula, medical professional, or even a therapist wondering whether or not to niche down and specialize in perinatal mental health.

If you’re curious about accepting more parents or parents-to-be in your practice, or you’re wondering about focusing more on perinatal issues, this blog post is intended to be a great jumping off point as you research. 

At some point, most therapists consider whether they should focus on a particular niche rather than generalizing. There are therapists who focus on trauma, family therapy, sex therapy, addiction, couples counselling, etc. Perinatal Mental Health is an area that’s both deeply rewarding and greatly needed (and hasn’t really been a speciality for very long!). 

Pregnancy, birth, and postpartum adjustment are life-changing experiences that bring so many emotional challenges, new stressors, and relationship difficulties. Despite this, most mental health professionals receive no formal training in supporting individuals during this critical period.

From our perspective, this isn’t okay. Every single person is impacted by perinatal mental health, so this needs to be part of all counsellor education programs. At The Perinatal Collective, we specialize in this area without our counselling practice, and also offer perinatal mental health education in Canada because we know there’s a huge need. 

By specializing in perinatal mental health, you can fill a crucial gap in care, help clients navigate a transformative stage of life, and make a meaningful impact on so many families. So, if you’re resonating with several points on the below list, maybe it’s worth giving this a shot!  

Why specialize in perinatal mental health:

General therapy training doesn’t cover the perinatal period

Most graduate programs provide a broad foundation in mental health but don’t delve deeply into the specific challenges of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. Perinatal mental health conditions—such as postpartum depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, identity challenges, relationship issues, and pregnancy ambivalence—require specialized knowledge that general therapy education simply doesn’t provide. 

Because it shows that you’re dedicated to and capable of handling issues in pregnancy and beyond 

Niching down your therapy practice and seeking more training in perinatal mental health signals to clients and colleagues that you’re committed to addressing the mental health needs of new and expecting parents. It also reassures clients that they’re in the hands of a specialist who truly understands their experiences, and took the time to know how to support them.

You feel the need to upgrade and add more specific skills than what you already have

Perinatal work requires ongoing learning, and you might feel like you’ve outgrown your current scope or want to go deeper. You need more. If you’re drawn to supporting people through fertility journeys, pregnancy, the postpartum period, and early parenthood, specializing in perinatal care could be the meaningful next step that helps you grow both personally and professionally—no matter your role.

General knowledge isn’t cutting it in your practice. You’re ready to dive in 

The perinatal period is so complex. Clients might struggle with intrusive thoughts, birth trauma, miscarriage, infant loss, or identity shifts that require a deeper level of understanding. For many people, this is the most painful time they’ll ever go through in their life. A general mental health background may not fully prepare you for these conversations—and you might know that already. If your current training and knowledge just isn’t enough, you might just be ready to do a really deep dive and make this stuff your main focus. 

If other providers have this speciality, why should clients book with you and not them?

Clients seeking perinatal support often look for the most qualified provider. They might be dealing with something really difficult and want someone who has worked with many others in situations similar to their own. They might also want a certification like the PMH-C, which helps distinguish you as an expert in your field. You can’t always do it all and niching in this area is a way to set yourself apart from the crowd. 

Because you want to

Sometimes, the simplest reason is the most compelling—you feel drawn to this work. If you have a passion for supporting parents through the emotional ups and downs of this time, go for it! 

You’ve already been considering it for a while

This area of specialization has already been pulling you. You’ve wondered about making that your main focus and doing whatever you need to do in order to make it official. Rather than just thinking about it, you owe it to yourself to give it an honest shot. Seek advanced professional development opportunities, read books on the topic, let the world know you’re accepting clients, enroll in workshops, etc. 

You yourself struggled with similar issues (and you want to provide the care you wish you had)

Many providers are drawn to this field because of their own experiences with pregnancy, fertility, loss, postpartum challenges, or mental health struggles during parenthood. If you’ve been there, you understand how critical the right support can be—and now you want to provide that for someone else. You’re imagining your experiences, knowledge and effort ensuring that other parents don’t have to go through what you did. 

You think society is stronger when parents are cared for

The mental health of parents directly impacts the well-being of their children, professional lives, and communities. You want to solve problems at the root. By specializing in perinatal mental health, you’d be contributing to a stronger, healthier society by supporting those at one of life’s most pivotal stages. That’s true for the parents you work with today and it’s also true for years to come when their therapy journey results in children that are confident and better adjusted. 

Certain themes are coming up again and again in your sessions

Sometimes the pivot happens for you without you even trying! You could be wondering about just honing in on perinatal challenges because that’s just what’s naturally coming up in the sessions you already have. For example, a couples counsellor might notice that postpartum relationship tensions have come up time and time again. Or someone who generally works with younger women might notice that fertility challenges, pregnancy ambivalence or reproductive decisions are prominent themes they’re already supporting. If it’s already happening, maybe it’s time to lean in.

You recognize that modern-day systems and societal standards work against parents

Parents today are expected to juggle demanding careers, intensive parenting, and social obligations—all while maintaining their well-being. At the same time, structural challenges like the 40-plus hour workweek, lack of paid parental leave, and rising costs of living make it harder than ever to thrive. But when little ones depend on you, these aren’t systems parents can just walk away from. This is disheartening and working with parents is your way of doing something about it.

***

Specializing in perinatal mental health isn’t just a career move—it’s a chance to fill a crucial gap in care. Parents face immense emotional and societal pressures, yet mental health support during this period is often inadequate. By focusing your practice here, you can provide the specialized care they need.

Niching down also strengthens your knowledge, helps the right clients find you, and sets you apart in the field. Whether you’re drawn to this work from personal experience, a passion for systemic change, or a desire to make a real impact, this specialty offers both purpose and professional growth. 

Looking for professional development opportunities in Perinatal Mental Health? Explore more here