The following are some of the best postpartum anxiety books to help you on your recovery journey.
- Postpartum Anxiety Books
- 1. The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook
- 2. The Art of Holding in Therapy
- 3. Peace: Hope and Healing for the Anxious Momma’s Heart
- 4. Mom Brain
- 5. The Pregnancy Workbook
- 6. Beyond the Blues
- 7. Awake at 3 a.m.
- 8. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression During Pregnancy and Beyond
- 9. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Perinatal Distress
- 10. Break Free from Maternal Anxiety
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Postpartum Anxiety Books
1. The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook
By Pamela S. Wiegartz, Kevin L. Gyoerkoe
If you’re one of many women suffering from this treatable condition, The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook offers powerful strategies grounded in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you control your worry, panic, and anxiety.
2. The Art of Holding in Therapy
By Karen Kleiman
First conceptualized by D.W. Winnicott, holding in this book refers to a therapist’s capacity to respond to postpartum distress in a way that facilitates an immediate and successful therapeutic alliance. Readers will learn how to contain high levels of agitation, fear, and panic in a way that cultivates trust and the early stages of connectedness. Also addressed through vignettes are personality types that make holding difficult, styles of ineffective holding, and how to modify holding techniques to accommodate the individual woman.
A must-read for postpartum professionals, the techniques learned in this book will help clients achieve meaningful and enduring recovery.
Related: Postpartum Anxiety Quiz (+ 5 Tips On Overcoming PPA)
3. Peace: Hope and Healing for the Anxious Momma’s Heart
By Becky Thompson
Becky Thompson, a best-selling author with a degree in biblical studies, knows firsthand what it is like to suffer from the crippling effects of anxiety–a condition she has struggled to overcome for most of her life. For her and many others, the fear she faces is not a faith issue. It’s a physical one that affects over 40 million adults in the US.
Related: Postpartum Depression Resources (Information, Podcasts, Books)
4. Mom Brain
By Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco
Psychologist and mom Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco specializes in the myriad issues that women with young children struggle with. In this compassionate guide, she shares science-based strategies to help you cope with common challenges and make peace with your transformed identity. Dr. Dobrow DiMarco uses frank, funny, and moving stories to illustrate ways to tame self-critical thoughts and navigate the “new normal” of work, marriage, and friendships.
Related: Best 10 Postpartum Books
5. The Pregnancy Workbook
By Dr. Katayune Kaeni
- An evidence-based approach—Learn healthy coping skills drawn from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness, and more.
- For any expectant parent—This inclusive workbook supports families of any kind, incorporating advice for your partner along with plenty of guidance for those without a partner.
- For any experience level—Whether you have a history of anxiety or are experiencing it for the first time during pregnancy, you’ll begin to identify and understand your unique feelings and worries.
Related: Best 10 Nonfiction Books About Loneliness
6. Beyond the Blues
By Shoshana S. Bennett PhD, Pec Indman PA,EdD
Direct and compassionate, it is required reading for those suffering before or after the baby is born and for all professionals working with them.
Related: High Functioning Depression Test (+Effective 3-Step Guide To Overcome High Functioning Depression)
7. Awake at 3 a.m.
By Suzannah Neufeld MFT
Awake at 3 a.m. contains short, digestible chapters that are perfect for when you are feeling exhausted or overwhelmed. Neufeld skillfully dismantles the myths and internal beliefs that contribute to the suffering of new mothers and tells her own story with honesty and humor. From breathing techniques to mindfulness exercises, the yoga practices here are designed to fit into your life as it is now—no flexibility, mat, special clothes, or 90-minute yoga class required.
Related: Journal Prompts For Depression (+FREE Depression Worksheets PDF)
8. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression During Pregnancy and Beyond
By Sheryl M. Green, Benicio N. Frey, Eleanor Donegan, Randi E. McCabe
This book is a hands-on guide for facilitating treatment of anxiety and depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Readers will learn about why anxiety and related difficulties can increase during pregnancy and the postpartum period, the critical roles that thoughts and behaviors play in maintaining symptoms, and how to apply practical cognitive and behavioral strategies to reduce distress and increase coping skills.
Related: Top 10 Practical CBT Exercises For Generalized Anxiety Disorder Relief
9. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Perinatal Distress
By Amy Wenzel, Karen Kleiman
In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Perinatal Distress, Wenzeland Kleiman discuss the benefits of CBT for pregnant and postpartum women who suffer from emotional distress. The myths of CBT as rigid and intrusive are shattered as the authors describe its flexible application for perinatal women.
This text teaches practitioners how to successfully integrate CBT structure and strategy into a supportive approach in working with this population.
Related: High Functioning Anxiety Test (& How To Support Anxiety Recovery)
10. Break Free from Maternal Anxiety
By Fiona Challacombe, Catherine Green, Victoria Bream
Step-by-step, the book teaches you to apply cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) techniques in the particular context of pregnancy and becoming a new parent in order to overcome maternal anxiety in all its forms. Working through the book you will gain understanding of your anxiety and how factors from the past and present may be playing a role in how you feel. Together with practical exercises and worksheets to move through at your own pace, you will gain the tools you need to help you move forward and enjoy parenthood.
