Therapy for Parents Navigating Emotional Transitions in Petaluma, California, Sonoma County
Petaluma, California | Anywhere Virtually in CA
Therapy for Adults and Parents Navigating Emotional Transitions
Dana provides thoughtful therapy for people (mainly parents) navigating anxiety, pregnancy, postpartum, and major life changes.
Welcome!I’m Dana Levandoski.
I am a parent, Petaluma local, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with advanced training in perinatal mental health. With both professional experience and lived understanding in this work, I aim to offer therapy that is supportive, practical, and collaborative.
Sessions together focus on helping you understand what is happening internally, build steadier responses to stress, and move toward change at a pace that feels sustainable.
Outcomes of Therapy:
When anxiety, stress, or emotional strain are given space and support, especially during pregnancy, postpartum, or major life transitions, many people begin to notice meaningful shifts over time, such as:
Greater emotional capacity
When your emotional capacity grows, everyday parenting moments feel more manageable. You’re more able to pause when your baby cries instead of immediately feeling flooded, or to take a breath when your toddler refuses again without snapping or shutting down. Recovery comes faster. Even after a hard moment, your nervous system can settle, helping you respond with more patience and calm rather than staying stuck in overwhelm.
More flexible thought patterns
For those navigating OCD or experiencing intrusive thoughts, worries and self-doubt may still arise. As thought patterns become more flexible, intrusive thoughts may still show up, but they carry less authority. You’re better able to recognize them as mental events, not evidence or intention. Instead of getting pulled into reassurance or rumination, you can respond with more distance and self-trust.
Increased emotional presence
Being less consumed by managing your internal world creates more room to be in the moment. You’re not just getting through interactions, you’re actually there for them. Attention feels steadier, connection feels more accessible, and moments with your child aren’t as easily pulled away by mental noise, stress, or anticipation of what’s next. This presence supports deeper connection with yourself, your relationships, and everyday moments you want to genuinely experience,
How I Support Moms
I support mothers as they try to conceive, experience pregnancy, experience pregnancy after loss, navigate their feelings after a miscarriage, stillbirth and loss as well as postpartum, and parenting by helping them navigate both the emotional and practical realities of this season.
This includes support for:
✧ Postpartum anxiety, intrusive thoughts, depression, and OCD
✧ Intrusive thoughts related to your baby or motherhood
✧ Letting go of control, hypervigilance, and overcompensating
✧ Emotional overwhelm and burnout
✧ Difficulty bonding or feeling emotionally connected after birth
✧ Feeling disconnected or numb postpartum
✧ Pregnancy related anxiety and emotional changes
✧ The emotional toll of trying to conceive
✧ Grief and trauma related to pregnancy and birth
✧ Identity shifts after becoming a mother
✧ Navigating relationships with extended family and in laws
✧ Balancing motherhood with work, partnership, and personal needs
How I Support Dads
I also work with fathers navigating the emotional changes that come with pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting. This is an experience that often goes unassessed and unsupported. As a father, you may not have grown or birthed the child, but your entire life has shifted as well.
This includes support for:
✧ Anxiety and stress during pregnancy or after birth
✧ Postpartum mood changes in dad
✧ Pressure to be strong or keep it together
✧ Feeling like there is no space for your emotions
✧ Identity shifts after becoming a parent
✧ Emotional overload and burnout
✧ Difficulty expressing emotions or asking for support
DAD FACTS WE CONSIDER:
1. Dads and non-birthing parents don’t meet with their primary care provider (PCP) after they become a parent.
2. One in 10 dads experience challenges with mood and anxiety during the perinatal period.
3. 50% more likely to experience challenges with mood and anxiety if their partner is also struggling.
Not a mom or a dad? Just someone with OCD, anxiety, or intrusive thoughts looking for help? I offer support to you too!
How to Get Started
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Reach Out
Start by filling out the contact form. We’ll schedule a free 15-minute consultation call to talk briefly about what’s bringing you here and see if working together feels like a good fit.
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Get Set Up
If we decide to move forward, we’ll schedule your first session. I’ll send you a few simple forms to complete online through my secure client portal so everything feels settled before we begin.
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Begin Therapy
Our first 50-minute session is a chance to slow things down. We’ll get to know each other, talk through what you’re navigating right now, and begin shaping goals that feel realistic and supportive for you.
