Vera McGrath, LMFT

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Vera McGrath, LMFT Helping women & mothers move beyond anxiety, overwhelm, perfectionism & old patterns. Perinatal mental health + EMDR therapy. Hi, I’m Vera!

In-person in Carlsbad & online throughout California. I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in therapy for women and mothers. I help women who feel overwhelmed, stuck in old patterns, and who are constantly holding everything together feel more grounded, present, and connected to themselves and their lives. I also specialize in perinatal mental health, supporting women through fertility challenges, pregnancy, postpartum, loss, and the transition into motherhood. My style is warm, down-to-earth, and collaborative. We’ll work on what’s affecting you right now while also looking beneath the surface at the patterns and experiences that may be keeping you stuck. As an EMDR Certified therapist, I integrate EMDR and nervous-system-informed therapy with many other practical tools. Outside the therapy room, I love being outdoors, surfing, snowboarding, traveling, reading, and spending time with my family, friends, and my office dog Bella. I believe therapy can be a place where you don’t have to perform or have everything figured out. You can simply show up as you are.

09/16/2026

Moving across countries and cultures has shaped so much of who I am — personally and as a therapist.

I’ve learned that being adaptable can be an incredible strength. But sometimes we can become so good at adjusting to different environments and expectations that we lose track of what we actually need.

This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, and I’m looking forward to talking about it more here. 🌍

09/15/2026

Moving across countries and cultures has shaped so much of who I am — personally and as a therapist.

I’ve learned that being adaptable can be an incredible strength. But sometimes we can become so good at adjusting to different environments and expectations that we lose track of what we actually need.

This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, and I’m looking forward to talking about it more here. 🌍

What do you think about adapting?

I’ve been thinking a lot about the pressure on moms to “stay calm.”There is so much parenting advice about regulating ou...
09/10/2026

I’ve been thinking a lot about the pressure on moms to “stay calm.”

There is so much parenting advice about regulating ourselves so that we can help our kids regulate. There is absolutely value in that!

Somehow “staying calm” started to feel like we’re supposed to feel calm.

Those are not the same thing.

You can feel frustrated, angry, overwhelmed or overstimulated and still choose how you respond. In fact, noticing what you’re actually feeling gives you important information about what’s happening for you, and can help you stay curious about what’s happening for your child.

Maybe our kids don’t need to learn that healthy people are always calm.

Maybe they need to learn that big feelings can happen and we can handle them.

09/01/2026

What if being a “regulated mom” doesn’t mean staying calm all the time?

You’re going to get frustrated. You’re going to feel overwhelmed. And yes, sometimes you may even lose your cool.

The goal isn’t perfect regulation. It’s learning to notice what’s happening, take responsibility for our own emotions, set boundaries when we need to, and repair when things get messy.

Our kids don’t need us to show them how to never have big emotions.

They need us to show them what to do with them.

And maybe we can stop giving moms one more thing to feel like they’re failing at.

Pregnancy, postpartum, fertility challenges, loss, and becoming a mother can bring a lot of emotional change. Some of th...
09/01/2026

Pregnancy, postpartum, fertility challenges, loss, and becoming a mother can bring a lot of emotional change. Some of that is expected. But that doesn’t mean you have to push through everything on your own.

One of the questions I hear is: How do I know when what I’m feeling is “normal” — and when it might be time to talk to someone?

After birth, the “baby blues” are common. Feeling tearful, overwhelmed, irritable, or emotionally sensitive can be part of those first days, and these feelings usually begin to improve within about two weeks.

When symptoms are more intense, aren’t improving, are getting worse, or are making it difficult to function or feel like yourself, it may be time to reach out.

And this isn’t only about postpartum depression.

Anxiety, unwanted or scary thoughts, irritability or rage, difficult birth experiences, fertility treatment, pregnancy loss, and old experiences that resurface during pregnancy or motherhood can all be reasons to seek support.

I specialize in reproductive and perinatal mental health and EMDR, supporting women through fertility, pregnancy, loss, postpartum, and the transition into motherhood.

You don’t have to wait until you’re at your limit to ask for support.

If you’re wondering whether therapy might be helpful, you’re welcome to reach out for a free consultation.

08/24/2026

A fun and inspiring weekend at EMDRIA 2026 ✨

I love getting the chance to step away from my usual routine, learn from other EMDR therapists, reconnect with colleagues, and come home with new ideas and perspectives.

There is always more to learn in this work. Weekends like this remind me how much I enjoy being part of this community.

08/18/2026

A little tour of the space where I spend much of my week.

I love having a calm, grounding place for clients to land. Bella agrees 🐾

📍Carlsbad, CA

It feels a little strange to write an introduction after having this account for a while, but here we are.I’m starting t...
08/15/2026

It feels a little strange to write an introduction after having this account for a while, but here we are.

I’m starting to use this space a little more intentionally to share some of the things I think about in my work, the conversations I wish we were having more often, and probably some thoughts that come up while I’m walking the dog or staring at the ocean.

So, if you’re new here or if you’ve been here for a while: Hi, I’m Vera. I’m glad you’re here.

Moms often hear: ‘𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴.’But here’s the truth: 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘦𝘷...
09/03/2025

Moms often hear: ‘𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴.’

But here’s the truth: 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

Your needs matter. Your peace matters. YOU matter.

Being a good mom doesn’t mean neglecting yourself.It means showing your children what it looks like to value your own we...
09/03/2025

Being a good mom doesn’t mean neglecting yourself.
It means showing your children what it looks like to value your own well-being. 💛

Moms, you deserve moments of calm, support, and joy — not just survival.

Address

2945 Harding Street
Carlsbad, CA
92008

Telephone

+17605176361

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