Megan Williams, LCSW, PMH-C

08/22/2026

Idk if it’s worse when a psychiatrist says this, or when most OBs say the same thing…

“Sorry, since you’re past your 6 week check up, we recommend finding someone who can help you.”

“You’ve been discharged from our care already.”

I didn’t know we were cherry picking ACOG standards now!

Wtf did I just watch 😵‍💫

He referenced the DSM-5, which yes, the DSM-5 uses a “with peripartum onset” specifier when a depressive episode begins during pregnancy or within the first 4 weeks after delivery.

But that does not mean postpartum depression only happens within four weeks.

The National Institute of Mental Health describes postpartum depression as occurring in the weeks and months after childbirth and notes that many episodes actually begin around 4–8 weeks postpartum. ACOG also recognizes the postpartum period as extending through the first 12 weeks after birth and specifically recommends that postpartum care be treated as an ONGOING process, not one isolated visit or arbitrary cutoff.

Mothers do not wake up on day 29 suddenly healed.

Hormones do not reset on a calendar.
Sleep deprivation does not disappear.
Birth trauma does not disappear.
Breastfeeding challenges do not disappear.
Physical recovery does not disappear.
And postpartum mental health disorders certainly do not become irrelevant because four weeks have passed.

We already live in a culture that expects mothers to recover quickly, function normally, care for a newborn around the clock, and somehow recognize when what they are experiencing has crossed into something that requires help.

The last thing mothers need is another artificial deadline suggesting that once they are a month postpartum, their symptoms somehow no longer count.

Postpartum is a season of recovery and adjustment, not a 28-day expiration date.

Mothers deserve accurate information, continued screening, continued support, and clinicians who understand that maternal mental health does not operate according to an arbitrary calendar.

The DSM may use a 4-week onset window for the “with peripartum onset” specifier, but postpartum mental health does not operate on a 28-day deadline. Postpartum depression can begin weeks or even months after delivery, well beyond that narrow DSM window.

08/14/2026

Content Warning: Pregnancy & Infant Loss

Lately, I’ve found myself reflecting more on grief and bereavement, and on how deeply loss can continue to live alongside us, long after the rest of the world may expect someone to have “moved forward.”

I’ve had the profound honor of walking alongside women who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss, and of being trusted with stories of babies who were deeply loved, hoped for, imagined, and missed.

This work continues to remind me that grief is not something to rush, fix, or place on a timeline. Sometimes the most meaningful thing we can offer is simply a space where it is safe to remember, to hurt, and to say their baby mattered.

To the mothers carrying this kind of grief: there is no expiration date on your love, and there is no timeline for grieving your baby.

There is hope and healing for you. 🫶🏼

08/07/2026

You know it was a great event when you don’t even get to make it around to say hello to all of your favorite people, or snap a photo behind your own table!

Space Coast Breastfeeding Coalition did a tremendous job putting on their annual 321 Latch event!

It was exciting to make the first event debut as a business, too 🫶🏼 I loved getting to meet and connect with so many beautiful people today!

The “fill your cup” station was a total ✨HIT✨ and I can’t wait to continue offering it at more events in the future!

07/17/2026

It’s birth trauma awareness week. This is something that is so much more common than many people realize.

Too often, birth stories are minimized with phrases like, “Well, you and the baby are healthy.” While a healthy parent and baby are absolutely worth celebrating, a healthy outcome does not erase a traumatic experience.

Birth trauma isn’t reserved for life-threatening emergencies.

It can happen when someone felt unheard.
When consent wasn’t honored.
When fear outweighed safety.
When choices were taken away.
When the birth happened to you instead of with you.

Trauma isn’t defined by what happened on paper—it’s defined by how your nervous system experienced it.

If parts of your birth still feel “stuck,” if certain memories still bring tears, anxiety, shame, or panic, you’re not being dramatic. You’re not failing to “move on.”

Your brain may simply be holding an experience that never had the opportunity to fully process.

The good news? Healing is possible.

EMDR therapy, guided by the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, helps the brain do what it was designed to do: process overwhelming experiences so they can become part of your past instead of continuing to shape your present.

If this post resonated with you, know that you’re not alone - and consider sharing it with someone who may need this reminder today.

07/14/2026

If you would have told me a few years ago that I’d be introducing my own private practice, I’m not sure I would have believed you.

Truthfully, I didn’t know if I’d ever be here.

But sometimes the things that feel most uncertain end up becoming the things we’re most called to do.

Today, I’m so excited (and maybe a little nervous) to introduce Mirabilis Counseling and Wellness: a space built on warmth, authenticity, and the belief that you are the expert in your own story. My hope is that every person who walks through my door feels seen, supported, and never judged.

To everyone who has encouraged me, trusted me, cheered me on, and believed in this dream long before it felt real - thank you. I truly couldn’t have done this without you.

Here’s to new beginnings. I can’t wait to see where this journey leads.

🤍 Appointments begin in August.
📍Melbourne, FL
🌿 Perinatal Mental Health • EMDR • Trauma • Anxiety • Depression • Life Transitions

Welcome to Mirabilis Counseling and Wellness.