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Emily Cave

Emily Headshot

Emily Cave, LISW
(She/Her/Hers)

Modalities: TF-CBT, EMDR, Perinatal Mental Health

Perinatal: Advanced Training

I earned both my Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) from Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa. After graduate school, I worked as a school-based therapist in elementary and high schools before returning to the Des Moines area, where I provided both school-based and outpatient clinical therapy for children, adolescents, and families. These experiences gave me a strong foundation in supporting individuals and families through trauma, life transitions, and mental health challenges. I am a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) in the state of Iowa, and I have training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and other evidence-based treatment approaches.

My passion for working with women and families during the perinatal period grew from my own experience with recurrent pregnancy loss and from my son’s premature birth and extended stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). These experiences gave me firsthand insight into the emotional complexities that can accompany pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Since then, I have completed advanced training in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) through Postpartum Support International (PSI), along with additional specialized training in perinatal mental health, and I am currently working toward my Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C).

In addition to my clinical work, I serve as a board member for Average Everyday Miracles, a local nonprofit organization that supports NICU families at Blank Children’s Hospital. I am honored to combine both my professional training and lived experience to support parents and caregivers with compassion, evidence-based care, and hope during the perinatal journey.

NPI: 1639693252

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What My Support Looks Like

I have a passion for supporting women through the many transitions, challenges, and changes that life can bring. This includes support through pregnancy and postpartum challenges, infertility, pregnancy and infant loss, trauma, and the emotional complexities of motherhood. I also work with women who are grieving the life, family, or motherhood journey they imagined—whether their reality looks different because of circumstances beyond their control or simply because life took an unexpected turn.

 

I have a particular passion for supporting parents during and after their baby’s time in the NICU. Whether your little one is in the NICU for one day or hundreds of days, it can be an incredibly difficult and unexpected experience, often filled with grief, uncertainty, fear, and emotions that can be hard to put into words. 

The NICU can feel like its own world, with its own language, routines, fears, and uncertainties, and it can be exhausting to explain the details of your experience to someone unfamiliar with it. With my knowledge and understanding of the NICU experience, you can spend less time explaining the terminology and more time focusing on what matters most: processing your experiences, finding your footing, and healing.

My counseling style is warm, compassionate, and nonjudgmental. I strive to create a safe space where you can show up as your authentic self, without judgment or pressure to have everything figured out. I use a client-centered and collaborative approach, tailoring therapy to your individual needs, goals, and preferences.

I believe you are the expert in your own life. My role is to meet you where you are, honor the experiences that have shaped you, and walk alongside you as you navigate your healing journey.

In My Free Time You Can Find Me…

Outside of Bloom, I’m a wife and a mom to a sweet little boy who brings our family so much joy (and keeps us on our toes!). When I’m not working, you can usually find me spending time with family and friends, taking the occasional trip or exploring new places, checking out local events, thrift shopping, tending to my collection of plants, or finding time to slow down and relax at home. I’m a big fan of the simple, everyday moments and spending time with the people I love most.

Book With Emily

To schedule an appointment with Emily, please email her by clicking the button below.

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You Don’t Have To Do This Alone

What do Bloom's perinatal mental health designations mean?

Perinatal mental health is one of Bloom’s core specialties, so we’re intentional about how we describe each provider’s training in this area. You’ll see one of three designations on every counselor’s profile: Certified, Advanced Training, or Growing Interest. Here’s what each one means.

What does "Certified" mean?
Certified indicates a provider is Certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) — the formal, board-recognized specialty certification in perinatal mental health. Earning the PMH-C requires advanced education, supervised clinical training, and meeting professional standards set specifically for supporting individuals and families through the perinatal period.
What does "Advanced Training" mean?
Advanced Training means the provider has completed Bloom’s foundational two-day perinatal mental health training plus additional, advanced perinatal-specific coursework. These providers have pursued real, substantial education in the assessment and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, even though they haven’t yet completed the PMH-C certification process.
What does "Growing Interest" mean?
Growing Interest means the provider has a genuine clinical interest in supporting individuals through pregnancy, postpartum, and the transition to parenthood, but hasn’t yet completed Bloom’s training threshold for our Advanced Training designation. It’s an honest starting point, not a lesser one — many of our most experienced perinatal providers began here.
Why does Bloom make this distinction?
We believe you deserve to understand the training and experience behind the provider you’re choosing. Rather than using a vague catch-all term, we want our language to be transparent and specific — so you can find a provider whose background genuinely matches what you’re looking for.
What if I'd like to work with a provider at a different level of perinatal training?

That’s completely okay! You can browse our full team on the Meet Our Counselors page, where every provider’s designation is listed alongside their focus areas, so you can find the best match for your needs — whether that’s deep perinatal specialization or simply the right overall fit for you.