Mental Health Resources
Emergency & Crisis Lines
If you or a loved one is experiencing an emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
If you or a loved one is having suicidal ideation, please call or text 988.
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project suicide hotline and crisis care are available 24/7 to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Iowa Crisis Lines
Your Life Iowa
This is a service of the Iowa Department of Health & Human Services. Counselors are available to provide support 24/7. Call (855)851-8111 or text (855)895-8398.
Broadlawns Hospital Crisis Services
The Broadlawns Crisis Observation Center is open 24/7 to people 18 years or older seeking support for psychological stress that does not require hospitalization. Call (515) 282-5742 for assistance.
Iowa Victim Service Call Center
This confidential resource is for anyone in Iowa who’s experienced crime or trauma, including domestic violence, elder abuse, and other violent crimes. Call (800) 770-1650 or text “IOWAHELP” to 20121.
Iowa In-Person Services
Unity Point Behavioral Health Urgent Care
A behavioral health urgent care in Des Moines providing in-person care to individuals in need of mental health services. This is not a 24/7 service. Call (515)263-2632 for more information.
Broadlawns Behavioral Health Urgent Care & Crisis Observation
A behavioral health urgent care in Des Moines that accepts walk-in appointments and provides support for mental and behavioral health conditions. Call (515) 282-5742 for details.
Clive Behavioral Health
Located in Clive, a suburb of Des Moines, this behavioral health hospital is dedicated to providing mental health care for children, teens, and adults. Call (844) 640-0504 for more information.
National Crisis Resources
7 Cups
Connect with counselors 24/7 for free.
American Psychological Association on Resilience
This American Psychological Association discusses resilience and how to adapt to life’s challenging moments.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline
This 24/7 crisis line provides support for people experiencing trauma related to natural or human-caused disasters, including but not limited to tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and mass violence.
Non-Emergency Resources
Mental Health Support Groups in Des Moines
Psychology Today’s list of support groups and classes in and around the Metro.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) Iowa
This non-profit organization that helps support parents experiencing perinatal mood disorders.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) Helpline
For mental health care related to postpartum concerns, the Postpartum Support International Helpline. Call (800)944-4773 or text (800)944-4773.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) Online Support Groups
Join peer support groups for all things related to pregnancy, including postpartum, pregnancy loss, and fertility challenges.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) Provider Directory
Find a list of perinatal mental health providers in your area.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) Chat for Parents
Speak with an expert and find support within a community of parents.
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
This federal government website is managed by the Office on Women’s Health and offers a 24/7 support line at (833) TLC-MAMA or (833) 852-6262
Postpartum Stress Center
A support system for perinatal and postpartum anxiety and depression is available here. They also offer virtual training sessions and support groups.
Preconception & Postpartum Resources
Integrative Preconception Guide
Feel free to use our integrative preconception guide when planning your pregnancy.
Postpartum Planning Guide
We’ve created a free guide to help you proactively plan for your postpartum period.
Postpartum Mental Health Guide
Our free guide includes information on mental health concerns during the postpartum period, including Postnatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), what to expect in the postpartum period, and more.
Childbirth
Evidence-Based Birth
This resource informs and empowers expecting parents as well as birth-care practitioners around the world.
Mindfulness & Meditation
Mindful Mamas Club
This mindfulness and self-care includes guided meditations, courses, affirmations, and more.
Daring to Rest Academy
Programs that help support rest and sleep, recovery from burnout, and more.
Mindful Moms Meditation
A thoughtful article on mindfulness and meditation for moms.
Mindful Loving-Kindness Meditation
A meditation designed to soften emotions and create mindful resilience.
Insight Timer
An app with free guided meditations aimed at stress reduction, better sleep,and more.
Calm
A meditation app full of guided lessons, sleep stories, and more.
Headspace
Guided meditations for anxiety management, thought processing, managing stress, and more in one app.
Mama-Centered Podcasts
Mom & Mind
Psychologist and specialist in perinatal mental health, Dr. Kat, interviews parents and gets real about things like postpartum depression and anxiety, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and more.
What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood
Hosts Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables share stories of parenthood, careers, and relationships. They might make you cry and laugh in the span of one episode.
The Birth Hour
Bryn Huntpalmer interviews parents willing to share stories of one of the biggest, most intimate moments of their life. These accounts of childbirth are meant to help normalize these powerful conversations.
Lactation & Medication
If you are concerned about taking medications while breastfeeding or pumping, please consult your physician. Here is a list of additional resources you may find helpful:
LactRX
This app provides free and up-to-date information, including access to their database, a resource from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).
Infant Risk Center
A team of specialists from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center provides up-to-date lactation support, an app, and other resources.
E-Lactancia
This is a helpful resource to help you find whether certain medications, foods, and more are compatible with breastfeeding.
Grief & Loss
Every Step
This group in Des Moines offers support for those navigating grief.
No Foot Too Small
Based in Coralville, Iowa, this group brings families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss together.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) Support Groups
There are several virtual support groups available through PSI, including a weekly perinatal loss group.
Additional Resources
Postpartum Support International (PSI) Support Groups
There are several virtual support groups available through PSI, including a weekly perinatal loss group.
Books
On Mindfulness & Meditation
Buddhism for Mothers: A Calm Approach to Caring for Yourself and Your Children – Sarah Naphtali (2003)
Aware: The Science of Presence – a Complete Guide to the Groundbreaking Wheel of Awareness Meditation Practice – Daniel J. Siegel (2018)
Mindful Motherhood: Practical Tools for Staying Sane During Pregnancy and Your Child’s First Year – Cassandra Vieten (2009)
Mindful Moments for Busy Moms: Daily Meditations and Mantras for Greater Calm, Balance, and Joy – Sarah Rudell Beach (2018)
The Miracle of Mindfulness – Thich Nhat Hanh (1975)
On Perinatal & Postpartum Mood & Anxiety Disorders
Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: A Healing Guide to the Secret Fears of New Mothers – Karen Kleiman and Molly McIntyre (2019)
This Isn’t What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression – Karen R. Kleiman and Valerie Davis Raskin MD (2013)
The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook: Practical Skills to Help You Overcome Anxiety, Worry, Panic Attacks, Obsessions, and Compulsions – Pamela S. Wiegartz, Kevin L. Gyoerkoe (2009)
The Pregnancy Workbook: Manage Anxiety and Worry with CBT and Mindfulness Techniques – Katayune Kaeni (2021)
Birth Trauma: A Guide for You, Your Friends and Family to Coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Following Birth – Kim Thomas (2013)
Heal Your Birth Story: Releasing the Unexpected – Maureen Campion (2015)
Daddy Blues: Postnatal Depression and Fatherhood – Mark Williams (2018)
On Postpartum
The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother – Heng Ou, Amely Greeven, and Marisa Belger (2016)
Birth in Four Cultures: A Crosscultural Investigation of Childbirth in Yucatan, Holland, Sweden, and the United States (4th edition) – Brigitte Jordan and Robbie Davis-Floyd (1993)
Zuo Yuezi: An American Mother’s Guide to Chinese Postpartum Recovery – Guang Ming Whitley and Kai Tsu Easlon (2016)
What No One Tells You: A Guide to Your Emotions from Pregnancy to Motherhood – Dr. Alexandra Sacks and Dr. Catherine Birndorf (2019).
Strong as a Mother: How to Stay Healthy, Happy, and (Most Importantly) Sane from Pregnancy to Parenthood: The Only Guide to Taking Care of YOU! – Kate Rope (2018).
The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality Paperback – Kimberly Ann Johnson (2017).
The Postpartum Plan Workbook – Erin Huiatt (2019)
Build Your Nest: A Postpartum Planning Workbook Paperback – Kestrel Gates (2016)
On Relationships
To Have and to Hold: Motherhood, Marriage, and the Modern Dilemma – Molly Millwood (2019)
How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids – Jancee Dunn (2017)
John and Julie Gottman are world-renowned relationship experts who have published several books and other tools, including an app, on the subject of relationship satisfaction and success.
On Childbirth
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide – Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley, Ann Keppler, Janelle Durham, and April Bolding (2018)
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong and What You Really Need to Know – Emily Oster (2013)
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth -Ina May Gaskin (2003)
Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood and Trusting Yourself and Your Body – Erica Chidi Cohen and Jillian Ditner (2017)
Babies Are Not Pizzas: They’re Born, Not Delivered – Rebecca Dekker (2019)
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor’s Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices – Sarah J. Buckley (2005)
Creating Your Birth Plan: The Definitive Guide to a Safe and Empowering Birth – Marsden Wagner (2006)
The Positive Birth Book: A New Approach to Pregnancy, Birth and the Early Week – Milli Hill (2017)
On Grief & Loss
Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby – Deborah L. Davis (2016)
A Silent Sorrow: Pregnancy Loss – Guidance and Support for You and Your Family – Ingrid Kohn (2000)
Beyond Tears: Living After Losing a Child – Ellen Mitchell, Rita Volpe, Ariella Long, Phyllis Levine, Madeline Perri Kasden, Barbara Goldstein, Barbara Eisenberg, Lorenza Colletti, Audrey Cohen, and Carol Barkin (2009)
Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations for Working Through Grief – Martha Whitmore Hickman (1994)
Pregnancy After a Loss: A Guide to Pregnancy After a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Infant Death – Carol Cirulli Lanham (1999)
An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: A Memoir – Elizabeth McCracken
Hope for Today, Promises for Tomorrow: Finding Light Beyond the Shadow of Miscarriage or Infant Loss – Teske Drake (2012)
I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy – Angie Smith (2010)
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Payments Accepted
We accept Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem, Midland’s Choice, Cigna, Health Partners, Tricare, and private pay clients. We believe that mental health care should be accessible and we’re happy to work with you on a sliding fee scale.