I have to admit, I have a soft spot for this time of year. As we wish each other a happy new year, there’s a shared sense that a chapter is ending, even if we can’t quite put our finger on what will be different in the new one that has yet to be written.…
I am a co-founder of Wildflower, a psychotherapist, a presenter and a consultant in the area of perinatal and reproductive mental health. Many other aspects of my personal identity shape my clinical work: chief among them is the family and immigrant background which has informed my attunement to the psychological upheaval that accompanies major life transitions and to the many sociocultural forces that impact our lived experience. In my clinical work, I am focused on helping people thrive and cope during periods of significant change, and particularly during journeys towards and through parenthood which may involve infertility, losses, depression, anxiety, and conflict. I work with people from all walks in life. Clients I work with are some of the strongest, most resilient folks I know. They don’t always feel this way, and they come to therapy feeling raw, maybe lost, and certainly quite vulnerable. It takes courage to confront your pain and struggle. I view psychotherapy as a deeply collaborative process that aims to help you discover and tap into your strengths and resources. You already have what it takes to feel better, be happier, face challenges – good psychotherapy basically helps you access all that. This can only happen if your therapist genuinely cares about and respects you and is invested in their own ongoing professional development and personal growth. I have extensive training in perinatal and reproductive mental health, evidence-based treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, sex therapy, and trauma. I earned my bachelor’s degree in international studies at the University of Chicago and obtained my master’s degree in clinical social work at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. I often present on topics related to mental health. I am an AASECT-certified sex therapist and a certified perinatal mental health clinician. My most valuable learning experiences come from my clients: their experience, wisdom and perspective have shaped my clinical practice the most, something I am deeply grateful for. LCSW License Number:149016046 Type 1 NPI Number: 1841631132 Accepts: BCBS PPO and BlueChoice plans, Lyra, self-pay and out of network clients Pronouns she/her/hers Selected training and affiliation AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist Certified Perinatal Mental Health Clinician Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Training Bringing Baby Home Educator Training, Gottman Institute Circle of Security Parent Educator Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) training Gottman Method Level 1 training Dialectical Behavior Therapy Training Key beliefs People are stronger and more resilient than they often realize. Our culture teaches us to be fiercely independent. To thrive, we need to embrace being interdependent -- deep connection with others is essential for happiness. More about me I love the outdoors and hiking, camping, kayaking. I can’t live without chocolate. I feel grateful every day for getting to do the work I love.
Three Key Skills to Navigate Challenging Interactions During the Holidays
The holidays arrive every year accompanied by twinkling lights, festive songs, and for many families, an undercurrent of tension. Celebrating with family can sometimes feel less like a haven from the everyday stress and more like tiptoeing through a booby-trapped obstacle course, where one comment can set off years’ worth of pent-up feelings. Holidays can…
Better Sex Starts with Better Conversations
Understanding Sexual Communication Sexual communication is just what it sounds like: it’s communication about sex. Seems simple, right? It isn’t, but not because some special or arcane set of skills are needed. Our culture teaches us to be profoundly uncomfortable and/or conflicted about sex. Many people spend a lifetime with another person without broaching the…
The ABCs of Postpartum Self-Care
All life transitions, even the joyful ones which mark the beginning of a new, wished-for chapter, are tough. The transition to motherhood is even more challenging than a move to a foreign country, getting married, or setting on a different career path. Why is that? The arrival of a baby forces changes that are abrupt,…
Between Sessions: Our Favorite Recent Reads
Few things beat the simple pleasure of sinking into the couch with a book that grabs you and doesn’t let go. We’d like to share with you Wildflower therapists’ most recent favorites, ranging from fiction to non-fiction, heartwarmingly tender to laugh-out-loud funny—books that moved us, made us think, and kept us turning the pages late…
When Love and Diapers Collide: Navigating Your Postpartum Relationship
As a therapist who specializes in perinatal mental health and sex/couples therapy, I often witness what happens when romantic love meets sleep deprivation, hormonal changes, and a tiny crying human alarm clock that doesn’t come with a snooze button. In the postpartum period, partners might feel more like cranky roommates than starry-eyed soulmates. If this…
The Many Faces of Postpartum Worry
The postpartum period is often described as a time of joy and bonding, but for many new moms, it’s also a time of worry. Transition to parenthood is a significant life change, bringing emotional, hormonal, relationship, and lifestyle shifts all at once. Caring for a newborn while adjusting to your life being completely different makes…
Perimenopause and Mental Health: An Interview with Reproductive Psychiatrist Dr. Vesna Pirec, MD, PhD
Perimenopause is a major life transition that affects both the body and mind. While it’s often recognized for causing irregular periods and hot flashes, its impact on mental health can be just as significant. In this conversation, Wildflower’s co-founder Aga Grabowski, LCSW, PMH-C, CST, interviews Dr. Vesna Pirec, MD, PhD, a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in…
You Are Not Broken: Rethinking the Path to Sex Therapy
As an AASECT-certified sex therapist, I often hear people describe themselves as ‘broken’ when they walk through my door. ‘What is wrong with me?’ is a common refrain, spoken with shame, often through tears. Therapy can feel like a last-ditch effort to “fix” yourself. I understand why you might feel that way. But let me…
Something Better Than New Year’s Resolutions
As the new year rolls in, many people embrace the tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions, often aiming to lose weight, exercise more, or quit troubling habits. These goals initially feel like an empowering way to start fresh, but can prove stressful and difficult to maintain. Most people abandon them by the end of January.…
