Perinatal & Postpartum Psychiatrist in Austin, TX
Specialized psychiatric care for anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma and mood changes during pregnancy and after birth.
Start Feeling Like You Again
You love your baby, but you might also feel anxious, overwhelmed, or detached. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. You’re experiencing very real neurochemical and physiological shifts that deserve real care so you can feel like you again.
We provide thoughtful, trauma-informed treatment for women before, during, and after pregnancy. Dr. Williams addresses the biology, psychology, and spiritual wellness of perinatal and postpartum women so you can feel grounded and supported.
What is Perinatal and Postpartum Psychiatry?
Perinatal and postpartum psychiatry focuses on mental health during pregnancy, after birth, and throughout early motherhood. These stages bring profound hormonal, emotional, and physical changes that can trigger anxiety, depression, or emotional disconnection.
Dr. Williams provides specialized psychiatric care that looks at the full picture: your hormones, DNA, sleep patterns, nervous system, and the psychological load of caring for a newborn. Treatment supports both stabilization and long-term resilience, helping you reconnect with yourself while nurturing your baby.
Who Is Perinatal and Postpartum Psychiatry For?
Perinatal and postpartum psychiatry supports women who want to feel emotionally balanced and connected during one of life’s most demanding transitions. This care is designed for:
Women experiencing anxiety, depression, or intrusive thoughts during pregnancy or after birth
Mothers struggling with mood swings, panic, or emotional numbness while caring for a newborn
Women navigating fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, or birth trauma
High-functioning professionals balancing motherhood with burnout or perfectionism
Anyone seeking holistic, evidence-based care that addresses both the body and mind
Women's Mental Health
Women’s mental health care in Austin provides personalized psychiatric evaluation and treatment for the emotional and hormonal changes that can affect well-being throughout every stage of life. Care is tailored to identify the underlying factors influencing symptoms and create a treatment plan that supports lasting mental wellness.
OCD Specialist
OCD specialist care in Austin takes a whole-person approach by evaluating the biological and neurological factors that may contribute to obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Personalized treatment plans are designed to support long-term mental wellness and improved daily functioning.
Source Psychiatric Care
This is Source Psychiatry™ at work: integrative, holistic, and functional psychiatry combined into one evaluation instead of treated as three separate philosophies. I trained as an integrative psychiatrist. Over time, the work has moved further into the functional model: more lab work, more root-cause investigation, less reliance on medication as the whole answer. True healing requires more than a prescription.
Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
A guided ketamine-based approach that supports deep emotional processing, helping you work through trauma, gain clarity, and create lasting change within a safe, structured psychiatric care setting Focused on safety and integration and care.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
Clear emotional blocks — fast. ART is a breakthrough modality that uses imagery and eye movements to process trauma without reliving it. Many clients experience profound relief in just a few sessions. delivered in a safe, structured clinical setting.
ADHD
Comprehensive ADHD psychiatric care in Austin focused on accurate diagnosis, medication management, and personalized treatment plans. We help improve focus, organization, and daily functioning through structured, evidence-based support.
Anxiety
Anxiety psychiatric care in Austin focused on identifying root causes of worry, panic, and restlessness. Treatment includes thorough evaluation and personalized plans that may include medication and integrative strategies to restore balance and relief.
Trauma
Trauma psychiatric care in Austin focused on understanding how trauma affects the nervous system, emotions, and daily life. Treatment is trauma-informed and may include structured evaluation, medication, and integrative approaches for deep healing and stability.
DNA Methylation
DNA methylation psychiatry in Austin uses advanced genetic and epigenetic insights to understand how gene expression affects mood, energy, and mental health. Care is personalized to uncover biological patterns and guide targeted, integrative treatment.
Want to understand the cost of care?
Review our Fees & How Care Works before requesting an evaluation.
What they say
How We’ll Work Together
Step 1: Comprehensive Intake
We begin with a full review of your medical history, mood changes, hormones, and lifestyle factors. This helps identify root causes rather than labeling symptoms.
Step 2: Personalized Care Plan
Together, we create a plan that may include medication, nutritional support, therapy, or nervous system regulation techniques. Every recommendation fits your biology and stage of motherhood.
Step 3: Ongoing Support
Motherhood changes constantly, and your care should too. Follow-up sessions provide continued support, adjustments, and education to help you feel emotionally steady and physically well.
Meet Dr. Lauren Williams, Perinatal & Postpartum Psychiatrist
Board-Certified Psychiatrist | Functional Medicine Trained | Trauma-Informed
Motherhood asks more of your body and mind than most people realize. My work focuses on helping women regain balance through personalized, evidence-based care that respects both biology and lived experience.
I trained in integrative and functional psychiatry, which means I don’t separate mental health from hormonal health, nutrition, or nervous system regulation. Whether you’re pregnant, newly postpartum, or years into motherhood, we’ll look at the full picture: from sleep and inflammation to stress response and emotional load.
How Your Care Unfolds
This diagram carries no prices by design — see the sections above and below for exact figures.
How Source Psychiatry Approaches Perinatal Mental Health Care
Perinatal psychiatric care at Source Psychiatry considers symptoms in the context of pregnancy or postpartum changes, sleep, medical history, trauma, stress, medications, and other clinically relevant factors.
| What Patients May Notice | Dr. Lauren Williams at Source Psychiatry | General Perinatal Mental Health Care |
|---|---|---|
| Looking Beyond a Single Diagnosis | Symptoms are evaluated alongside sleep, reproductive changes, medical history, nutrition, lifestyle, trauma, stress, and other relevant factors. | The scope of medical, reproductive, and lifestyle assessment varies by clinician and setting. |
| More Time to Understand Your History | The intake includes a 60-minute clinical history session, a 60-minute physician evaluation, and a separate 60-minute integration visit. | Appointment length, sequencing, and intake structure vary across practices. |
| Using Clinical Data When Appropriate | Baseline labs are part of the Source Psychiatry pathway. Additional testing may be considered when it could provide useful clinical information. | Laboratory testing varies based on symptoms, medications, medical history, and clinical judgment. |
| A Plan Built Around the Individual | Care may include medication, nutrition, therapy, lifestyle changes, and nervous system regulation based on the patient’s needs and stage of motherhood. | Treatment options and referral needs vary based on the patient and clinician. |
| Support for Difficult Reproductive Experiences | Care may address fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, birth trauma, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, depression, and emotional disconnection. | Support may be provided directly or coordinated with clinicians who have relevant perinatal or trauma expertise. |
| Additional Therapies When Appropriate | Accelerated Resolution Therapy and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy may be considered when clinically appropriate within the broader treatment plan. | The availability and appropriateness of specialized therapies vary by practice and patient. |
| Care That Continues After the First Visits | The structured pathway may include monthly visits during months three through six, followed by quarterly visits for continued stability and treatment refinement. | Follow-up frequency varies with symptoms, medication needs, treatment response, and clinical judgment. |
Every treatment plan is individualized. Testing, medication, therapy, and other interventions are recommended only when clinically appropriate.
Postpartum Care Matters
Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee + DSHS Joint Biennial Report (2024)
65%
of pregnancy-associated deaths reviewed from 2016–2019 occurred 61 days to 1 year postpartum.
Perinatal & Postpartum Psychiatrist: Frequently Asked Questions
What does a perinatal psychiatrist do?
A perinatal psychiatrist specializes in mental health care during pregnancy and after birth. They assess hormonal changes, prescribe medication when needed, and provide therapy or integrative support to help mothers manage anxiety, depression, and mood shifts safely and effectively.
What are the red flags for perinatal mental health?
Red flags include persistent sadness, anxiety, irritability, panic attacks, emotional numbness, or difficulty bonding with your baby. Changes in sleep, appetite, or concentration that interfere with daily life also signal that professional support is needed.
Can a psychiatrist help with postpartum depression?
Yes. A psychiatrist can diagnose and treat postpartum depression through a combination of medication, therapy, and lifestyle interventions. Dr. Williams tailors each plan to balance hormones, regulate the nervous system, and restore emotional stability without compromising breastfeeding or maternal health.
What are the psychiatric disorders of pregnancy?
What are the most common perinatal mental health conditions?
Find Your Way Back to Balance
Our practice is intentionally small, giving you time, attention, and care that support real healing rather than quick fixes. You don’t need to suffer in silence, we’re here to support you.
