Couples therapy for the transition to parenthood, because this season doesn't have to break you.
Before the baby, you were a team. Now you're two exhausted people keeping score — who got up last, who changed the last diaper, who gets to shower today. The conversations you used to have about dreams and plans have been replaced by logistics and resentment. You're in the same house but feel miles apart.
This is one of the most common — and least talked about — challenges of new parenthood. Research shows that up to 67% of couples experience a significant decline in relationship satisfaction in the first three years after a baby arrives. It's not because something is wrong with your relationship. It's because no one prepared you for how profoundly a baby changes everything.
I'm Dr. Vanessa Vitiello — a doctoral-level clinical psychologist specializing exclusively in perinatal mental health. I completed my postdoctoral fellowship at The Motherhood Center of New York, one of the leading perinatal mental health treatment centers in the country.
I provide virtual therapy to clients throughout New Jersey and across 39+ states via PSYPACT.
You might be here because
You and your partner argue more than ever — about chores, parenting styles, or things that never used to matter
Physical intimacy has disappeared and you don't know how to talk about it
You feel more like roommates or coworkers than partners
Resentment is building and you're scared of where it's heading
You love your partner but you don't feel connected anymore
Extended family is causing tension you didn't anticipate
How couples therapy help
In our sessions, I create a space where both partners can be heard without judgment. We'll work on understanding the patterns that are driving conflict, rebuilding communication so hard conversations don't turn into fights, and reconnecting as a couple, not just co-parents.
What I bring to couples work that most therapists don't is a perinatal lens. I understand the hormonal, psychological, and identity shifts that happen after a baby for both parents. I know that the partner who isn't the birthing parent is also going through a massive transition that often gets overlooked. And I know that underneath most new-parent conflict is exhaustion, fear, and a deep need to feel seen.
Sessions are 50 minutes and offered virtually via secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth, so you can attend from home after the baby is down no babysitter needed.
Your relationship is worth fighting for.
I work with couples throughout New Jersey — including Scotch Plains, Berkeley Heights, New Providence, and Livingston — and across 39+ states through PSYPACT.
Couples sessions are $375 per session. I provide monthly superbills for out-of-network insurance reimbursement. Most clients with OON benefits receive 50–80% back.
Start with a free 15-minute consultation to see if this is the right fit.