The Pathway to Thriving

Growing into the Best Version of You

Welcome to the Live Oak Psychology blog — a resource for women in Austin, TX and beyond navigating postpartum depression, mom burnout, relationship patterns, and young adult life transitions. Articles are written by Dr. Emily Turinas, a PhD-level perinatal psychologist with specialized training through Postpartum Support International and personal lived experience with high-risk pregnancy and NICU recovery. Browse by category below, or book a free 15-minute consultation if something you read resonates.

NICU Discharge and Coming Home: Why Relief Doesn't Mean Recovery

The day you bring your baby home from the NICU should feel like pure celebration, right? After days, weeks, or months of hospital visits, monitor alarms, medical procedures, and fear—finally, you get to take your baby home. Your family is together under one roof. Your baby is healthy enough to leave. The acute crisis is over. So why doesn't it feel the way you expected? As a perinatal psychologist specializing in maternal mental health and NICU trauma in Austin, Texas who exp

NICU Parent Anxiety: What's Normal, When to Get Help, and Coping Strategies

After five weeks of antepartum hospitalization and a C-section at 35 weeks, I thought the hardest part was behind me. I'd mentally prepared for the possibility that my premature baby might need NICU care—the doctors had told me there was a 50/50 chance. When he was admitted for nine days due to prematurity-related concerns, I felt ready. Scared, but ready. What I wasn't prepared for was going home for a week and a half, finally having our family under one roof for the first t

Postpartum Depression After Pregnancy Complications: Why Your Risk Is Higher and How to Get Help

When we talk about postpartum mental health, we often focus on "typical" postpartum experiences—the baby blues, adjusting to life with a newborn, sleep deprivation, hormonal changes. But there's a hidden mental health crisis that doesn't get nearly enough attention: women who experience pregnancy complications, traumatic births, premature delivery, or NICU stays face dramatically higher rates of postpartum depression, anxiety, and PTSD—yet they're often screened and supported

5 Emotional Challenges of Antepartum Hospitalization: A Psychologist's Guide

When my doctor told me at 30 weeks that I wouldn't be going home, I braced myself for the medical challenges ahead. I knew there would be monitoring, procedures, discomfort, and fear about my baby's health. What I didn't anticipate were the psychological and emotional challenges that would test me in ways I never expected—even as a perinatal psychologist in Austin, Texas who specializes in this exact area. Over five weeks of antepartum hospitalization, I discovered that the h

When Pregnancy Goes Wrong: A Psychologist's Guide to Accepting Antepartum Hospitalization

As a perinatal psychologist in Austin, Texas, I'd spent years helping women navigate pregnancy complications and birth trauma. I thought I understood what antepartum hospitalization meant for my patients' mental health. I could explain the psychology of medical confinement, discuss coping strategies for long-term bed rest, and validate the complex emotions that arise when pregnancy doesn't go as planned. Then I became the patient. I sat in my hospital bed on the Fourth of Jul

How to Heal Emotionally from a Miscarriage: A Psychologist's Guide to Recovery

Experiencing a miscarriage can be one of the most devastating events in a person's life. As a psychologist specializing in peripartum concerns, I've worked with many individuals struggling to heal emotionally after pregnancy loss. In this post, we'll explore effective strategies for coping with the grief and trauma associated with miscarriage, and discuss how therapy can support your healing journey. Miscarriage and Mental Health: What to Expect Emotionally Before we delve in

Live Oak Psychology

Emily Turinas Ph.D. - Licensed Psychologist

512-766-9871

EmilyTurinasPhD@gmail.com

Dr. Emily Turinas, PhD — Licensed Psychologist (TX License #39668)

In-person: 2525 Wallingwood Drive 7D, Austin, Texas 78746 Serving South Austin (Zilker, Barton Hills, Travis Heights, South Lamar), Central Austin (Downtown, Tarrytown, Hyde Park), West Austin (Westlake Hills, Rollingwood), and surrounding areas.

Virtual therapy: Available across Texas and 40+ states — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

$225 per 50-minute session | Free 15-minute initial consultation | Superbills provided for PPO reimbursement