About Joan Ledford
I provide trauma-informed counseling for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, grief, and life transitions, helping clients feel supported, understood, and less alone.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Michigan and a Nationally Certified Counselor specializing in perinatal mental health, grief, trauma, and parenting transitions. I work with adolescents and adults navigating pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, pregnancy loss, infertility, birth trauma, and other significant life transitions. My work also includes supporting fathers, partners, and extended family members, including grandparents, who may experience emotional distress, grief, anxiety, or trauma during the perinatal and early parenting period.
I offer compassionate, trauma-informed therapy in a safe and supportive space where clients can process loss, emotional pain, and overwhelming experiences at their own pace. I have specialized training through Postpartum Support International in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, and my background as a former doula and assistant midwife allows me to understand the emotional, physical, and relational complexities surrounding pregnancy, birth, postpartum adjustment, and parenting.
My approach integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with experiential and narrative techniques, including expressive arts and storytelling. I am especially passionate about supporting individuals and families experiencing perinatal grief, miscarriage, stillbirth, postpartum depression and anxiety, parenting stress, and unresolved trauma. I believe perinatal mental health challenges are not limited to mothers, and I strive to create an inclusive space for anyone impacted by the perinatal experience.
I view counseling as a collaborative and healing process—one that helps people gently unpack the stories they carry, gain clarity, and move forward with resilience. I am committed to building trusting therapeutic relationships and helping clients develop practical coping skills for emotional well-being. For clients who desire it, I am happy to integrate faith-based counseling, including prayer and scripture, into our work together.
