Sleep, Hormones, and Emotions: How They’re All Connected

If you’ve ever felt irritable after a poor night’s sleep or found yourself crying at a commercial during a sleepless week, you already know—sleep and emotions are closely intertwined. But what’s really going on beneath the surface? The answer lies in hormones. These tiny chemical messengers play a major role in regulating both our sleep patterns and our emotional responses. Understanding the triangle of sleep, hormones, and emotions can help you take better control of your health, mood, and overall well-being.

Managing Guilt and Expectations in Early Motherhood

Guilt thrives in silence and comparison. But when you start to question the expectations, speak openly about the struggles, and practice self-compassion, the guilt begins to loosen its grip.

Early motherhood is hard. It’s also beautiful, strange, sacred, messy, and full of contradictions. Let yourself feel all of it. You’re not failing—you’re just human. And that’s more than enough.

"When You’re Snapping More Than Usual: How Therapy Can Help Moms Manage Irritability"

Motherhood is often described as beautiful, fulfilling, and full of love. But if we’re being honest, it can also be exhausting, relentless, and — let’s just say it — irritating. If you’ve found yourself snapping more than usual, getting overwhelmed by the sound of whining or mess, or fantasizing about running away for some peace and quiet — you’re not alone.

At Mountain Brow Counselling, we see you. And we’re here to help.

Becoming a mother is often portrayed as a blissful, magical experience. The image of cradling your newborn and feeling an overwhelming sense of love is deeply ingrained in societal expectations. Yet, the reality of motherhood—especially during the first year—can be far more complex and overwhelming. Amid the sleepless nights, endless feedings, and emotional rollercoasters, new moms frequently find themselves struggling with their mental health, and one powerful yet often overlooked tool in navigating this new terrain is talk therapy.

Guest Blog: An Interview with Christine Bibby, a mental health therapist specializing in EMDR, perimenopause and menopause, perinatal mental health and grief.

Guest Blog: An Interview with Emily Muizelaar, an infertility and parenting mental health specialist.

The Silent Struggle: Navigating Mental Health and Infertility

Infertility is often described as a medical condition, but it is far more than a physical diagnosis. For many, it is a deeply personal, emotional journey filled with uncertainty, grief, and often silence. As the months—or even years—go by without answers or results, the impact on mental health can be profound and long-lasting.

How Hormonal Shifts Affect Your Mental Health Postpartum

Welcoming a baby into the world is a life-changing experience—one filled with joy, love, and, for many new parents, emotional turbulence. While it’s easy to attribute these ups and downs to the exhaustion of caring for a newborn, there’s another powerful force at work: hormones.

Understanding the hormonal changes that occur after birth can help normalize the emotional rollercoaster that many parents experience—and make it easier to recognize when something deeper might be going on.