
Serenity First Counseling, PLLC
Prenatal and Postpartum Therapy
The Transition To Parenthood Practice
Online Therapy in Maryland and Virginia
Individual Prenatal Therapy—Honoring the Experiences of Fathers and Mothers
Support for parents navigating anxiety, overwhelm, identity shifts, loss, high stress, and relationship strain-grounded in research and attentive to both maternal and paternal experience.
We help fathers and mothers navigate parenthood with more stability and connection.
Trauma-informed/Evidence based therapy in a collaborative environment. Where you can gain practical and insightful tools to help you navigate your next steps.

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You may be in the right place if…
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You’re more anxious/irritable/shut down than you expected
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Parenthood is bringing old wounds to the surface
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You feel disconnected from your partner or yourself
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Experiencing grief
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You’re carrying the mental load and trying to hold it together
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You want tools that actually work when you’re sleep-deprived and stressed.
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You are experiencing internal or external pressures.
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You and your partner recently became parents, and your relationship satisfaction has decreased.
How I do it
The transition to parenthood effects each person differently. We build skills for regulation, communication, and emotional connection so the couple unit can thrive — which strengthens the entire family system during pregnancy and beyond.

How We Can Work Together
No matter where you are in your journey, you deserve a space where you are heard, understood, and supported in your healing.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Shayla Gray

I specialize in helping individuals navigate the prenatal season of life with clarity, compassion, and practical tools that fit real life. I’m an EMDR-certified Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Virginia and EMDR-certified Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist in Maryland with 15+ years of mental health experience. I provide individual therapy focused on prenatal and postpartum transitions. Many of the clients I work with are processing birth-related experiences, relationship changes after pregnancy, pregnancy loss or complications, fertility journeys, postpartum anxiety, intrusive thoughts, panic, depression, identity shifts, internal/external pressures and the ways that becoming a parent can activate earlier trauma.
My approach is collaborative, grounded, and trauma-informed. Therapy with me is a space where you don’t have to “hold it together.” We’ll move at a pace that feels safe, and we’ll focus on reducing triggers and creating sustainable habits that support your nervous system, your identity, and your relationships. Whether you’re preparing for parenthood, newly postpartum, or parenting while healing old wounds, you deserve support that honors the whole story.
I hold a B.S. in Psychology (Virginia State University) and an M.A. in Human Services (Liberty University), along with certifications in Marriage and Family Therapy, Autism Education, and advanced couples-focused training. I’m Harvard-trained in Couples Therapy and a PhD candidate in Marriage and Family Therapy at Northcentral University, where my research focuses on relationship satisfaction during parenthood.
How to Get Started
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Reach Out
Use my Contact Form to share a bit about what you’re looking for or book directly on my calendar through my Scheduler.
Free Consultation
We’ll connect virtually to answer your questions and explore fit.
Start Therapy
We’ll meet within about a week through a convenient online consultation, serving clients across Maryland & Virginia.
Begin Your Healing Journey with Ongoing Support
You start your sessions at a pace that feels right, while your clinician walks beside you with guidance, encouragement, and tools for lasting transformation
Grounded in Accredited Practice
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FAQs

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