Across playgrounds, waiting rooms, and group chats, more mothers are quietly saying the same thing: ‘I just don’t feel like myself.’ A recent CBS News report shared a concerning trend self-rated “excellent” mental health among U.S. mothers dropped from roughly 38% in 2016 to just 26% in 2023.¹
That’s not a small dip, rather it’s a signal. It tells us that mothers today are carrying heavier emotional loads, with less support to catch them.
It’s hard out there
Even before the data confirmed it, clinicians have been seeing it, mothers describing exhaustion, guilt, and anxiety as “just part of motherhood.”
Ajita Shah, LPC, NCC, ACS, PMH-C, says “we’re seeing more moms describe burnout and numbness, not just sadness. It’s a sign that systems, not individuals, need to adapt.” She further goes on to summarize this reality in her Understanding Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders training: maternal depression is the leading complication of childbirth, affecting 1 in 6 women.2 And more than “baby blues,” PMADs (Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders) can include depression, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, panic attacks, and trauma responses that begin in pregnancy and extend up to two years postpartum.
When a national shift shows that fewer mothers describe their mental health as “excellent,” it means more families are starting from a vulnerable baseline.
What the drop really tells us
“Self-rated mental health” may sound broad, but it’s a powerful universal measure capturing how capable, hopeful, and emotionally balanced people feel in daily life.
When that number drops by more than 10 percentage points across seven years, it’s not simply more diagnosed with depression, it’s an entire population feeling more stressed, isolated, and unsupported.
This decline reflects a mental-health gradient, a collective downturn, not confined to those in crisis. It means prevention and early support must move to the forefront of maternal health programs.
Beyond postpartum depression
Too often, programs wait until there’s a diagnosable issue of postpartum depression, panic attacks, or obsessive thoughts to intervene. But as Ajita Shah’s PMAD framework outlines, untreated perinatal anxiety or mood symptoms affect infant attachment, partner relationships, and even long-term child development.
So, when the entire curve shifts downward, waiting for crisis points is too late. We need systems that catch mothers earlier, before they fall through the cracks.
Five Program Shifts That Respond to This Moment
1. Routine screening & check-ins: Don’t limit screening to the 6-week postpartum mark. Build in simple “How are you really doing?” touchpoints during prenatal visits, early postpartum calls, and pediatric check-ins.
2. Normalize “less than excellent:” Update your program materials to validate that it’s normal to feel anxious, overwhelmed, or unsure. Mothers need to hear “Feeling this way doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it means you’re human.”
3. Tiered support models: Offer universal psychoeducation (e.g., coping strategies, mom-to-mom groups), and targeted support for higher-risk populations—first-time moms, single parents, or those with prior anxiety or trauma histories.
4. Monitor change over time: Move beyond “Did they attend therapy?” and track self-rated mental health trends at intake, three months, and one year. These data points help programs adjust in real time.
5. Communicate upstream: Use this data to advocate with obstetricians, pediatricians, and payers—showing that early, accessible mental-health supports improve outcomes for entire families.
How Innerspace Counseling Supports Mothers Across the Continuum of Care
At Innerspace Counseling, we see this data as a call to action, not just a headline.
That’s why we offer a free phone screening for mothers and families seeking help. From that first conversation, our team works to understand each client’s needs and connect them to the right level of care.
At Innerspace Counseling, we provide both Intensive Outpatient Program and Partial Hospitalization Program (IOP and PHP) designed specifically for individuals experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety symptoms, called the Perinatal Wellness Program (PWP). Each client receives an individualized treatment plan that may include:
· Group therapy focused on connection, coping, and skill development
· Individual therapy tailored to personal goals and challenges
· Skills training using evidence-based approaches such as CBT and DBT
· Psychiatric evaluation and ongoing medication monitoring to support recovery and stability
· Family sessions to strengthen communication, support systems, and shared recovery goals
This comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach allows mothers to receive the intensity of care they need while staying connected to their families and daily routines. Treatment is available at our Old Bridge location or virtually from anywhere in New Jersey
We also believe in tracking progress, not just attendance. Clients in our programs, complete regular assessment scales so we can monitor and celebrate measurable improvements in mental health and functioning.
When programs integrate prevention, normalization, and ongoing measurement, we can begin to shift that national trend upward again to one mother, one family, one conversation at a time.
Every statistic begins with a story. If you’re supporting mothers in your programs or you are one, reach out. The earlier we care, the stronger families become.
Reference:
1. CBS News (2025). “Fewer U.S. moms rate their mental health as ‘excellent’ compared to a few years ago.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/moms-decline-mental-health-study/
2. Postpartum Support International. Arizona Chapter.