As a long term naturopath and clinical herbalist, I have practice- based evidence in seeing my clients, and yes, myself, find support and improvement when mental patterns and emotions enter the realm of funks, the blues, anxiety, and general spectrum of hopelessness and despair. This includes post partum depression, which seems to be increasing. Rather than suppress symptoms, holistic approaches work to help an individual feel stronger in life, find solutions to challenges, and see things in a [positive light.
What helps? Most definitely, proper dosage and frequency of quality mixtures of adaptogen herbs would be my first tier of support. They are nourishing, strengthening, balancing for the adrenals, and help a person cope better with the inevitable stresses of life. If important systems such as thyroid, digestion, and endocrine balance show up on assessments as out of balance, they too will receive this support to rebalance.
I assess, and improve quality of sleep and guide clients to improve that important aspect of health. Botanical formulations I have worked with for many years, along with other natural therapeutics, are effective for this important aspect of well being.
Some good meditations ( "the Honest Guys") exist to listen to from your phone, to guide into deeper sleep. Herbs, diet and bodywork all have a role to contribute here.
Additionally, Hydrotherapy treatments- simple ones which can easily be done at home- follow the laws of physics, and deeply affect the nervous and endocrine systems, while grounding a person somatically. It is my job to show, tell, and guide my clients into methods of self care they can use at home.
I have come to believe that women, post partum, benefit from the support of hormone balancing. A couple herbs I have used for 20 years support this, and they are not "hormones" themselves, rather they help the pituitary gland function in a balanced manner so that reproductive hormone balancing can occur naturally, often within one cycle. After this gland is nourished, it does not require long term herbal support, it appears to work well on it's own. I have seen holistic methods go a long way into helping women balance post partum, and avoid spiraling downward. Many of my clients from the past have brought me to their side within 24 hours of delivery to start finding balance from the start- often with a relaxing, rejuvenating massage session. This may sound simpliistic, but the truth is, when we attend to ourselves somatically with valid therapeutic applications which support circulation, lymph flow, and vitality, we can often nip a crises in the bud.
Small levels of movement make a huge difference. One doesn't need to buck up in an hour long exercise class to fulfill this. A nice ramble, some stretches, a few swim laps wil do nicely- consistency is key. Most of us can accomplish that, and feel much better for it, while gradually increasing a bit of daily movement to benefit cerebral circulation and relieve pain- two factors crucial to overall well being.
My practice has helped people with these issues for 20+ years, and take appointments for Monday or Tuesday consults.