Postpartum Rage & How to Tame it
Mindfulness for Postpartum Rage: A DBT Take
Let’s be real—postpartum rage is not the “gentle glow” that Instagram mom-influencers are talking about. It’s more like: you’re pouring cereal and suddenly the sound of the spoon clinking against the bowl makes you want to yeet it out the window. Totally normal? Maybe not. Totally common? Absolutely. And if you’re dealing with postpartum rage or its close cousin, postpartum anxiety, you are so not alone. This is where mindfulness (and my beloved DBT brought to you by a postpartum therapist near you) swoops in like a friend who brings snacks and tells you the truth.
Mindfulness isn’t about becoming a Zen monk or never yelling “FOR THE LOVE OF SLEEP PLEASE STOP CRYING” in your head. It’s about catching the moment before your rage hijacks the steering wheel. In DBT, we talk about “observing” and “describing” instead of just reacting. So instead of launching into full Hulk mode, you pause long enough to notice: Wow, my body feels like it’s on fire and my jaw is doing that clenchy thing again.
That pause is where the magic happens. Because once you name it, you can tame it (cheesy but true). Suddenly, you’re not your rage—you’re the human noticing your rage. Which means you have options. Options like splashing cold water on your face, shaking it out like a deranged Taylor Swift dance break, or just taking three slow breaths before saying, “I need a minute.”
The benefit? Less guilt, fewer broken spatulas, and more moments where you actually feel like you again.
Mindfulness doesn’t erase the rage or anxiety (your hormones are doing their wild rollercoaster thing, after all). But it gives you tools to ride it instead of getting tossed out of the cart. And when you can laugh later about how you almost lost it over Paw Patrol being too loud—well, that’s DBT working its quiet magic. And with the right support (yes, this is your reminder that postpartum therapy exists and helps), you can navigate postpartum rage and postpartum anxiety without losing yourself in the process.
