Riley is passionate about the nuances within the perinatal space, including individuals parenting children with disabilities, abortion care, perinatal loss, as well as the domains within foster care and adoption. She utilizes her vast personal perinatal experiences alongside clinical and theoretical knowledge to motivate her professional work. Riley is the founder of the research-based website Postpartum Brain, the perinatal-specific private practice Holding New Therapy, and the owner of Kansas Reproductive Therapy Center, which providers mental health professionals with specialized training in reproductive mental health. Her work includes publishing research-based articles on her website as well as various online media forms (i.e. EverydayHealth, Health.com, Parents.com, VerywellMind).
Email: riley@holdingnewtherapy.com
"I am a C-section, birth-trauma-surviving, VBAC, foster, and adoptive mama of four. I've formula fed and breastfed. I've labored at a birthing center and at a hospital. I've experienced loss. I haven't lived through everything you have, but I think that's the beauty of sitting together and learning your experience."
What do you do for fun?
"If I had no responsibilities and free childcare, you could find me writing or reading in a cozy blanket for days on end. With a cup of coffee in hand of course."
"If I had no responsibilities and free childcare, you could find me writing or reading in a cozy blanket for days on end. With a cup of coffee in hand of course."
Riley Blanton, MS, LCMFT, PMH-C
The highlights:
- Reproductive trauma
- Pregnancy & infant loss
- Parenting disabled or medically complex children
- OCD
- Postpartum planning
- Couples work
- Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing
- Exposure and Responsive Prevention; Inference-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (treatment modalities for OCD)
- Perinatal mental health disorders
- Termination of a pregnancy (abortion or TFMR)
- NICU parenting
- Complex grief or complex PTSD
=Insurances accepted:
- BCBS / Anthem
- Optum / Surest / United
- Ambetter
- ProviDRsCare
- Aetna / First Health / Luminare
- Kansas Medicaid or Kancare - Healthy Blue, Sunflower, United Community Health Plan
- Medicare
Private pay is available.
- Individual therapy
- Couples therapy
- EMDR intensives
- The Nesting Intensives
- Us After Baby
- Postpartum planning sessions
- Birth planning sessions after abuse or birth trauma
The nitty gritty:
- Riley received her Masters of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Friends University
- Riley is a member of Postpartum Support International, and previously served on the Kansas State Chapter Board as their Communications Director
- Riley received her Perinatal Mental Health Certification in 2025 after 5 years of perinatal work
- Riley is pursuing advanced training in Exposure and Response Prevention and Inference-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help individuals with OCD
- Riley is pursuing EMDRIA certification to advance her EMDR training
- Riley founded Holding New Therapy in the summer of 2023
Additional perinatal mental health training completed:
- Touchstone Institute - NICU Parenting, Empty Cradle Broken Heart, Termination for Medical Reasons, Understanding Perinatal Trauma
- Postpartum Support International - Perinatal Mood Disorders: Components of Care, Advanced Psychotherapy, 2023 Conference, 2025 Conference
- Seleni Institute - Black Perinatal Mental Health
- Repro Psych Academy - Perinatal Psychiatry Advanced Pathway
- Miscellaneous - Holding Space for Abortion, Perinatal OCD
- Eye Movement Desenstization and Reprocessing
- Exposure and Response Prevention
- Inference-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
(she/her)
You deserve care that sees the whole picture, not just the surface. We know that factors like race, gender identity, sexuality, socioeconomic status, & disability can shape reproductive experiences in powerful ways. Here you’ll find therapists who recognize those realities & are committed to creating a space where your story is honored without judgment.
At Holding New Therapy, we know reproductive journeys aren’t always what you imagined. Alongside the joy, there can be loss, exhaustion, anxiety, or a sense that everything about your world has shifted overnight.
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