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Postpartum Depression

Postpartum Depression Treatment in La Crosse, WI: You Deserve to Feel Like Yourself Again

IV ketamine therapy and Spravato offer fast-acting, evidence-based relief for postpartum and peripartum depression. Medically supervised, personalized care for new and expecting mothers, right here in La Crosse.

This Isn't the Baby Blues. And It Isn't Your Fault.

Postpartum depression affects approximately 1 in 7 new mothers. It goes far beyond the mood dips and tearfulness of the baby blues, which typically resolve within two weeks of delivery. PPD is a serious clinical condition that can make you feel disconnected from your baby, overwhelmed by a role you expected to love, and ashamed of feelings you didn’t ask for. That shame keeps too many mothers from getting the help they need.

At Relevate Ketafusion, we offer IV ketamine therapy and FDA-approved Spravato for mothers experiencing postpartum or peripartum depression that hasn’t responded to conventional treatment. Both treatments work on the brain’s glutamate system rather than serotonin, delivering meaningful relief on a timeline that matters: hours to days, not weeks. When you have a newborn at home, you don’t have weeks to wait.

We’re the only clinic in the Coulee Region offering both treatment options, with a team that approaches maternal mental health with the seriousness and compassion it deserves.

Understanding Postpartum Depression: More Than a Difficult Adjustment

The period surrounding childbirth involves some of the most dramatic hormonal shifts the human body ever experiences. Estrogen and progesterone levels drop sharply after delivery, sleep deprivation sets in, and the identity shift of becoming a parent can be profound and disorienting. For most women, this adjusts over time. For roughly 1 in 7, it doesn’t.

Postpartum depression involves persistent low mood, difficulty bonding with the baby, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, changes in appetite and sleep beyond what a newborn already causes, and in severe cases, thoughts of self-harm or harm to the baby. It can also develop during pregnancy, which is known as peripartum or antenatal depression. Women with a personal or family history of depression are at higher risk, though PPD can affect anyone.

Left untreated, PPD can affect the mother’s health, the baby’s development, and the family’s wellbeing for years. Getting treatment fast isn’t just about the mother. It’s about the whole family.

Postpartum depression affects approximately 1 in 7 new mothers, or about 15% of women who give birth

PPD can develop any time in the first year after delivery, not just in the immediate weeks following birth

Women with a prior history of depression are at significantly higher risk of developing PPD

Peripartum depression, which develops during pregnancy, affects an estimated 7 to 20% of pregnant women

Untreated PPD is associated with impaired mother-infant bonding, delayed infant development, and long-term maternal mental health challenges

Hear from Those Who've Found Hope

The team here made me feel safe and supported throughout the entire process. This treatment saved my life.

The medical team monitored me closely and made me feel valued and heard. This treatment is truly life-saving.

Ketamine therapy at Relevate Ketafusion, combined with integration sessions, helped me process trauma in ways talk therapy never could.

The racing thoughts quieted, the physical symptoms of anxiety decreased, and I can now do normal activities without fear.

The team here made me feel safe and supported throughout the entire process. This treatment saved my life.

The medical team monitored me closely and made me feel valued and heard. This treatment is truly life-saving.

Ketamine therapy at Relevate Ketafusion, combined with integration sessions, helped me process trauma in ways talk therapy never could.

The racing thoughts quieted, the physical symptoms of anxiety decreased, and I can now do normal activities without fear.

Address

2309 State Road La Crosse, 
WI 54601

Working hours

Mon-Thu: 7:30 am - 7:30 pm
Fri-Sat: 7:30 am - 12:30 pm

Book Your Consultation

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Maternal Mental Health Conditions We Treat

Postpartum and peripartum mental health exists on a spectrum. Ketamine therapy and Spravato can help across several presentations, particularly when conventional treatments haven't provided adequate relief.

Postpartum Depression (PPD)

The most common serious maternal mental health condition, PPD involves persistent depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, difficulty functioning, and in many cases profound guilt about how you're feeling at a time society tells you should be joyful. Ketamine therapy and Spravato both offer rapid relief that conventional antidepressants, which can take 4 to 8 weeks to build up, simply can't match when you have an infant at home.

Peripartum Depression (During Pregnancy)

Depression doesn't only emerge after delivery. Peripartum or antenatal depression develops during pregnancy and can be just as severe as PPD. Treatment during pregnancy requires careful clinical judgment, and our medical team, led by Dr. Howard Schumaker, approaches each case individually to determine the safest, most effective path forward.

Postpartum Anxiety

Anxiety is actually more common than depression in the postpartum period, though it receives less attention. Constant worry about the baby's safety, intrusive thoughts, difficulty sleeping even when the baby sleeps, and physical symptoms of anxiety can be just as debilitating as low mood. Ketamine therapy's ability to calm overactive neural circuits makes it relevant for postpartum anxiety, particularly when it co-occurs with depression.

Treatment-Resistant Postpartum Depression

Some mothers try antidepressants, therapy, or both during the postpartum period and still don't feel better. That's treatment-resistant PPD, and it's exactly what ketamine therapy and Spravato were developed to address. Spravato carries an explicit FDA approval for treatment-resistant depression and is covered by most major insurance plans, making it a particularly accessible option for mothers who've already tried conventional routes.

Postpartum PTSD

Traumatic birth experiences, emergency interventions, or a history of sexual trauma can lead to PTSD symptoms in the postpartum period. Flashbacks, avoidance, hypervigilance, and emotional numbing can complicate bonding and recovery. Ketamine therapy's neural healing properties make it well-suited for trauma-related components of postpartum mental health struggles.

Treatment-Resistant Panic Disorder

When multiple medication trials and adequate courses of CBT haven't produced sufficient improvement, treatment-resistant panic disorder is the clinical picture. This is exactly the population ketamine therapy was developed to help. For patients whose panic disorder co-occurs with treatment-resistant depression, Spravato offers an FDA-approved, insurance-covered option.

Your Postpartum Depression Treatment Journey at Relevate Ketafusion

From your first conversation to your last session, we're with you at every step.

01

Initial Consultation

Your journey starts with a virtual consultation, which means you don't need to arrange childcare or leave home to take the first step. We'll talk through your symptoms, your history, what treatments you've tried, and your current situation including feeding preferences and support at home. You'll receive a thorough mental health screening and medical clearance, and we'll make sure you have all the information you need before committing to anything.

02

Personalized Treatment Plan

We build your plan around your specific diagnosis, history, and life circumstances. For new mothers, we're particularly thoughtful about session scheduling, breastfeeding timelines, and support needs before and after each appointment. We'll walk you through exactly what to expect, how to prepare, and how we'll track your progress along the way.

03

Treatment Sessions

Every session takes place in a private, calm treatment room with ambient lighting and soothing music. Our medical team stays present throughout, monitoring your vitals and your comfort in real time. You'll need someone to drive you home and help with childcare for the rest of the day after each session. Most patients describe the experience as peaceful and restorative.

04

Integration and Ongoing Monitoring

We monitor your response carefully and adjust your plan as needed. Integration support helps you make sense of what's shifting and build on that progress between sessions. After your initial series, we'll develop a maintenance plan that fits your life as a new parent, keeping you supported as you continue to recover and grow into this new chapter.

The Science Behind Ketamine for Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression involves more than just low serotonin. The dramatic hormonal shifts that follow delivery, combined with sleep deprivation and the psychological demands of new parenthood, create neurological changes that standard antidepressants are often too slow to address meaningfully. Ketamine and Spravato work differently.

By acting on the brain’s glutamate system and blocking NMDA receptors, both treatments trigger rapid growth of new synaptic connections and restore neural plasticity. For mothers whose brains have been dysregulated by hormonal change, chronic sleep deprivation, and the demands of infant care, this rapid restoration of neural function can produce a meaningful lift in mood within hours to days rather than weeks.

Spravato’s FDA approval for treatment-resistant depression provides a particularly well-validated option for mothers who haven’t responded to conventional antidepressants. And for mothers experiencing suicidal ideation, Spravato’s second FDA approval for MDD with active suicidal thoughts means there’s a specifically indicated, fast-acting option available.

Both treatments act on glutamate and NMDA receptors, producing relief far faster than serotonin-targeting antidepressants

Spravato is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression and for MDD with active suicidal ideation

Multiple randomized controlled trials confirm rapid antidepressant effects within 24 hours

Long-term studies confirm sustained remission with maintenance treatment

Why Choose Relevate Ketafusion for Postpartum Depression Treatment

01

The Only Clinic in the Coulee Region Offering Both IV Ketamine and Spravato

Relevate Ketafusion is the only provider in the La Crosse area offering both IV ketamine infusions and FDA-approved Spravato under one roof. The nearest alternative is over two hours away. When you’re caring for a newborn, that distance isn’t just inconvenient. It’s a real barrier to getting help.

02

Spravato Covered by Insurance

Spravato is covered by most major insurance plans. Our team verifies your coverage before your first session and handles prior authorization. For IV ketamine, transparent self-pay pricing is available with HSA/FSA acceptance and CareCredit financing.

03

A Virtual Consultation to Start

Your first step is a virtual consultation by Zoom. You don’t need to arrange childcare or leave your home to find out if this is right for you. That low barrier to entry is intentional. We know how hard it is to carve out time for yourself as a new parent, and we want to make it as easy as possible to take the first step.

04

Continuous Medical Supervision at Every Session

Every session happens under direct medical supervision with continuous monitoring. You’re never alone. Our team stays present throughout, adjusting in real time to ensure the safest, most supportive experience possible.

05

A Medical Team That Takes Maternal Mental Health Seriously

Dr. Howard Schumaker’s dual board certifications in Family and Emergency Medicine mean he approaches postpartum care with the full clinical picture in mind. Our nurse practitioners bring deep psychiatric expertise and, in Robyn Brown’s case, a personal understanding of what it means to struggle with mental health and keep showing up anyway.

06

Founded by Someone Who Understands What It's Like to Need Help and Not Find It

Tina Schumaker built Relevate after her own experience with treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. She knows the desperation of feeling like nothing is working, and the relief of finally finding something that does. That’s the experience we want every mother who walks through our doors to have.

Book Now (608) 518-3915