As a Clinical Psychologist and Accredited EMDR therapist, I specialise in trauma, perinatal mental health and relationship distress.
Perinatal Mental Health Support
When becoming a parent doesn't feel the way you expected
Pregnancy, birth and becoming a parent can be a profound transition. It can bring joy and connection, but it can also bring uncertainty, overwhelm, anxiety and experiences that are very different from what you imagined.
You may be struggling with how you feel during pregnancy, after your baby is born or during the early years of parenthood. Perhaps you're finding it difficult to understand why you aren't enjoying this time, or you're feeling that you've lost a sense of yourself.
I specialise in supporting people experiencing psychological difficulties during the perinatal period — from conception through pregnancy, birth and the early years of parenthood.
What can perinatal difficulties look like?
Perinatal mental health difficulties can take many forms. You may be experiencing:
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anxiety, panic or feeling constantly on edge
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low mood or depression
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frightening or unwanted thoughts
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difficulties bonding or feeling connected to your baby
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overwhelming feelings of responsibility or fear that something will happen to your baby
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loss of confidence in yourself as a parent
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feeling unlike yourself
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difficulties adjusting to changes in identity, relationships and everyday life
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the effects of a difficult or traumatic birth
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pregnancy or baby loss
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difficulties associated with fertility or becoming pregnant *
Sometimes these experiences overlap. You may be coping with several things at once, or struggling with something that doesn't fit neatly into a particular category.
Birth Trauma
Birth doesn't always go as planned.
A birth may have been frightening, unexpected, painful or experienced as a loss of control. You may have felt unheard, unsafe or helpless, or experienced complications affecting you or your baby.
Even if other people tell you that everything was “fine”, you may still feel that something about the experience hasn't been resolved.
You might experience intrusive memories, nightmares, anxiety about your baby's safety, fear around future pregnancies or births, avoidance of reminders, or strong emotional or physical reactions when thinking about what happened.
I have a particular interest in supporting people following birth trauma and can draw on EMDR and other psychological approaches where appropriate.
The transition to parenthood
Becoming a parent can change far more than your daily routine.
It can affect your identity, confidence, relationships, expectations and sense of who you are. Sleep deprivation, changes in roles and responsibilities, feeding difficulties, returning to work and the constant demands of caring for a baby can all place additional pressure on individuals and relationships.
Sometimes difficulties that were already present can become more noticeable. At other times, the experience of becoming parents itself can create new challenges.
Therapy can provide space to make sense of these changes, understand what you are experiencing and find ways of responding that feel more manageable and compassionate.
When becoming parents affects your relationship
The transition to parenthood can affect both partners, even when only one person initially seeks help.
You may find yourselves arguing more often, struggling to communicate, feeling disconnected or experiencing differences in expectations about parenting, responsibilities or intimacy.
A difficult pregnancy, fertility journey, pregnancy or baby loss, traumatic birth or challenging early parenting experience can also affect a couple's relationship.
If your relationship is part of what you're struggling with, couples therapy can provide a space for both partners to understand the patterns you have become caught in and develop more helpful ways of responding to one another.
A compassionate, individualised approach
There is no single way that perinatal mental health difficulties look or feel.
As a Clinical Psychologist, I draw on evidence-based psychological approaches including EMDR, Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), adapting therapy according to your individual circumstances and goals.
I also have training as a Circle of Security Parenting facilitator, which can provide an additional perspective when difficulties relate to understanding your child's needs, your relationship with your child or your experience of yourself as a parent.
Taking the first step
You don't need to be certain that you need therapy before getting in touch.
I offer a free, no-obligation 15-minute telephone or video consultation. We can briefly talk about what you've been experiencing and whether my experience and approach are likely to be a good fit for you.