What I can help with
I work with mothers, fathers, birthing or non-birthing parents during pregnancy, the post-partum period and early parenthood.
This stage of life can be incredibly intense — physically, emotionally, and mentally. While it can be a joyful time, it can also bring up a wide range of complex feelings. If you're struggling, you don’t have to do it alone.
Some of the common difficulties I can help with include:
Anxiety
Worry
Frightening or repetitive thoughts
Low or depressed mood
Feelings of sadness, disappointment, or shame related to your birthing experience
Difficulty sleeping, even when your baby is asleep
Feelings of grief for your “old life” or identity before parenthood
Not enjoying parenthood as much as you expected or hoped
Feeling like you’re not the parent you want to be
You might not even be sure of exactly what’s troubling you — just that things feel hard right now. Together, we can explore what you're experiencing and figure out what might help.
I also support parents and parents-to-be who want to prepare mentally and emotionally for parenthood, by taking time to reflect on their own childhood experiences, values and hopes for the kind of parent they want to be. This can help to clarify what you’d like to carry forward from your own childhood and what you’d like to do differently.
How I work
I draw upon a range of evidence-based talking therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), tailoring my approach to suit each individual. No two people are the same, so I aim to offer what will be most helpful for you.
When we first begin working together, I usually spend 2–3 sessions getting to know you. These “assessment” sessions involve asking lots of questions so I can really understand your experiences, history, and what’s bringing you to therapy. Many people find this process therapeutic in itself — it can feel like a relief to talk things through and start making sense of it all.
I don't typically focus on diagnoses or labels unless they feel useful to you. My goal is to understand your unique situation and to work together on the changes you want to make.
Once I have a good understanding of your needs and what you want to get out of therapy, we’ll decide together on a plan for how we’ll work on this.
Following the assessment sessions, I usually meet with those who want to continue with talking therapy weekly or fortnightly. Each session is yours to use in the way that feels most useful, but I’m always happy to offer structure or suggestions based on your goals.
Sessions might include:
Debriefing events from the past week
Problem-solving current challenges
Exploring and practising coping strategies
Setting manageable weekly goals
Processing past experiences that may still be affecting you
If you would like, I am also happy to be in touch with the other health professionals involved in your care to ensure that everyone is working well together in caring for you.