Perinatal Psychologist
Psychological Therapy in the Perinatal Period
A perinatal psychologist is a specialist within clinical psychology who provides therapy for anyone on their path to and through parenthood from the time of desiring pregnancy to the second year of the baby’s life.
What does perinatal therapy include?
Perinatal therapy supports you through the process of planning, infertility, conception, planned or unexpected pregnancy, loss or miscarriage, childbirth, birth trauma and parenting, including difficulties bonding with your baby, adjusting to parenthood and understanding your toddler as they get older.
To be precise, I can…​
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Support you through the emotional process of planning, infertility and fertility treatments, conception and unexpected pregnancy.
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Provide specialist, clinical perinatal psychological treatment for postnatal postnatal depression or anxiety.
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Help you understand and process emotions such as anger, which may be causing you immense distress and shame.
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Overcome relationship challenges intensified by fertility treatments, pregnancy, or postpartum.
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Provide a safe and compassionate space to process emotions of grief and loss resulting from termination, miscarriage or infant loss.
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Work through and process trauma or feelings of disappointment in the birth experience.
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Prepare for parenthood and resolve attachment injuries from your own experience of being parented.
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Identify and resolve difficulties in bonding and attachment to your baby.
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Identify and address adjustment difficulties to parenthood once your baby arrives, including the impact on older siblings.
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Help you navigate the complexities of returning to work, including processing feelings of grief and anxiety during this transition.
Discover the perinatal therapy session approach
I work from an attachment perspective, so I’m interested in your personal history and formative experiences.
I am keenly aware that the decision to become a parent may trigger your attachment history and bring up memories of your experience of being parented. This can be distressing, provoke anxiety, and may impact your bonding experience with your new baby.
I also work through the lens of your inter-connected relationships, which means that whatever emotion or distress you are experiencing can be understood from the perspective of the relationships around you, either with your baby, partner, extended family or support (if any).