Perinatal therapy in Edinburgh & online
Pregnancy, birth and early parenthood can bring profound emotional and relational changes. As a perinatal specialist, I support parents in Edinburgh and online with experiences including anxiety, low mood, birth trauma, bonding difficulties, identity changes and relationship strain.
Perinatal Therapy
- Becoming a parent is one of life's most profound transitions, often filled with immense joy but also unexpected challenges.
- The perinatal period–spanning pregnancy through into the second or third year postpartum–is a time of significant physical, hormonal & emotional change.
- While many parents navigate this journey smoothly, others encounter mental health struggles: anxiety or depression, intrusive thoughts, unexpected rage, or bonding issues.
- Complications can arise: birth trauma, breakdowns in family communication or partner relationship struggles.
- Some parents experience other challenges: an unexpected disabled baby, a baby after multiple baby losses, an IVF baby, a premature baby, or other health complications, which all bring challenging feelings.
- My approach offers a unique way to delve into the roots of your feelings, understand how past experiences shape your present, as well as processing the recent experiences & helping you face your new reality, whatever that looks like.
- I have 5.5 years experience as a Senior Therapist at Crossreach Perinatal Service & I am a Perinatal specialist.
Who is perinatal therapy for?
Relationship with
Self
- This period often involves grappling with huge identity shifts, loss of autonomy, & changes in self-perception.
- Therapy with me supports the exploration of these feelings, helping you integrate your new identity as a parent with other aspects of yourself.
Mother-Infant
Bond
- Concerns about bonding are common.
- Psychodynamic therapy, informed by attachment theory, explores your internal representations of your baby & your relationship, helping to address barriers to connection & foster secure attachment.
- I can help you develop parental reflective functioning – the ability to understand your baby's mental state & your own, which is crucial for sensitive parenting.
- For this I would need to see Baby in the room for specific interventions.
Building Partner
Relationship
- The stress of new parenthood can impact communication & intimacy, potentially bringing underlying relational patterns to the surface.
- Understanding these dynamics can foster empathy & improve connection for you as a couple.
- Communication & expressing needs are important skills we can think about & develop in our work together.
If you’re finding the transition to parenthood difficult, get in touch to arrange a free 15-minute telephone consultation and explore how therapy could support you.