PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH
Becoming a mother and birthing person can be hard sometimes. We give birth to our baby and ourselves at the same time... But women/birthing people tend to be forgotten in the process. When we become mothers and parents, regardless of it being our 1st, 2nd or 7th child; our identity fades away and we become invisible, our relationship/family unit changes, we open a door to our own childhood, the hormonal imbalance is brutal, and the act of giving birth is life changing
COUPLES THERAPY FOR EXPECTANT COUPLES AND PARENTS
Becoming parents is a transition that takes time to navigate. All the preparation for parenthood is focused on pregnancy and birth. Parents are left on their own to navigate major life changes in a crucial time in their lives, at the same time as having to take care of a tiny human who needs them 24/7 for absolutely everything. Add to that, in the case of the birthing person taking care of a recovering body. All of these factors can have a massive toll on mental health and family life.
The emotional preparation for parenthood is paramount to learn to support yourselves and seek the necessary external support during the postpartum period.
Themes common to emerge that can create a distance in couples are; loss of identity and the old life, reconnecting with own childhood, sex and opposite parenting styles.
MOTHERHOOD CIRCLE SESSIONS
Becoming a mother can be a difficult process for some of us. My thoughts have been especially with all the new mums who are struggling through this unsettling period in isolation.
I am organising online therapeutic sessions for mothers with babies under 1. The same group of women will meet once a week during 8 consecutive weeks. A confidential, safe and non judgemental space to gain support from other women in your same situation, as well as to explore your feelings around motherhood.
MOTHERHOOD CIRCLE SESSIONS
Welcome to my 8-week mum support group
Enrollment is now open for my new 8-week (8 sessions, 1 per week) therapy group for mothers with babies and/or toddlers. A confidential and non-judgemental space to explore motherhood with me and with other like-minded women.
These groups are a place to explore your feelings, whatever they may be, allowing and honouring them so that they have the opportunity to transform. You will become more in touch with yourself, feel more confident and less overwhelmed by difficult emotions.
Motherhood can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate.
The act of giving birth can have an array of effects on the physical and emotional body, among other things. Some of these changes are:
a loss of identity/loss of old life
changes in your partnership (if you are in a relationship)
family unit reconfiguration
changes/losses in your friendships
emotional and physical repercussions
hormonal imbalance
emotional changes as we reconnect with our own childhood.
The changes mentioned above are usually ignored in our culture. The lack of attention to the rite of passage that is becoming a parent can have detrimental repercussions to our mental health. Sometimes we are faced with feelings of guilt, shame, loneliness or inadequacy that are very challenging to manage. The struggles of motherhood as a result of these life changes are rarely discussed which translates in women feeling alone in their experience, wondering whether there is something wrong with them, or whether they are good mothers.
These feelings are very common, when they are hidden they can manifest in mental and/or physical ailments, as feelings, when ignored, do not disappear. They stay with us.
These groups are a place to explore your feelings, whatever they may be, allowing and honouring them so that they have the opportunity to transform. You will become more in touch with yourself, feel more confident and less overwhelmed by difficult emotions.
In this 8 week program we will explore your Matrescence; the transition into Motherhood. Motherhood is a process, an identity we step into and as such needs time, exploration, curiosity, experiment and experience to unfold. Motherhood is not a switch that gets automatically turn on the moment we give birth. We also give birth to ourselves as mothers and matrescence is the developmental stage women go through as they make meaning of motherhood.
Who are these groups for?
Women with babies and/or toddlers. Regardless of it being your 1st, 2nd or 6th child.
What will you gain from these groups?
- Learn tools to get in touch with yourself and cope with everyday stresses and difficulties.
- Gain support from like-minded women.
- Find a safe, confidential and nurturing place to express and explore your feelings around motherhood.
- Enjoy a place to focus on yourself.
- Get to know yourself better, as a woman and a mother.
- Explore motherhood's life changes, getting in touch with your matrescence.
- Find your tribe.
- Private access to a dedicated support forum for new mums.
Practicalities
- 8-week program.
Once a week online meeting with a maximum of 4 women per session
- Session duration: 1 and a half hours.
- Date and time:
TBC