Support through pregnancy and the early years

For mothers, fathers and partners

Becoming a parent is often idealised, yet the reality can feel isolating, frightening, and full of self-doubt. Not everyone bonds easily with their baby, and many parents feel too ashamed to speak up. You’re not alone.

What if I don’t feel the way I am supposed to feel? What if I cannot say out loud how hard this is?

With over 20 years of specialist experience in infant mental health, I offer therapy for mothers, fathers and partners during pregnancy and the early years. This work offers space to explore postpartum depression and bonding difficulties, birth trauma, infertility, unresolved childhood issues, or grief from baby loss.

We focus on strengthening the parent-infant bond, supporting your own emotional wellbeing, and gently untangling what’s getting in the way of connection.

This work is grounded in my OXPIP Diploma in Parent-Infant Therapy and accredited infant observation training, and is held within the same psychodynamic, attachment-based frame as the rest of my practice.

Making sense of what is happening

A safe and welcoming space to explore what is troubling you

There are times in all of our lives when we experience situations, difficult emotions, disturbing thoughts that we cannot make sense of or do not know how to respond to. We may have to face specific life events that overwhelm us, such as loss; the end of a relationship; a change in circumstances, employment, or health.

We might have bottled up our feelings for so long that we reach a point where we cannot go any further without some changes. We find ourselves replaying the same old patterns over and over, repeating the same unhelpful behaviours. Other times we feel that anxiety, depression, or emotional overwhelm are getting in the way of living our lives to the fullest. And sometimes, we just don’t have the words to describe what is happening with us.

Not knowing what to do or how to respond to emotions and situations often makes us feel helpless and stuck.

How would I know what to do when I do not even know what is happening with me? How can I move forward with my life when I have lost any sense of purpose and meaning?

Therapy can offer us a safe and reflective space to start to explore and make sense of the chaos that we sometimes find ourselves in. It enables us to explore, in depth, what is troubling us and discover what the underlying issues may be. It encourages us to take an honest look at our current thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It helps us to find different ways of coping.

I believe therapy is most effective when it provides not only insight, but also a deep sense of safety and emotional connection. My intention is to help you build that sense of safety within yourself, and within your relationships.

What to Expect

How therapy with me works

Initial Consultation

I offer a free 30-minute session, either in person or over the phone. This gives us a chance to meet, talk through what’s brought you here, and explore whether working together feels right.

There is no obligation and no cost. Taking the first step can feel daunting — this first conversation is as much your chance to get a sense of me as it is mine to understand what has brought you here.

Ongoing Sessions

If we decide to work together, sessions are 60 minutes, held weekly at a regular time. I offer both short-term and longer-term therapy, depending on your needs.

Sessions are available Tuesday to Friday, in person in Cheltenham and Swindon.

My Approach

No two people are the same and therapy should reflect that. My approach is rooted in psychodynamic and attachment-based models. I also draw on trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and emotional regulation practices, adapting our work to meet your unique needs and life story.

My aim is, through our work together, to help you develop a deeper understanding and acceptance of yourself, and to build a sense of safety within yourself and within your relationships, so that you can begin to untangle the patterns that have been holding you back.

Fees

Clear, straightforward pricing

I invite you for a free 30-minute session, in person or over the phone, where we can talk through what has brought you here, explore goals and expectations, ask questions and decide if we are a good fit.

Contact

For all enquiries in Cheltenham and Swindon