Pregnancy / Postpartum Depression

Pregnancy and childbirth is a period usually associated with happiness and celebration, for many, the journey into parenthood can also be a time of distress.  Mixed emotions are normal during pregnancy and a necessary part of preparing to become a parent, but these changes can sometimes be very stressful and at times overwhelming.

It is a time of change that brings considerable physical, emotional and social upheaval and that be distressing to both parents, as well as being a time of getting to know your baby, adapting to life as a parent, shifting your roles, and moving from a couple to a family.

Many mothers have very high and unrealistic expectations of how they will feel about being a parent, how they will feel towards they newborn baby, how a baby will affect their family, and how their relationship with their partner will change.

Although fathers may not go through all the physical changes of pregnancy and giving birth, they also experience distress and adjustment during the Perinatal period.  There is adjustment to the new role as a father, as a husband to a wife who is now a mother, as well as their own feelings of being overwhelmed and feeling the pressure of high expectations.  Unfortunately, the difficulties of parenthood and the distress associated with these huge changes are very rarely discussed.  Hence, parents often feel guilty for not coping or struggling with early parenthood.

As a Clinical Psychologist who specialises in Perinatal and Infant Mental Health, our first objective is to normalise your struggles and help you understand that many other parents experience these same difficulties.  The therapy room is hopefully a safe and comfortable space for parents to discuss their struggles.  Your first session will focus on discussing your goals for therapy, your main struggles, and obtaining a detailed history of your development, your family, your pregnancy and your recent experiences.  Therapy will then focus on how to build your strategies and skills to reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life and enjoyment of parenthood.

Book an appointment

We treat patients from all over Perth at our Clinical Psychology clinic in Dianella. To make an appointment simply give us a call or fill out the contact form on our contact page with your details and we’ll call you to confirm.

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