What is Family Estrangement? Family estrangement is a term used to describe what happens when a relationship between family members breaks down. Often, this happens due to some kind of mistreatment on one or both sides. Estrangement can look like a reduction in communication or a complete end to the interaction between family members. Family […]
How to Cope with Family Estrangement Read More »
Picture this: an adult comes to me for therapy, and we talk about things that have happened in their life, as a child and/or as an adult. As the conversation progresses, I quickly realise that unbeknown to them, what they are describing constitutes abuse. It might be hard to believe, but I’ve experienced this many
Abuse – It’s Not Just What You Think It Is Read More »
Am I Going to Screw Up My Kids? In my clinical work, I meet many parents who fear ‘screwing up’ their kids. If you had a particularly difficult or traumatic early life yourself, you’re more likely to worry about repeating the same negative cycles with your own children. This can stem from a desire to
Am I Going to Screw Up My Kids? – A Therapist’s Perspective Read More »
Unfortunately, it’s very common for mothers and partners to be misdiagnosed with postnatal depression when the real reason behind the symptoms they’re experiencing is childhood trauma coming to the surface. What is Childhood Trauma? Childhood trauma can occur when a child witnesses or experiences overwhelming negative events. These can occur interpersonally {between people) or as
Is It Postnatal Depression or Childhood Trauma? Read More »
What Is Rest? Rest can be difficult to define because it can look different for everyone. Essentially, rest is any behaviour or activity aimed at increasing physical or mental wellbeing. When we think about resting, we tend to focus on physical rest. We picture ourselves doing nothing, being still or sleeping. But rest doesn’t have
7 Types of Rest and How to Incorporate Them into Your Life Read More »
Why Is Rest Important? Rest gives our bodies time to recover. It supports us physically, aiding muscle repair, reducing inflammation, and strengthening the immune system. Rest also helps us lower blood pressure, reduce stress and improve our overall mood. Rest has never been more vital, especially for mothers. We live incredibly fast paced, busy lives.
Trauma and the Need for Rest Explained Read More »
Up until fairly recently, the general consensus was that only the birthing person could experience perinatal mental illness. We now know partners can struggle with their mental health too. Although it’s important to include same-sex couples and other family types in this conversation, today I want to focus on dads. Postnatal Depression in Dads Not
How to Support Dads with Their Mental Health Read More »
What Is Self-Care? Self-care promotes our wellbeing in a holistic way. It’s subjective and personal to the individual. What you consider self-care may not be self-care for someone else. It depends on our life experiences and individual needs, but usually involves doing things to enhance our emotional, physical, spiritual and mental wellbeing. Despite the popular
Why Self-Care isn’t Always the Answer Read More »
What is Self-Blame? Self-blame is the process of attributing a stressful event or situation to yourself. Self-blaming thoughts are often self-critical and fault-finding. They can make us feel guilty, ashamed or regretful. How Does Self-Blame Impact Mums? Self-blame and motherhood are closely linked. If you have difficulty getting pregnant, it can even show up before
How to Stop Blaming Yourself as a Mum Read More »
As parents, we have a great deal of influence over our children. We shape their lives through the care we give and by modelling beliefs and behaviours, just as our lives were shaped by the people who cared for us. If we look at our own upbringing, we can probably identify certain traits our parents
What it Means to be a Generational Cycle Breaker Read More »
