Sue brings to her counselling a non-judgemental approach founded on empathy and respect for individual circumstances. Utilising an integrative approach that includes mindfulness and emotion focused strategies Sue aims to support you through grief and loss, and manage symptoms of anxiety, depression and life transitions.
***Please note as we move towards COVID-normal, counselling services that can be run online are to continue online until further changes are outlined on Nov 8th.
During these challenging times, counselling can support you with managing the range of emotions you may be experiencing. Please contact Sue to discuss what you need during this time.
Birth debriefing can be a starting point to begin to understand, and process grief and loss associated with your birth story, allowing for integration and healing over time.
• Individual Counselling for anxiety, depression, grief & loss, life transitions, stress management
Why Counselling?
Counselling provides a supportive, safe and collaborative environment to help address everyday stress, grief and loss, anxiety, depression and life transitions through clarifying issues, exploring options, and developing strategies. Counselling can assist in developing greater awareness, clarity and perspective in decision making, a deepening understanding of yourself and your relationships with others, and provide relief from negative emotions and old patterns of relating.
As we continue to navigate the unknowns and challenges of COVID-19, there is increased understanding of the importance of emotional support during this time.
• Support during pregnancy and preparing for birth, birth debriefing, transition to parenting, parenting support
Pregnancy and birth signifies profound changes both physically and emotionally. Previous experiences, trauma, a difficult journey to becoming pregnant, the physical adaptations of pregnancy, and outcomes of the birth experience can profoundly affect a woman’s ability to connect with the joy of being pregnant and subsequent bonding with her baby.
Changes during pregnancy and birth affect a woman individually but also within a partnership. Unexpected feelings and emotions may develop that can be difficult to understand and process. Past mental health concerns or experiences may re-emerge and intensify. A woman’s sense of self, beliefs and values may be challenged and may also reveal or heighten difficulties within interpersonal relationships.
A history of depression or anxiety may predispose women to perinatal anxiety and depression. Counselling support during pregnancy and post-birth can bring greater awareness and assist to heal old patterns of relating that may affect your birthing and parenting experiences. It can assist to expand and improve the significant relationships in your life as you adapt to the changes associated with becoming a parent.
Women and their families/support persons may also be finding they are needing extra support to manage anxiety around the uncertainties and challenges of COVID-19.
The way women birth matters. Recent statistics reveal increasing rates of women who experience complicated and traumatic births. This can be a result of past traumas, a woman’s experience of pregnancy and after birth, not just the birth. It is important that a woman feels safe & supported, nurtured, cared for, respected and listened to throughout her pregnancy, during and following the birth, that will allow her to move forward confidently into her journey as a mother. If this experience was not one that felt safe, respected and cared for, women can experience a range of feelings and symptoms that can have long-lasting effects and contribute to perinatal anxiety and depression.
Talking about your previous birth can be a starting point towards being able to understand, process and integrate your experience, which supports healing and change over time. An initial birth debrief may also benefit from further exploration of the emotions and feelings connected to your birth and past experiences over a number of sessions.
