Mental health services include:
Individual support from fertility to parenthood - home visiting, in-clinic or telehealth appointments
Relationship coaching – supporting with information, tools and facilitating conversations about the transition to parenthood.
Advocacy and referrals
Mental Health Support That Comes to You
During pregnancy and post-birth, getting to appointments can be difficult or even impossible, yet when it comes to mental health support, seeing someone in-person is often what you may need or prefer. As a mental health professional, meeting face-to-face and in your home, can provide a clearer picture of what is happening for the entire family, giving me a better understanding of what may be needed or helpful. Not only is it best mental health care practice but you don’t have to leave the house! Home visiting support saves you the time and the stress at a time when you need the care and support the most.
Initial consultation
The initial consultation gives us an opportunity to meet in person or online and for me to get an understanding of the unique story of you and those around you. This appointment can take an hour and a half to two hours and can be with just you or can include whoever you would like to be involved in your mental health care. At this initial appointment, I will gather clinically relevant information such as family history, your mental health history, relationships, history of the journey to parenting as well as getting to know you – your values, preferences and strengths. The beginning is an important time of building trust and a crucial part of the supporting relationship. I take the time to deeply listen to understand, as best I can, the journey you are on as a parent or emerging parent and how you would like to be supported.
Creating the care and treatment plan together
As a Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) registered mental health provider, I can link you to information on antenatal and postnatal mental health as well as answer any questions you may have about services in your area. With this information we collaboratively create a care and treatment plan that includes the significant people in your life. This may involve psychoeducation, counselling support, advocacy, service navigation, referrals and/or relationship coaching.
In instances when you need specialised medical care or supports outside my scope of practice, I support you to link into treatment providers (Eg. Psychiatry, Maternal Child Health, Allied Health, GP) whilst remaining a part of your care team, giving you continuity of care, advocacy and support for you and your loved ones throughout the journey.
Relationship coaching
This period in life can create unique stressors that impact relationships and not only for the parents! It can redefine family relationships in many ways. Being informed, learning skills and communicating well can help strengthen these relationships at a time when the informal social supports around you become most important. This coaching support helps you to create positive environments and model healthy relationships for growing humans.
Relationship coaching differs from counselling in that it is based in education and skill development rather than psychodynamic processes. During this time, traditional couples or family counselling may feel like too much to add to the load, yet improving communication to better hear one another and create structure and routines that work for all can be very helpful to create more harmonious households – this is where family coaching can be life changing!
Get in touch
I hope this information gives you a feel for what engaging in services with me may include. Please reach out for a free 30-minute consultation to find out more and see if we may be a good fit for your healing and recovery.
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