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Short-Term Perinatal Therapies

What to Expect

At times, what’s needed isn’t open‑ended therapy, but a focused, time‑limited space to make sense of a specific difficulty, reduce emotional distress, and feel clearer about the way forward.

I offer a small number of 4‑session short‑term therapy packages, designed to be containing, psychologically informed, and appropriate for the perinatal period.

These therapies are particularly suited to people who are functioning day‑to‑day, but feeling distressed, stuck or unsettled by a clearly defined issue related to pregnancy, birth or early parenthood.

Short‑term therapy may be a good fit if you are looking for:

❋ Help making sense of a specific experience rather than long‑term therapy

Combines psychological insight with gentle, practical support to help reduce distress and support emotional steadiness.

❋ Psychological understanding alongside practical emotional support

A focused space to understand a specific experience and its emotional impact, without the commitment of open-ended therapy.

❋ A clear beginning, middle and ending

A structured piece of work with a clear focus, helping you feel contained and supported from start to finish.

❋ Support that does not require an ongoing commitment

Meaningful psychological support within a defined time frame, without the expectation of long-term or ongoing therapy.

All short‑term therapies are offered as four weekly sessions, with a clear focus agreed at the outset.

Examples of Short-Term Therapies

  • Managing a Distressing Birth

    If you experienced a birth that left you feeling unsettled, confused, or emotionally raw, this therapy helps you integrate and understand your reactions. Over four sessions, we can work on:

    - Making sense of your emotional responses

    - Reducing emotional overwhelm with grounding strategies

    - Using compassion to reduce shame and self-blame

    - Supporting emotional integration so the experience feels less intrusive

    This is not trauma processing (e.g. EMDR), but evidence-based pre-processing and integration work.

  • Birth Preparation

    This short-term therapy is for people preparing for birth, especially if previous experiences or anxieties are affecting confidence. Across four sessions, we can focus on:

    - Understanding your fears and how previous experiences may influence them

    - Learning grounding and stabilisation techniques for nervous system regulation

    - Developing compassionate strategies to approach the full range of labour and birth possibilities

    - Creating a personalised plan for coping with birth and early postnatal challenges

  • Managing Post-Natal Anxieties

    For people experiencing persistent worry or anxiety during pregnancy or early parenthood, this therapy helps you understand and manage anxious thoughts. Sessions include:

    - Understanding how anxiety affects the body and mind

    - Learning regulation techniques for day-to-day life

    - Using compassionate approaches to respond to worry

    - Building a plan to manage anxiety moving forward

  • Shifting the Inner Critic

    Many parents struggle with self-criticism and harsh inner voices. This short-term therapy helps you respond to yourself with compassion. Across four sessions, we focus on:

    - Understanding the role of self-criticism

    - Developing compassionate attention to your thoughts and feelings

    - Practicing compassionate inner dialogue and imagery

    - Applying these skills in everyday situations to reduce distress