Writing on psychotherapy, perinatal mental health and recovery

There is a common idea that grief moves through stages and then comes to an end. In practice, most people find it does not work like that. Grief tends to ease and return, sometimes long after a loss, and often without warning. Anniversaries are a common example. The date of a death, a birthday, a wedding anniversary or a holiday that was once shared can bring the loss...

Becoming a mother is often described as one of the happiest times of life, and for many women it is. But it can also be a time when feelings arrive that seem out of proportion, or that have no obvious cause. Anxiety, low mood, irritability, or a sense of being overwhelmed are common during pregnancy and in the first twelve to twenty-four months after delivery. Sometimes these feelings...

People often arrive at their first appointment expecting to be told what is wrong and what to do about it. It can be surprising, and sometimes a little frustrating, to find that the first few sessions are spent mostly talking while I listen. There is a good reason for this. Before any treatment begins, I need to understand what is currently making life difficult, how long it has...