Being pregnant again after a traumatic birth is for many parents an anxious time.

It might also be the first time that they have experienced trauma symptoms, even though their birth may have been years ago.

Often parents recover well after a difficult or traumatic birth experience, busy...

September is always a busy time of year to be a therapist.

Since launching my new website www.thebirthrepublic.com earlier in the Summer I have set the intention to only support clients who are on their perinatal journey, whether that be trying to conceive, birth injury or perinatal anxiety or...

Last month a London Assembly health committee review of Covid maternity care in the capital heard that over 75% of the 110,000 women who gave birth in London in 2020 laboured alone, without their partner's support.

Mothers were frequently left to labour, birth and recover alone as staff shortages...

This week has been Birth Trauma Awareness week in the UK and the theme this year was birth injury.

I am grateful to BTA UK, Australasian BTA and Make Birth Better who have collaborated to publish the results of their survey which echoes what TBR College has heard from parents with birth injuries...

It’s easy to get distracted from our BIG why.

The reason why we are so passionate about supporting parents at different stages through their journey 

Why did we decide to train as doulas, midwives, antenatal teachers, health visitors, breast feeding counsellors, lactation consultants...

I am still surprised that many perinatal professionals are unaware of how many parents struggle with their mental health and wellbeing.

Here are some statistics you might find surprising:

• 1 in 5 parents experiences perinatal anxiety.
• Depending on what study is used between 10% and 20% of parents...

You know what I love most about my job?

Supporting and witnessing behaviour change.

I have supported clients to stop binge eating and start walking more. I have guided many parents to quit smoking and make more healthy choices. I have helped people to stop binge drinking and embrace sobriety.

I...

Did you know that when bad things happen, when we experience trauma because we felt a threat to our life, the brain’s biology changes to protect us from experiencing the same threat again.
 
We become hardwired to react with the fight, flight or freeze response whenever a similar...

I was 19 when I first had hypnotherapy and stumbled upon it by chance.

I was working as a receptionist at a health centre. I was a student at the time and a heavy smoker. There was a hypnotherapist there who was trying to establish a practice and so she offered us receptionists a few free...

I have always believed that perinatal trauma is nuanced and different from other kinds of trauma, such as motoring accidents or natural disasters.

Perinatal trauma can impact parents health on all levels; physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

The lasting effects can be devastating for both...

When I think about trauma, which I do often, all the paradoxical feelings come up.

On the one hand I think we are lucky to be living in an enlightened age where evidence about how trauma has far reached effects on our health is gradually becoming common knowledge. 

But when I consider...

Reading the full Ockenden report today has been tough going. My heart goes out to all the families impacted by the Shrewsbury & Telford maternity trust’s poor care.

I was also, however surprised by the report.

I had expected there to be more damning evidence blaming midwives who were...