The question, ‘need to talk?’ is the wording we decided on for our flyer to advertise our new perinatal counselling offer.  If you are pregnant or are caring for an infant under the age of two, you may be interested to hear more about this service, details of which you will find on our website https://quaggydevelopmenttrust.org/counselling-service/.

The perinatal period can encompass huge changes, whether this is becoming a parent for the first time or adapting to an additional member of the family. It can be an exciting but also daunting and potentially isolating time.

Counselling provides a safe and confidential space to talk about your issues and concerns These could be around anxiety, fear of birth, changes in role and identity, transitions, relationship difficulties, birthing experience and returning to work, to name but a few. Your counsellor will help you explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviours so you can develop a better understanding of yourself and others.

It is clear there is a lot that could be talked about in counselling! But that is not to say it is always easy to talk.  Sometimes, particularly when we are feeling overwhelmed, the thought of sharing what is on our mind and how we are feeling just seems impossible.

Perhaps you are a new parent making their return to work after witnessing your partner’s traumatic birth? It may feel like you have not had the space or the time to process what you have experienced but are expected to attend work as normal. These can be big and frightening thoughts you hold inside you each day, without anywhere to safely and confidentially express them.

It is sometimes the case that our emotions may contradict how we think we ought to be feeling. This is particularly common during the perinatal period where there is a societal expectation of how we should be feeling about our pregnancy or the birth of a new baby.

Perhaps you have experienced a challenging fertility journey that includes IVF and past losses. It may feel like there is no permission for you to feel anything other than joy at the birth of your baby. Whilst there may be joy at this new arrival, a plethora of other more challenging emotions are also common.

Whether the words are or are not flowing, counselling can be very helpful in the path to healing and moving forward. Your counsellor will support you to explore your thoughts and emotions without judgement, always going at your pace.

You will find more information on the perinatal counselling provision, and the main service at Quaggy on our website: https://quaggydevelopmenttrust.org/counselling-service/.

Quaggy Community Counselling Service