Perinatal & Postpartum Counselling
Perinatal Counselling, during pregnancy and after childbirth, can offer you and your partner support from pre-conception well into the postpartum period. There are many changes that occur during this sensitive time, and the support of a therapist can be vital to helping you adjust, find wellness or healing. We address your mental health needs across the perinatal spectrum, from fertility to parenting.
Stats
- 31% of Nova Scotian mothers surveyed in 2018/2019 reported feelings consistent with post-partum depression or an anxiety disorder. This was found to be higher than the national average of 23%.
- Approximately 1 in 5 women experience Perinatal Mental Health Disorder in Canada. This has increased to 1 in 3 women for depression and 1 in 2 women for anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.
Consider Therapy if you:
- Experience strong emotions, anxiety or depression
- Have difficulty with fertility or treatments
- Need support with decisions related to termination of pregnancy
- Are experiencing grief and loss associated with miscarriage, stillbirth.
- Need support for decisions and concerns related to prenatal diagnoses
- Experienced trauma associated with childbirth
- Are adjusting to change and managing expectations after childbirth
- Experience mood fluctuations, anxiety, or postpartum depression after childbirth
- Relationships concerns with partners and families
- Need support with attending to your need for physical, emotional and social wellbeing
- Decisions related to maternity leave
- Adjusting to parenthood, including attachment and bonding with your baby
- Adjusting to new roles, routines and expectations in your relationships
What You Can Do
- Acknowledge your feelings. There is no one right way to feel
- Make time for daily movement or exercise
- Spend more time in nature
- Engage with the arts (listen or play music, do art, write, dance)
- Journal
- Mindful breathing
- Compassionate body scan
- Introduction to Mindfulness
- Find ways to connect with community
- Schedule regular appointments with your physician
Review the following links:
How We Can Help
We provide emotionally-focused, person-centered, and mindfulness-based interventions to help you connect with your body, your needs and your child's needs.
Therapy can be an important way of caring for yourself and understanding that your experiences are normal. This is a time of physical, emotional transition and relationship change for you, your partner, family and loved ones.
We provide you with a safe space to explore and adjust to new feelings, fears, roles and routines while navigating important relationships in your life.
Your wellbeing matters. Take five minutes to learn if you are suffering, surviving or thriving in five essential areas of life and what you can do to improve your wellbeing. Try it now.
