Maternal Mental Health Services
Maternal Mental Health Services are NHS services which are made up of psychologists, psychological therapists, midwives and peer support workers. They aim to improve mental health and wellbeing for people and their family who have experienced trauma related to their pregnancy journey. This could be related to birth trauma, tokophobia (severe form of childbirth), birth separation due to social care or for those who have sadly experienced pregnancy loss/death of a baby. Not all services are open to all four pathways as these services are fairly new in England and may still be under development in your area.
These services are open to anyone who is currently experiencing emotional distress or mental health difficulties such as PTSD.
Support may include:
- Evidence-based psychological therapy, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Peer support either within the service or in the community
- Liaising with other professionals who are providing care to the person
- Including partners and family members in care when this is helpful
- Suggesting services that partners or family members can access for individual therapy or other support
Other Support Available:
Pregnancy and parenthood can also bring a range of emotions, from joy and anticipation to worry, loss, and overwhelm. Counselling Directory is a private company that connects individuals with qualified, professional therapists who can support your emotional wellbeing through every stage of this journey.
Whether you’re navigating pregnancy, birth trauma, baby loss, or postnatal mental health challenges, their free-to-access-pages offer trusted information to help you find the right support. Just click on the links below for more information: