Birth Trauma Therapy / Perinatal Loss

Birth is incredible and life changing, and a powerful yet vulnerable experience. Unfortunately, distress in birth is experienced by the majority of birthing mothers and affects not just the mother but the baby, partner and family unit, with 1 in 3 experiencing birth trauma.  The effects of birth trauma are physiological and psychological. Physiologically, birth trauma can impact breastfeeding, sleep patterns for mother and child, long term unresolved pain from surgery and other interventions and the production of hormones such as oxytocin. Psychologically, the impacts can range from anxiety to PTSD.  It is also common for the pregnancy and birth process, and physical and mental recovery it requires, to be overlooked or underrecognized by those around us. Women can be left feeling undone, incomplete, confused, angry, violated, and even broken after a birth experience, even when it is “successful”.  

Life can get much more difficult in the event of a loss of an infant or child through stillbirth, miscarriage or neonatal death, all of which are significant and traumatic life events. Miscarriages, stillbirths and neonatal deaths are often experienced silently, discretely and alone. Friends and loved ones will try their best in support, but may not know how to talk about it or how best to support a grieving parent. 

I have more than 20 years of experience supporting young parents and bereaved parents. Recovery is possible.  I will help you through the process of whatever you are facing by creating a safe place to start healing. And as grief has no timeline, our environment at HopeStone Therapy is always compassionate, safe and judgement free. 

“However long the night, the dawn will break.”  -African Proverb

I would feel honored to walk alongside you and support you in your healing.