Specialist psychological therapy for
Chronic Anxiety in Motherhood 

I specialise in transforming the type of anxiety that has probably always been there, since childhood, and almost certainly has intensified since becoming a mum. The type of anxiety that keeps us constantly on edge, unable to relax, constantly comparing ourselves to others (and coming up short in those comparisons), paralysed when trying to make decisions, or second guessing ourselves when we do.

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When we have struggled with chronic anxiety throughout our lives, it can so easily get much worse, when we become a Mum. In fact, our anxiety can often come back stronger than ever, even when we've already 'done our work' and had thought we had overcome it previously. ​

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The world is also an incredibly scary place at the moment - many of us are not just worried about our kids, and our families, and our work ... many of us are feeling sick with worry about the planet, and all of humanity on it. It is a lot. You are not imagining it - I wholeheartedly believe that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you for feeling near-constant anxiety. 

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There are also many more reasons we may feel anxiety in motherhood. You may like to read a blog post I wrote entitled When maternal anxiety is more than 'just anxiety', which highlights just some of the emotional landscapes we often traverse as Mums, which can commonly generate worry and anxiety in us, often without us realising it. 

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I specialise in transforming the type of anxiety that haunts our every thought & move, and that tells us that no matter how hard we try, no matter what we learn, no matter how much we work at it ...

we will never be 'enough'.

This anxiety tells us we are not 'a good enough parent', ' a good enough daughter/partner/friend/worker', and it tells us we are not 'pretty enough', or 'calm enough' - the list of ways this internal voice tells us we're failing is truly endless. 

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Am I a good fit for you? 

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Your therapy will be the most effective it can be, and you will get the best value for money, when you are paired with the therapist who fits you best. To be a good fit for me, you are likely to be a Mum, who identifies with feeling more anxiety than you believe you should feel. You also probably don't want to pass this fearful way of relating to the world onto your children, but you worry all the time that you are doing just that, despite your best efforts.

You're likely to be a highly sensitive soul and feel your emotions deeply - However, you're also likely to hide this aspect of yourself, as you've been reprimanded for being 'too intense' at times, or have felt that your big feelings have not been welcome or supported in many situations.

You are likely to be an excellent carer for others, but constantly worry that you are not doing enough, or not getting it right. In your caring for others, you probably also tend to push your own needs to the bottom of the pile - you end most days exhausted, and you might be vaguely aware that you've not eaten properly, nor drank enough water, nor have you rested your mind or body, for even a moment, for the whole day.  

You may even feel heartbroken that motherhood feels as hard as it does for you, which makes you worry that perhaps you were not as cut-out for it as you imagined - Please know, that if this is you, you are absolutely not alone with these thoughts and worries. 

Maybe your child has some unique physical, or emotional needs, or some unique needs associated with neurodivergence - This will absolutely make your mothering journey harder than you ever imagined it would be, and will increase your anxiety - both about your child's development, and about your role as their mother. 

In relationships you often stay silent about your disappointments and frustrations, for fear of 'rocking the boat', and you often find yourself saying 'yes', when really, deep down, you actually would love to say 'no'. 

You were raised to be 'the good girl' and you are often keen to please everyone and seek their approval, so 'rocking the boat' in any way always feels too scary. This also means you try to manage all your worries on your own - you ruminate often, with worries swirling around in your mind all day, you find it hard to relax, and you may even be kept awake at night with your anxieties. 

Despite trying to 'be everything for everyone', you're also likely to have some feminist vibrations running through you - For example, you may frequently find yourself frustrated with the division of labour in your home, and want your partner to pick up more of the load, yet you are unsure how best to broach this with them, or perhaps you immediately worry that you're 'asking too much', when you do. You're also very probably trying to raise your daughters to be empowered, and your sons to be respectful of women, but you're not sure you can embody these ideals fully, yourself.  

You have very probably read the books & listened to the podcasts - You know that self-care is important, that you need to set boundaries, and you need to rest more. But every single time you try to do any of this, you are plagued by guilt, and a sense that you are neglecting what you 'should' be doing, and so you only ever dabble in self-care, or you try to 'buy in' self-care that doesn't take up too much time - supplements, a bottle of wine, new clothes to make you feel good, bio-hacks, etc. So you end up spending loads of money, and yet never really end up feeling any more free from stress, anxiety or guilt ... But there is another way, I promise - this is what the therapy I offer can help you discover. Find out more here. 

When we have anxiety, we are also likely to be experiencing any number of additional emotional challenges. So you may also be experiencing any of the following:

• Social anxiety

• Health anxiety

• Panic

• Death anxiety

• Depression

• Rage

• Stress

• Overwhelm

• Self-hatred  

• Low self-confidence

• Low self-esteem or self-worth

• A loud inner-critical voice

• Imposter syndrome

• Guilt

• Shame

• Perfectionism 

• Birth-trauma

• Breastfeeding trauma, 

• Fertility-related trauma 

• Difficulty bonding with your baby, or child

• Grief for the loss of the joyful motherhood journey you imagined

• Difficulties setting boundaries

• Challenges related to neurodivergence

• Relationship challenges 

• Challenges in parenting 

• Changes in identity, perhaps from 'woman' to 'mother' 

• Physical health conditions, such as migraines, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, other Auto-immune conditions, or challenges with your menstrual cycle such as PMDD, heightened anxiety/ rage/ inner critic in your premenstrual weeks, etc. 

You may also be going through the perimenopause or menopause transition, which often comes with increased anxiety, irritability, rage, a sense of feeling 'lost', relationship changes, identity changes, a feeling that your body is betraying you with seemingly hundreds of random symptoms & ailments, and/or grief.

If you're feeling any of this, you are absolutely not alone. I offer specialist support for this transitional time in midlife too - If this is relevant to you, if you are over 35 years old, you can read more about those services I offer here (perimenopause alone) or here (if you have had a baby over the age of 35, and your perinatal period has very potentially overlapped with your perimenopause).

You are also likely to have some level of safety, comfort & privilege - Your unique constellation of privilege may look different to mine, of course, and I welcome enquires from people of all cultural, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as from people of all ability-levels, sexual preference or gender identity. To engage in effective therapy with me you will need some relational safety, financial & time privilege at this point in your life, such as some close relationships that feel safe & supportive, financial security and flexible-enough time week-to-week, to consistently & reliably invest in your therapy. 

How can things be different?

I am deeply passionate about supporting Mums to loosen the grip that anxiety has on their life, so that they can begin to live & parent with more calm, ease & joy. ​The therapy I provide offers you another way forward - a powerful way forward, towards real healing & self-care, with no guilt. 

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You can read more about how I work, and the therapy models I use, here. 

If you are struggling with any manifestation of anxiety in motherhood, please do not hesitate to contact me, by clicking the 'Contact me' button below, to find out how I can help you.​​​​