How Can Postnatal CBT Support New Parents?
- cbtbournemouth
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Postnatal CBT Support
Compassionate, evidence-based therapy for new mums and parents might sounds like an obvious need but can feel hard to access.
I offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) sessions online to adults across the UK as well as in person CBT therapy sessions in Poole, Dorset. I can work flexibly with you to offer a range of times and format to work around your schedule and the demands on your time.
Becoming a parent can be both deeply meaningful and surprisingly overwhelming. It's common to experience anxiety, intrusive thoughts, low mood, guilt, shame, truama and many more things during this time but many are not talked about. If you are finding the transition and adjustment difficult or find yourself experiencing intrusive memories or flashbacks to your pregnancy or birth, CBT might be able to help. Being pregnant and postnatal impacts your mind, body, hormones and core identity, it’s completely valid and makes sense to seek support maanging such a big change if you are finding things diffiuclt.
My Postnatal CBT service offers a warm, understanding space to help you feel calmer, grounded and more connected again.
The emotional labour of early parenthood is something I explore in my blog The Mental Load Is Real
💛 What Postnatal CBT Can Help With
Many parents benefit from therapy for challenges such as:
Postnatal anxiety
Intrusive worries or checking behaviours
Feeling overwhelmed or emotionally “on edge”
Low mood, tearfulness or loss of joy
Identity changes and “not feeling like yourself”
Pressure, guilt or the mental load of motherhood
Adjustment difficulties after birth
Perfectionism or “getting it right” worries
Birth Truama or Medical Truama
Stress balancing work, parenting and relationships
CBT is an evidence-based, effective approach that helps you understand what’s driving your emotions and gives you practical tools to feel more stable and supported.
🌱 How Postnatal CBT Works
My approach is informed, compassionate and tailored to the unique emotional landscape of early parenthood.
Together we will:
Explore your experiences
Look at how your thoughts, physical symptoms and behaviours affect your mood
Aim to reduce anxiety and intrusive thoughts using proven CBT tools
Build coping strategies for overwhelming times
Strengthen your sense of identity, confidence and your self-compassion
Challenge pressure, guilt and perfectionism
Support your emotional and mental adjustment after birth
Create realistic routines and boundaries to protect your energy
Sessions are flexible and parent-friendly - cameras on or off, feeding a baby during our session, or scheduling around naps or work. Your comfort comes first.
🤍 A Safe, Welcoming Space
This is a space where you can talk openly - without shame, judgement or expectations. Your feelings are valid. Many parents share that simply speaking honestly about the challenges of early parenthood brings immense relief.
📍 Online Across the UK & In Person in Poole, Dorset
Choose the approach that works for your life:
Online therapy UK-wide for maximum flexibility and accessibility
In-person CBT sessions in Poole, Dorset.
Perfect for new parents who may find travel difficult or exhausting
Many parents prefer online therapy in the postnatal period for comfort and flexibility.
🔗 Helpful Links & Resources
Related Services
Blog Articles You Might Find Helpful
If hormonal changes are affecting you, my posts on CBT & Perimenopause Awareness may help
🍼 Is Postnatal CBT Right for You?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, unsettled or disconnected since giving birth, therapy could help you feel supported and steady again. You don’t need to navigate this alone and you deserve care that honours both the beauty and the challenges of early parenthood.
If you’d like to explore whether Postnatal CBT feels right for you, you’re welcome to get in touch or book a session.