My therapeutic approach

Becoming a parent is one of the most profound transitions in life. It can bring significant physical, emotional and relational changes, affecting identity, relationships, body, expectations and sense of self, often all at once. This can be accompanied by a sense of vulnerability or uncertainty, and a whole range of feelings that do not always match the picture you may have imagined. Existing difficulties may resurface, or new ones may emerge.

You may have heard the word matrescence. It describes the complex process of becoming a mother – the physical, emotional, psychological, relational and social changes that come with this transition. Like adolescence, matrescence involves a significant shift in identity.

Caring for a baby also means navigating their big emotions and helping them gradually develop their own capacity to feel safe, manage frustration and regulate their emotions. For parents to offer this kind of emotional support, they also need support themselves as they grow into their role as ‘good enough’ parents.

Matrescence can represent a crisis point and, as with any other major life transitions, involves finding a new adaptive balance that can also represent an opportunity for growth.