I was delighted to be invited as a speaker for Mums Talk, where I shared my experience as a psychotherapist, mother and someone with a particular interest in perinatal mental health and the transition to motherhood.

The talk focused on matrescence — the physical, emotional, psychological and social transformation that can happen when we become a mother. I spoke about how changes to our bodies, hormones, brains, identity, relationships and emotions can all form part of this transition, and how little these changes are often spoken about or understood.

I also discussed postnatal mental health, including postnatal anxiety, depression, overwhelm, loss and the experience of having many different emotions at the same time. My aim was to help normalise conversations around motherhood while also recognising when someone may need additional mental health support.

My work in this area has been shaped by my own experience of becoming a mother and by my work with women through one-to-one psychotherapy, Mum Circles and Rest & Restore Circles. I am passionate about creating greater awareness of matrescence and helping mothers feel seen, understood and less alone in their experience.

Mums Talk topics included

• Matrescence and the transition to motherhood

• Maternal and perinatal mental health

• Postnatal anxiety and depression

• Identity and motherhood

• The emotional changes of becoming a mother

• The physical and biological changes of motherhood

• Relationships after becoming parents

• Loss, grief and changes in identity

• Mental load and overwhelm

• Identity changes after having a baby

• Rest, restoration and self-care

• Creating supportive spaces for mothers

Antenatal Ireland Workshop - Building resilience and supporting perinatal professionals

I was invited to deliver a workshop for Antenatal Ireland at their Antenatal Education Forum for their trainers, educators and students. I explored the importance of looking after ourselves while working in roles that involve supporting people during significant and often vulnerable life transitions.

The workshop explored stress, burnout, resilience and nervous system regulation, with practical grounding techniques that can be used both personally and shared with parents-to-be. We considered the importance of recognising our own limits, practising self-compassion and understanding that resilience does not mean being immune to stress — rather, it is about how we support ourselves when difficult experiences arise.

We also explored trauma-informed practice, boundaries and the impact of supporting others' experiences, including how our own personal experiences can sometimes be brought into our professional roles. Particular attention was given to working with pregnant and postnatal women, recognising signs of overwhelm and understanding the importance of creating safe, supportive spaces.

The workshop was practical and experiential, with a focus on grounding, nervous system regulation, the window of tolerance, self-compassion, work-life balance and recognising our own natural rhythms and capacity. A key theme throughout was that those supporting mothers also need space, support and care themselves.

Topics included

• Perinatal mental health and maternal wellbeing

• How to support ourselves while supporting women during pregnancy and the postnatal period

• Stress management and grounding techniques

• Nervous system regulation and the window of tolerance

• Preventing burnout and supporting resilience

• Self-compassion and emotional regulation

• Trauma-informed practice

• Boundaries when supporting parents and families

• Managing competing priorities and work-life balance

• Recognising our own triggers and emotional responses

• Supporting educators and professionals working with expectant parents

• Practical tools for supporting parents-to-be

Interested in a Talk, Workshop or a Restorative Session?

Alongside talks and workshops, I also offer private restorative sessions that can be incorporated into events, training days or group programmes. These can focus on rest, nervous system regulation, grounding, self-compassion and creating space to pause and restore.

I particularly enjoy combining information and practical tools with an opportunity to slow down and experience them, rather than simply talking about wellbeing. Sessions can be adapted to the needs of your group — whether that is a perinatal mental health talk, a workshop for educators, or a more restorative Rest and Restore-style session.

If you're organising a group, training day, wellbring day or event and would like to explore something tailored to your audience, I'd love to hear from you. Get in touch and we can chat about what might work best for your group.