Postnatal or Postpartum Depression
HOW OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS FOR POSTPARTUM OR POSTNATAL DEPRESSION CAN SUPPORT YOU
Postpartum depression is a serious clinical depression that can occur following the birth of a baby. Welcoming a baby is a huge adjustment in itself and often, alongside the excitement comes confusing feelings of a loss of identity, fear, worry and frustration.
While ‘baby blues’ may affect many women in the days immediately following birth and resolve within a few weeks, postpartum or postnatal depression is more serious and can be long-lasting. Experiencing postpartum depression is not a weakness or something to be ashamed of, very often it is simply a complication of giving birth and is far more common than you may realise.
Pursuing counselling for postpartum depression can be integral to helping you find your way through this challenging time and bond with your baby. Providing you with encouragement and supporting you to find yourself again, it can help you embrace and enjoy parenthood.
Postpartum depression can affect both men and women but is more prevalent in new mums with several studies indicating it is more common in those that:
- Are the primary caregiver for the child with minimal support
- Have a history of depression
- Experienced a difficult pregnancy or delivery due to medical complications
- Give birth prematurely
- Have a medically complex baby
- Are experiencing financial difficulties
- Live with domestic violence
While it can present differently, deep sadness, mood swings, feeling overwhelmed, anxiety, the inability to remember or concentrate, disruption of your sleep cycle, loss of libido, and social withdrawal can all be symptoms of postpartum depression.
If you are struggling with any of these challenges as a new parent, help is available and we encourage you to make an appointment with one of our psychologists.
COMPASSIONATE POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT
At Port Phillip Psychology, our team share decades of combined experience and are highly skilled in supporting individuals experiencing postpartum or postnatal depression. Focused on your comfort, and care, we have both male and female psychologists available and welcome your baby to attend your sessions with you.
Compassionate and understanding, we provide a safe, supportive and judgement-free environment to discuss anything you need at your own pace. As your guide, we help you learn coping mechanisms to deal with your feelings, solve problems, set realistic goals and respond to situations in a positive way.
Tailoring our approach to meet your unique needs and understanding that effective therapy relies on trust and collaboration, we regularly review your progress with you. This ensures we can adjust things as needed so that you always feel optimally supported while under our care.
Where helpful or desired, family members can also be included in your sessions. By including family members and loved ones in this process, more adequate support and understanding can be provided to you as you pursue recovery.
GET IN TOUCH
In Chelsea and St Kilda or
via Video or Phone (03) 8774 2150
EMAIL : help@portphillippsychology.com.au
Experience Supportive & Genuine Care With Port Phillip Psychology
At Port Phillip Psychology, our highly qualified team of Melbourne-based psychologists for postnatal depression genuinely care about your wellbeing both now and in the future.
Committed to helping you find joy in this new chapter, we give you the support and encouragement you need to navigate through this season to better mental health.
Offering in-person sessions in Melbourne’s Bayside areas of Chelsea and St Kilda or remote consultations via Telehealth we make it easier to access the care you need. For added flexibility around the needs of yourself and your young family, daytime, evening and Saturday booking times are also available.
You are not alone and the best way forward for you and your baby is to seek help – recovery from postnatal depression is possible. Contact Port Phillip Psychology today to begin your journey.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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No, we recognise that pursuing help from a psychologist for postpartum or postnatal depression takes courage and that having to attend in person can make it harder to do so. We also know that scheduling appointments around young children and other commitments can be a challenge.
As such, we offer Telehealth appointments both during and outside of normal business hours to make it easier to access the support you need.
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In your first session your therapist will be focused on getting to know you and understanding the impact that postnatal depression is having on your life. From here you and your therapist can formulate a plan for how often you should meet and discuss how many sessions might be needed.
Remember, it’s very normal to feel anxious, nervous, or unsure about your first therapy session. Our team recognises this and works hard to provide a private, comfortable, safe and respectful place for you to discuss anything you need without judgement.
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Psychologists in Australia are bound to confidentiality through the ethical guidelines outlined in the APS Code of Ethics.
This means they are committed to protecting your privacy and not disclosing what is discussed during your sessions. However, there are some limits to confidentiality and situations in which your psychologist may need to breach this. This can include where there are any concerns about your immediate safety, the safety of your baby or the safety of others.