From Lived Experience to Perinatal Mental Health Support in Melbourne

Over the past three years, my professional focus has been shaped by a deeply personal chapter of life — becoming a parent and prioritising my young family.

Continuing clinical work through pregnancy and early parenthood gave me a front-row seat to the realities of the perinatal period—both personally and professionally. Alongside moments of connection and joy, I experienced the quieter, often unspoken layers of this season: anxiety, overwhelm, grief, identity shifts, and emotional exhaustion. These experiences were amplified by the isolation that can come with private practice, something I see reflected in many people seeking perinatal mental health support Australia wide.

Changing the environment I was working in—surrounding myself with supportive colleagues and moving into a space aligned with my values—became an essential turning point. Feeling genuinely held in my work allowed my confidence to grow, not only as a clinician but as a parent in those early, tender months. By listening to what I needed during this time, a clear professional pathway into perinatal mental health in Melbourne emerged, shaping the way I now support individuals and families through pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood.

Understanding the Emotional Impact of Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Early Parenthood

The perinatal period — spanning pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood—is a time of profound psychological, emotional, and relational change. During this transition, experiences such as perinatal anxiety, postnatal depression, birth trauma, and adjustment difficulties can emerge or intensify. Many parents describe feeling disconnected from themselves, uncertain about their identity, or overwhelmed by expectations from healthcare systems, family, and society. A common question I hear in practice is, “Is this what other people experience too?”—a reflection of how different the lived reality of this season can feel compared to the culturally reinforced narrative that parenthood should be purely joyful and instinctive.

Both clinically and personally, I have seen how deeply identity can shift during pregnancy and early parenthood. For me, this change was profound, reshaping my life in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. What I have come to understand over time is that parts of who you were before becoming a parent do return—often altered, softer, or re-formed. These changes occur across a biopsychosocial continuum, encompassing biological, psychological, and social dimensions. While each person’s experience is unique, there are shared threads that connect many parents during this season. Thoughtful, evidence-based perinatal mental health support can offer reassurance, clarity, and a sense of being held through what is both a deeply personal and widely shared transition.

A Special Interest in Perinatal Mental Health Care

Through this season, my clinical interests crystallised into a clear professional focus on perinatal mental health care. Alongside a deep commitment to ongoing learning and professional development, pregnancy and early parenthood reshaped both my personal and clinical identity. Being required to step away from work earlier than anticipated invited an inward shift—an immersion into matrescence that deepened my understanding of the emotional, relational, and psychological changes that can unfold during this time. The experience of birth itself offered lessons that continue to inform the way I support others entering parenthood.

Returning to work within a supportive, multidisciplinary environment reaffirmed the importance of community and collaboration in perinatal care. It also strengthened my commitment to developing specialised, evidence-based support for individuals and families navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood. I work with people experiencing perinatal anxiety and depression, birth trauma and traumatic delivery, adjustment to parenthood and identity changes, perinatal loss and grief, emotional overwhelm during pregnancy or postpartum, and psychosocial disability, including NDIS-related mental health support. I also welcome partners and non-birthing parents, recognising that supporting the whole family system is central to meaningful and sustainable perinatal mental health care.

A Thoughtful, Evidence-Based Approach to Perinatal Mental Health Support

Returning to practice with this focus feels both intentional and grounded. My approach is warm, collaborative, and evidence-based, while remaining deeply respectful of each person’s unique experience. I aim to create a safe, non-judgemental space where people feel heard, understood, and supported at their own pace.

Perinatal mental health support is not about “fixing” people — it is about strengthening emotional wellbeing, fostering resilience, and supporting individuals and families through one of life’s most significant transitions.

Supporting Perinatal Mental Health in Australia

Perinatal mental health matters — not only for individuals, but for families, relationships, and long-term wellbeing. Early, compassionate support during pregnancy and the postpartum period can have a lasting impact.

If you are experiencing challenges during pregnancy, postpartum, or early parenthood, support is available. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not failure, and you deserve care that is informed, respectful, and genuinely supportive.