What is parent-infant psychotherapy?
I offer parent-infant therapy for parents to be, up until their child is around the age of two. I largely follow the Anna Freud centre model, which is an evidence based approach in which a therapist meets with the parents and baby all together, and we work together to observe what your baby is communicating, as well as attending to the parents’ past and current experiences of parenting and being parented and the anxieties and challenges of parenting a new baby – we work together to attempt to make sense of this and work together to support both the baby’s emotional and social development, your bond with your baby, and your development as parents. Parent-infant therapy can be offered a a supportive early intervention to assist the development of a reflective gentle parenting style (there does not need to be a severe or enduring need in the family), or it can be offered to support families who have experienced the following non-exhaustive list:
- Previous or current pre or post-natal depression
- Parents in recovery from post-natal psychosis (following psychiatric care)
- Birth trauma, or previous birth trauma in the family
- Concerns about baby’s development (alongside referrals to a paediatrician)
- Previous or current pre or post-natal anxiety
- Mental health difficulties in one or both parents
- Previous trauma in one or both parents
- A history of being in care, or challenging experiences of being parented for either parent
- Difficulties understanding and bonding with your baby, or a baby who is hard to understand and settle
- Feeding concerns (following physical investigation/health visitor support)
- Parents who are struggling to join up as a couple in parenting their baby
- I have also worked with Local Authority funding to support parents who have previously had children removed to foster care, to support relationships with their future babies
Network support is also available as a wrap-around package for young families, as required.
What is under fives work?
Psychoanalytic under-fives work that I offer follows the manualised, evidence based Tavistock Under Fives Model usually offered to children between the ages of 2 – 5 years and their families. This is a carefully structured short term approach in which following an initial meeting, five sessions of work and a review with parents/carers at the end. Similar to parent-infant work it involves an observational stance – working with the parents/carers to observe and understand what is being communicated by your child in a live way, and thinking together about ways to support your child, and you as parents. Blocks of work within this structure can be offered where one doesn’t feel enough, or it can segue into individual therapy as required. Common presenting concerns in under fives work include:
- Separation anxiety, school or nursery refusal
- Eating difficulties (when physical causes are ruled out)
- Toileting difficulties (when physical causes have been explored)
- Sleeping difficulties, nightmares, bed-wetting
- Trauma in the family
- Parental mental health concerns
- Concerning behaviour such as self-soothing or self-injurious behaviour, or heightened states of distress
- A child who is difficult to comfort and settle
- Behaviour that is difficult to understand and difficult to spot the triggers for
- Post parental-separation co-parenting concerns (where custody has been agreed and parents can work together)
- Children who have transitioned into care and need intensive support, assessment and care-planning
Please email me to discuss arranging an initial conversation.