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Mental Health Support for Parents

We're here to help you

Being pregnant and having a baby is thought of as a happy and exciting time. However, for some, it doesn't always feel this way and can be an extremely overwhelming experience.

We're here to help you cope during this stressful transition and offer mental health treatment and support for new parents. Whether you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed, suffering from low mood, having sleepless nights or struggling with stress, we are here to help you. We are a confidential, NHS talking therapy service, and all of our services are available free of charge to adults over the age of 18, living in Devon (excluding Plymouth)

self-refer today

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How are you feeling?

It’s completely normal to not be feeling as happy and able to cope as you thought you would. During pregnancy and as new parents you may be feeling:

  • Sad and low
  • Tearful for no apparent reason
  • Worthless
  • Hopeless about the future
  • Tired
  • Unable to cope
  • Irritable and angry
  • Guilty
  • Anxious
  • Unsupported

You may also have intrusive or worrying thoughts and be struggling emotionally at this time, which can happen to anyone. It’s important for you to know that experiencing these feelings doesn’t mean that you are failing as a parent. You’re dealing with a life-changing event and we all need some support sometimes. As you look after your growing family, we’ll help to look after you and give support to new parents.

SELF-REFER TODAY

Who does it affect?

As many as one in five women experience emotional difficulties during pregnancy and in the first year after having a baby. You’re not alone and we can help you. Partners and fathers may also be struggling to cope and not know what to do to make things better for themselves or their partner.

We’re here to offer mental health support for new parents as you adjust to your growing family and help you to cope with the pressures of parenthood, as well as supporting your partner. We understand that this is an enormous transition bringing with it changes to your relationship. We can help you to work through this change together and find coping mechanisms that work for your family.

Father and son

Should I talk to my friends and family?

As parents, you may be finding it difficult to talk to each other about how you are feeling, particularly if you are feeling overwhelmed. Try to confide in a friend or a close family member, someone you can trust, so you can seek help as soon as possible.

How TALKWORKS can help you

At TALKWORKS our staff are trained professionals who are here to help you understand how your thoughts and feelings are affecting you, and offer personalised advice and support for new parents.

We are open to anyone over the age of 18 who live in Devon (excluding Plymouth). We can provide you with talking therapies and coping strategies to help you through this life-changing period in your life. TALKWORKS is a free, confidential NHS Talking Therapy service, here to help you through a difficult period of your life.

We offer appointments at a time that work for you, over the phone, through video call via Attend Anywhere or face-to-face, at various locations across Devon, at our team bases, including GP surgeries.

Please don’t feel that you have to struggle in silence. The sooner you take the next step and contact us, the sooner we can help you to feel like ‘you’ again.
We work closely with our perinatal mental health service, health visitors and local children’s centres to ensure that you are receiving all the care and treatment available to you.

Choice of help

We will look at options with you which are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
This looks at the way that thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact, sometimes in a helpful, and sometimes in an unhelpful way.
We provide a choice of help that includes:

  • Working with you to identify the difficulty you are having
  • Helping you in deciding where to start
  • Recommending reading that would be helpful for you
  • Providing information about other local resources that might be helpful for you
  • Identifying thoughts and actions which may be unhelpful for you
  • Identifying strengths and support to draw on
  • Guidance in setting realistic goals and support in achieving them
  • Providing support throughself-management programmes that areproven to be effective
    Individual therapy
  • Group work which consist of six, two hour sessions that focus on techniques to improve depression, manage negative thoughts, manage anxiety and worry, bonding and attachment issues and feelings that you are not good enough

Get in touch

Please don’t feel that you have to struggle in silence. The sooner you take the next step and contact us, the sooner we can help you to feel like ‘you’ again.

Complete our self-referral form or if you prefer, you can speak to us over the phone, or make an appointment with your GP to discuss how we can help.


Your experience with us

Your feedback matters

“I was apprehensive about using the service thinking I wasn't "bad" enough but a talk to the cardiac group by a TALKWORKS practitioner gave me confidence to self-refer. I was referred with respect and taken seriously throughout, felt safe and was given tools and advice to help myself take control of my situation.”

“I could not fault the service I received. I was listened to and given so many different resources to help my anxiety and depression. I was so very low a year ago but with the amazing support from my therapist I feel more and more myself every day. Thank you TALKWORKS.”

“The therapy gently supported me to both understand and come to terms with my diagnosis and how it has impacted on me as a person for so many years. I felt I could be open and honest in a very safe space. I not only feel better, I understand myself better too.”