Perinatal and Postnatal Mental Health Support in Glasgow

Perinatal mental health is more common than people think

NHS figures suggest around 1 in 5 women experience mental health difficulties during pregnancy or in the first year after birth. That is a significant number, yet many people suffer in silence because they feel they should be happy, grateful, or coping better than they are.

Perinatal mental health is about far more than postnatal depression, though that is the most widely known difficulty. Anxiety during pregnancy is extremely common and often goes unrecognised. Intrusive thoughts about harm coming to your baby can be terrifying but are a well-understood part of perinatal anxiety and are not a reflection of who you are as a parent.

Birth trauma affects a significant proportion of people who give birth, as well as partners who witnessed a difficult delivery. It can lead to flashbacks, avoidance, and a sense of disconnection from your baby or from yourself.

The transition to parenthood also brings identity shifts, changes in relationships, sleep deprivation, and a loss of the life you had before. These are real and valid struggles. The pressure to feel purely joyful about parenthood can make it harder to ask for help when things are not going well.

How we can help

Our psychologists understand the unique challenges of the perinatal period. Therapy is tailored to where you are, whether that is during pregnancy, the early weeks with a newborn, or months into parenthood when you realise something still does not feel right.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is effective for perinatal anxiety and depression. It helps you identify the thinking patterns and behavioural cycles that maintain distress, such as catastrophic predictions about your baby's safety or withdrawal from activities you used to enjoy. CBT provides practical, evidence-based strategies that fit around the demands of early parenthood.

EMDR is used when birth trauma is a central part of the difficulty. If your birth experience was frightening, overwhelming, or left you feeling powerless, EMDR can help your brain process those memories so they no longer intrude on the present. It can also help with trauma from pregnancy loss or fertility treatment.

Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) is particularly valuable for the guilt and shame that so often accompany perinatal difficulties. Many new parents carry harsh self-judgements about not coping, not bonding quickly enough, or not feeling the way they think they should. CFT helps you understand why these feelings arise and develop a kinder, more realistic relationship with yourself as a parent.

ACT supports you in making room for the full range of emotions that come with parenthood, including the difficult ones, while staying connected to the kind of parent and person you want to be. It is especially helpful when the struggle is less about a specific diagnosis and more about a broader sense of being overwhelmed or lost.

You do not have to wait until it gets worse

Early support makes a real difference, and you do not need to reach crisis point before seeking help. If you are pregnant and struggling with anxiety, low mood, or fears about birth, therapy can help now, rather than once you are also coping with the demands of a newborn.

It is also worth knowing that partners can be significantly affected too. Watching someone you love go through a difficult pregnancy or birth, adjusting to parenthood, or feeling excluded from the bond between parent and baby can all take a toll on mental health. Support is available for you as well.

Who you might work with

Several of our psychologists work with anxiety, low mood and trauma in the perinatal period. Tell us a little about what is going on and we will match you with the right person, or view our full team.