Free offers | Consultation with a psychologist

General information

Pregnancy and breastfeeding are periods of massive change in many areas of life, which usually bring with them uncertainty and ambivalence.

Fears help pregnant women and parents to be alert to their own needs. They draw attention to what is needed to feel secure during childbirth and the transition to a new family constellation. However, they can also take on overwhelming proportions. Questions such as “Will I be a good enough mother*/father*?”, “Will I make the same mistakes as my parents?”, “How are we going to manage all this?” and fears about their own freedom, (professional) identity, and self-determination over their own lives can torment (expectant) parents.

Issues that have been suppressed until now (tragic experiences, fears, aggression, etc.) can suddenly resurface and threaten to overwhelm you. Relationships change, sleep deprivation takes its toll, physical changes are often experienced as stressful...

These issues can turn the “time of joyful anticipation” into an extreme roller coaster of emotions and pull the proverbial “rug out from under your feet.”

Unfortunately, some births do not go as hoped and are experienced as traumatic. Such births can lead to unpleasant stress reactions, but these can be treated effectively. Typical stress reactions include feeling unable to connect with oneself (and the child) or constantly thinking about the birth situation and being overwhelmed by unpleasant feelings (fear, helplessness, despair, anger, etc.).

The aim of the consultation is to stabilize the situation and clarify whether further support is necessary and, if so, what kind.

Miriam Gertz, MSc, psychologist, family planning counselor, and psychotherapist in training under supervision (systemic family therapy), and Tanja Kops, midwife and psychotherapist in training under supervision (person-centered psychotherapy), offer counselling sessions for pregnant women, mothers*, and fathers* every Wednesday or Thursday morning at the Hebammenzentrum.