Birth and Beyond - Pregnancy and Postnatal Counselling 18 Pittville Street, Portobello, Edinburgh EH15 2BY

"Not every therapist has to be right for every person, but an ethical one shouldn’t lead an ill, vulnerable person on and exploit their mental fragility. After half a year of weekly sessions with Sarah the most useful thing I’ve learned is to spot clueless therapist sooner."

"I worked with Sarah before returning to work following on from my maternity leave. Having had a baby in the pandemic returning to work had provided a lot of anxiety. Sarah helped me, massively, to reframe this and focus on what I needed to feel comfortable with the transition. Sarah is kind, empathetic and above all provides a safe and calming space to work in. She is an excellent therapist and I cannot recommend her highly enough. She is a credit to her profession and I have recommended her to a number of my friends who are pregnant or new mothers. Asking for help can be a daunting experience however Sarah will make you feel completely at ease."

"I had post natal depression without realising what it was with my first child and when I was pregnant with my second I wanted to explore counselling to help me understand what I went through with my first child so I could cope better with my second. I found Sarah to be very welcoming and put you at ease very quickly. I never felt judged in my sessions which gave me the confidence to talk openly and freely about myself, being a mum and the struggles I had with it. Working with Sarah gave me a safe place to dump all my mum guilt/worries and walk away feeling lighter, with a clear mind and every week I grew with confidence in my own ability. Thank you."

"A few months after my first baby was born I had a strong sense that I needed an outlet for all the confusing and mixed feelings I was experiencing. I wanted to be able to speak openly and without judgement to someone completely neutral and I was drawn to Sarah because of her expertise in working with new parents. I wanted to feel that there was someone on my side. Someone who could really listen to, and hear, what I was saying without offering advice or solutions as well-meaning family and friends often do. Sarah not only provided the ear I so desperately needed, but she also helped me to gain new and significant insight into my way of being and thinking. This was enormously beneficial at a time when I was questioning everything I thought I knew about myself. Sarah's gentle, friendly but focussed approach was hugely appealing to me. From the outset I had a strong sense that we were working together and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed and looked forward to our sessions. When there were many new demands on me as a new mother, my counselling sessions felt like precious time and space just for me, where I could let it all hang out and always leave feeling lighter and with the energy I needed to carry on. While I was a little worried about the expense of counselling when we already had increased financial commitments as a new family, by the end of my time with Sarah I had no doubts that it was an investment well worth making. I feel so much more confident and resilient as a result of Sarah's support and would have no hesitation in recommending her to others."

"There are honestly no words that can give justice to how much I have gained from Sarah’s services. I went to Sarah after entering into a very low point in my life. I was very anxious, having panic attacks and felt stuck in a place that I very desperately wanted to get out but didn’t know how. I had spent the previous few years in a cycle of pregnancy and breast feeding and then further stressors just tipped things over the edge. I was very angry with people that were close to me and really felt like I had no control over my own life because of their actions. When I first went to Sarah I believed quite strongly that their was nothing wrong with my behaviour, it was purely the actions of my husband and other close family members that were causing my anxiety. Because of this, I wasn’t sure that counselling would be able to help. WOW was I wrong! Sarah was amazing! Within a few sessions she was able to help me see the situation from a fresh point of view and really untangle all the strong emotions I had been attaching to certain triggers. It was an emotional journey and quite difficult at points but her supportive and non-judgemental demeanour helped to get me through it. I am now in a point in my life where I feel much happier than I ever was before and I have a re-newed love and appreciation for my husband, my family and myself. She has taught me skills to help me deal with my anxiety as well as just life in general. I cant recommend Sarah enough and there really are no words to describe how much she has helped. Thank you so much Sarah, your words and wisdom have changed my life in the most fantastic way!"