Therapeutic Group for Mothers
Tender Postnatal
Tender Postnatal is a therapeutic group based around talking about our experiences, and feeling able to talk freely and openly about this tender postnatal life.
The group is facilitated by Bryony, a counsellor and perinatal yoga teacher. Bryony has over 10 years experience working with families and has been a mother herself since 2002.
Tender Postnatal is for Mothers who are feeling some rawness, sensitivity, or tenderness in the experience of mothering. It may be that you've had a difficult start, or you live with anxiety or low mood. For some, past experiences, or family dynamics may be a source of difficulty.
It might be clear to you why you're feeling tender, or it might have come as a surprise. Either way, you're very welcome to attend the group.
As a group, we will talk over some aspects of life, with chances to be heard and to hear others in a safe facilitated space. In this way, we can feel less alone, more connected, calmer and better able to cope with the rollercoaster of mothering and life.
The group will also involve some mindful and polyvagal toning practices to help settle the nervous system and for you to learn as a tool you can use in times of difficulty.
Babies attend with you.
This group will help participants to:
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feel more confident
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feel less alone/isolated
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better understand themselves
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better understand their relationships with babies/partners/parents
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feel validated
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connect to what they need to feel steadier and more resilient
Tender Postnatal will be particularly useful to mothers who are living with difficult feelings, whether these are specific experiences such as birth trauma, anxiety or low mood, or more general experiences of stress, overwhelm and struggle.
Anna
I really appreciated having a safe space to talk about my experiences and feel heard and seen, free from fear of judgement but also feeling very much an equal without needing to feel "the same" as others. Seeing that in amongst all the differences there is respect and commonality.
Nicolle
In my opinion, when you are in other baby groups, it never feels like anyone is being quite honest about their experiences—people seem to sugar coat or go in the opposite and exaggerate the negatives. It leaves you feeling confused and alone in your own feelings and experiences. I felt this group was very open and honest, it didn’t feel like anyone was trying to put on a show
Ella
I really appreciated having the space and time to talk and think, as recently life has felt too busy to be able to do that
Anna
It has helped me to step back from things that feel like big problems: learning just to acknowledge them helps them to feel less powerful