Amy O'Dell

Becoming a parent is often described as the happiest time of your life. But what if it doesn't feel that way?

Perhaps you're looking around at everyone else and wondering why they seem to be coping when you're barely keeping your head above water. Maybe you feel like you've lost yourself, don't recognise the person you've become, or spend every day wondering, "Am I a good enough parent?", "Why don't I feel that overwhelming sense of joy?" "What's wrong with me?"

If these thoughts sound familiar, you're not alone. More parents experience them than you might realise, yet many suffer in silence because they're afraid of being judged or seen as a bad parent.

Together, we can explore what's happening beneath the guilt, anxiety, overwhelm or numbness. Whether you're struggling with your identity, feeling disconnected from your baby, grieving your old life, feeling isolated, or finding the transition into parenthood much harder than you expected, there is space for all of it.

I offer talking therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). Talking therapy gives you the opportunity to make sense of your thoughts and emotions without fear of judgement. EMDR can help if difficult experiences, birth trauma, previous losses, anxiety or earlier life events are affecting how you feel now, allowing your brain to process memories that may be keeping you stuck.

My role isn't to tell you how to parent or to judge your feelings. It's to help you understand yourself with compassion, quiet your inner critic, rebuild your confidence and reconnect with the parent you want to be.

You don't have to love every moment of parenthood. You don't have to have all the answers. And you certainly don't have to face these feelings on your own.

Asking for support isn't a sign that you're failing. It's a sign that you care enough to look after yourself as well as your child. Sometimes, the greatest gift you can give your family is giving yourself permission to be supported too.

Starting counselling can feel like a big step. You might be wondering whether anyone will really understand what you're going through or whether talking will actually make a difference. I understand those feelings because my own life experiences and trauma are what first led me to counselling. Experiencing the positive impact therapy had on my own life inspired me to train so I could help others find that same sense of hope and healing and now I even teach counselling courses at my local college.

I have been a qualified counsellor for over six years and am an Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I am also qualified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), an evidence-based therapy that can help people process traumatic or distressing experiences when appropriate and I supervise other counsellors work.

My approach is person-centred, which means I won't tell you what you should do or make decisions for you. Instead, I'll provide a safe, compassionate and non-judgemental space where you can talk openly, untangle what's going on and begin to see things more clearly. I believe you are the expert on your own life, and together we'll work at a pace that feels right for you.

Whether you're struggling with anxiety, trauma, low self-esteem, grief, relationship difficulties, emotional eating or simply feeling overwhelmed, you're welcome exactly as you are. There is no pressure to have the right words or know where to begin.

To make therapy as accessible as possible, I offer sessions in person, online, by telephone, or, where suitable, I can also visit you in your own home. Together, we'll find the way of working that best fits your life and your needs.

Above all, my aim is to help you feel heard, understood and supported as you make sense of your experiences and move towards the life you want to live.