Claire Birch

I currently have availability for new clients. I predominantly work online, but I have availability for home visits if you live locally to me. I work Monday evenings, Tuesday afternoons, Thursday and Friday evenings. I have weekly, fortnightly, and monthly slots available.

I'm Claire, an integrative counsellor specialising in postnatal and perinatal mental health. I work with mothers, fathers, and parents of all kinds who are finding parenthood harder than they expected, whether that's in the early weeks after birth, or further down the line when things still don't feel quite right.

As a mum myself, I understand something of the gap between how parenthood is supposed to feel and how it actually does. That lived experience shapes the way I work, with warmth, without judgment, and with a genuine understanding of how complex this time can be.

My approach is integrative, which means I draw on a range of therapeutic methods to fit what you need, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model. We'll work at your pace, in a space that feels safe and genuinely supportive.

What I help with:-

I specialise in supporting parents during the postnatal period and beyond. This includes:

Postnatal depression and anxiety

Birth trauma

OCD

Identity shifts and the loss of your 'pre-parent' self

Relationship strain and feelings of isolation

Intrusive thoughts and low mood

A general sense that something isn't right, even if you can't name it

I offer online counselling, so sessions fit around the realities of life with young children, no travel, no childcare to arrange, just time that's yours. I also offer home visits within my locality.

Becoming a parent can be one of the most meaningful things you ever do. It can also be really, bloody hard.

If you've found yourself feeling exhausted, anxious, low, or not like yourself since having a baby, you're not alone, and there's nothing wrong with you. So many parents feel exactly this way and never say it out loud, because it doesn't feel like they're allowed to.

You might love your child completely and still feel lost. You might be functioning on the outside while quietly struggling on the inside. You might not even be able to put your finger on what's wrong, just a sense that this isn't how you thought it would feel.

I work with parents experiencing anxiety, low mood, overwhelm, or big life changes, because parenthood has a way of stirring up a lot more than just the new baby stuff.

That's exactly the kind of thing I'm here for.

Therapy isn't a quick fix, and it won't remove every challenge of parenthood. What it can do is help you feel less overwhelmed by your thoughts and emotions. As we make sense of what's happening, many parents begin to feel calmer, clearer, and more confident in how they respond, rather than feeling constantly on edge. You just need a space where you don't have to perform or pretend, somewhere you can finally say the things you haven't been able to say anywhere else. That in itself can be the beginning of feeling more like you again.

My work is down-to-earth, honest, and real. You don't have to tidy up your language or pretend you're fine. We talk about what's actually going on, the mental load, the exhaustion, the strain on relationships, the identity shift, and the things you don't say out loud at baby groups. I care deeply about this work and understand how intense this stage of life can be. Sessions go at your speed. Some people need space just to cry or rage without fixing it; others want strategies to get through the next feed, night, or wave of panic. We figure that out together.

You don't have to keep carrying this on your own.

Many people feel nervous about the first session, but there is no pressure to dive straight in. It is a chance for us to get to know each other. I'll ask you some questions to get a sense of what's been going on for you and what's brought you to therapy. There's no pressure to have everything figured out or to tell me everything at once. I also gather some background information, so I have a fuller picture of where you're starting from.

But just as importantly, it's a chance for you to get a feel for me and how I work. The relationship between a counsellor and client matters more than most people realise; research consistently shows it's one of the biggest factors in whether therapy helps. So if it doesn't feel like the right fit, that's important information too, and I'd always rather you found the right support than stuck with something that didn't feel right.

By the end of the session, we'll have a clearer idea of what you're hoping to get from therapy and whether working together feels like a good next step