Women’s Health Support Service

The Women’s Health Support Service is run by Tina Mathanda (Psychologist) and Vicki Hallion (Midwife), providing support, education and guidance for women at a time in their lives from when they are pre-children through to having small children. This is not therapy. Sessions are conducted in a more informal, relaxed environment such as a café or park, over the phone or via SKYPE/Facetime. You can be confident in knowing that the same privacy and confidentiality applies that applies in a therapy environment. We have extensive professional and personal experience in these areas along with contacts and resources to support you. Our service aims to advocate for a proactive approach to women’s health. We are non-judgmental and are here to help with any difficulties you are facing, whether you believe they are small or insurmountable.
Some of the reasons women seek out our service are they are;

  • Getting older and no signs of a baby coming; I don’t have a partner but really want a baby, or do I? All my friends are having babies. Could I do it myself? Do I start to plan my life baby free?

  • Considering starting to try to conceive; how will this affect my work? My relationship with my partner? Our financial situation? Our travel plans, independence and freedom? What if I can’t fall pregnant? Do I want to go through a pregnancy and birth?

  • Having difficulties conceiving; I’ve been trying for a while and I’m still not pregnant. Is there something wrong with me? Or him? Do I seek professional help? What will this look like and can we afford it? What if we can’t ever fall pregnant? What will our lives look like if we don’t have children? Will we stay together?

  • Going through fertility treatments; I feel like I’m going through this alone. This feels so daunting and overwhelming. I don’t want people to know I’m going through fertility but I need some support. How do I juggle doctor's visits, tests, procedures, my job, spouse, family and friends? How do I cope each month when the result is negative? How do I keep going? Do I keep going? When do I stop? What if we do all of this and I still don’t fall pregnant?

  • Pregnant; I have no energy and feel awful how do I get through my day? I’ve had some news that there’s a complication and I’m very worried. I've been told I will miscarry or just had a miscarriage and I'm devastated. I’ve previously had a miscarriage and I’m petrified that it will happen again. I’ve just found out its a girl/boy and I really wanted or expected the other. I’m having a multiple birth, how do I deal with that? So now I have to give birth, ahhh!

  • Just given birth; I didn’t have the birth that I wanted and I feel really affected by this. I’m not recovering as I would have liked or expected. There were some complications and I’m struggling with this emotionally. My baby was born premature.

  • Dealing with a newborn; I’m so stressed. I’m having difficulties feeding and its becoming very stressful. I feel I can’t cope with the crying. I’m not sure that I love him/her. I’m feeling a lot of pressure from family. I’m feeling isolated and like I’m doing this alone.

  • Dealing with a newborn when you already have a child; I feel like I don’t have enough time or energy to give them both. I feel like I don’t have any time for myself. Should we have had another child? Will the older one cope with this new addition? I don’t think I can do this on my own.

  • Coping with a small child or children; I’m bored and I feel horribly guilty about that. I’m snapping a lot. I get easily overwhelmed. I want to go back to work, or do I? How will that work? How will it affect my child(ren). How do I manage schedules when they are on such different ones? It feels like I have no time for myself.

We will support you to;

  • Learn essential skills to help you adjust;

  • Enhance emotional wellbeing;

  • Learn how to reduce stress and support you to manage your situation with a calmer, clearer and more confident approach;

  • Restore better balance in your life;

  • Learn a lot about yourself and what will work for you;

  • Deal with the “here and now” and move towards a desired or improved future state;

  • Prepare yourself as best you can for what is ahead rather than focusing on what has gone wrong and why.

We are here to support you through this process and for as long as you need us into early parenting and beyond. 
You are NOT alone!  

Fill in your details below to have a chat and see if we can help

Fees

15 minute initial phone or email consult - Free

Per session - $100 (1 hour)

A referral from your GP is not required.  You may be eligible for a rebate through your Private Health Fund. This depends on your Health Fund and cover.  Please check directly with your Health Fund. At this stage there are no Medicare rebates available.