Frequently asked questions about perinatal psychology

Perinatal psychology is the speciality that provides emotional support to people throughout the entire reproductive process: from the desire to become a parent, trying to conceive, pregnancy, birth, the postpartum period and perinatal loss. Its goal is to care for the mental health of mothers, fathers and families during these stages. It integrates knowledge from clinical psychology, developmental psychology and health psychology, applied specifically to the perinatal experience. It not only addresses mood disorders, but also supports people through life transitions, bonding with their baby and building a new identity as a mother or father.

It is advisable to seek help when you feel your emotions are overwhelming you, you are experiencing intense anxiety, prolonged sadness or difficulty connecting with your baby. There is no need to wait until you are in crisis. In fact, the sooner you seek support, the easier it is to work through what is happening, and recovery tends to be faster. If you are unsure whether what you are feeling “is enough” to ask for help, that doubt itself is already a valid reason to reach out. You do not need to hit rock bottom to deserve help.

Sessions are individual, via video call, lasting 50 minutes. They take place in a confidential, safe and non-judgemental space. The usual frequency is weekly or fortnightly, though this is adapted to each person and the stage of their process. Online sessions offer the same guarantees of confidentiality as in-person ones, with the added convenience of attending from home, without travelling, and at a time that suits with your routine and your baby’s schedule.

Yes. The perinatal process also profoundly transforms fathers. Fear of not being up to the task or difficulty finding his own place as a father are valid experiences that deserve support. Many fathers reach out without knowing exactly what is happening, feeling “out of place” or unable to talk to anyone about it. Psychological support gives them their own space to process the experience, improve communication with their partner and build their bond with their baby from a more secure place.

Perinatal grief is the process of pain experienced by families following the loss of a baby. It includes miscarriage, perinatal death and the grief of not becoming a mother. It is a real pain that deserves specialised attention. Although it is often a grief that is invisible to those around them — because society does not always recognise it as such — its emotional impact can be enormous and last a long time. Psychological support does not aim for you to “get over” the loss, but rather to help you integrate it and find a path forward without having to forget.

Yes. Sessions are completely online. All you need is internet access, a device with a camera and a quiet space. I work with people from anywhere in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries. If you live outside Spain, it is also possible to work together as long as we share the language, regardless of the time zone, as schedules are arranged flexibly around what works for us both.

The duration of the process varies greatly depending on the person, the reason for seeking help and the goals we set. Some people benefit from brief, focused work over a few weeks; others need deeper work that may extend over several months. In the first session I carry out a joint assessment and share my impressions and a general outline of the process. In any case, we always set the pace together, and you can choose to pause or end the process whenever you feel it is right.

Yes. The available evidence shows that online psychological support works just as well as in-person support in most situations. Furthermore, in the perinatal period it has specific advantages: it allows sessions from home without needing to travel with a baby, facilitates continuity even if you move city or country, and reduces barriers to access for people living in areas without perinatal psychology specialists nearby. The bond that develops is just as real and just as deep.

Yes. Non-motherhood grief is the process experienced by people who wanted to become mothers and who, for various reasons — infertility, a life decision, life circumstances — face the possibility that this may not happen. It is a complex grief, often silenced socially and difficult to name, because it mourns something that never existed in a concrete form. Supporting those going through this process is an important part of my work, and I have a specific space dedicated to it.

No. There is no need to have suffered a trauma or be in crisis to benefit from a space to be heard. Many people reach out simply because they feel something has changed in them, they find it hard to manage everyday emotions, or they want to go through pregnancy, birth or the postpartum period with greater awareness and support. This support is not only for moments of crisis: it is also a space for growth, self-knowledge and preventive care. If you feel you need a space for yourself, that is already reason enough.

Yes, and in fact it is one of the moments when it can help the most. Pregnancy is a time of great emotional, physical and identity changes. Sometimes fears about birth, anxiety, memories of past experiences or simply a need to prepare emotionally for what is coming may arise. Psychological support during pregnancy not only helps you: it also prepares the ground for a more secure bond with your baby and for approaching the postpartum period from a more conscious and supported place.