About me
Hi, I'm Nicky, a fully qualified, BACP registered counsellor specialising in supporting women through pregnancy, birth and all stages of motherhood. I offer counselling in person in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and online across the UK.
If you're feeling overwhelmed, anxious, low or lonely, you're not alone. Pregnancy and motherhood can be incredibly rewarding, but they can also bring emotional overwhelm, relationship changes, the mental load of caring for others, and changes to your identity as you experience the transition into motherhood, known as matrescence. You may not feel like yourself, miss parts of your life before motherhood, or feel as though you're carrying everything in your head. For some women, the journey also includes birth trauma, fertility challenges, or miscarriage
I offer a compassionate space where you can talk openly, explore your feelings and begin to make sense of your experiences, without judgement or pressure.
You don't need to wait until things feel too much or wonder whether what you're experiencing is “bad enough” for counselling. Counselling can give you the space to pause, explore what you're feeling and develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your experiences. Over time, many women begin to feel less overwhelmed, more confident in their decisions and better able to recognise their own needs. They may also find it easier to let go of self-criticism, ask for support and respond to challenges with greater self-compassion.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (Integrative) (CPCAB)
- Certificate in Counselling Studies (CPCAB) Certificate in Counselling Skills (CPCAB)
- Award in Maternal Mental Health (Oplex Careers)
- Perinatal Mental Health training (NHS England)
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss and Infertility Practitioner Training; and Advanced Practitioner Training (The Foundation for Infant Loss Training)
- Miscarriage Matters Specialist Training (The Foundation for Infant Loss Training)
- Supporting families through pregnancy loss and the death of a baby (Sands)
- Birth Trauma (Birth Trauma Association and Make Birth Better)
- Understanding Perinatal OCD (The Pearl Institute of Perinatal Psychology)
- Understanding self-harm (Herts Mind Network)
- LGBTQ+ Awareness (Herts Mind Network)
With over 13 years of experience in the mental health sector, I support women experiencing anxiety, birth trauma, pregnancy and infant loss, matrescence and identity changes, and the many emotional challenges that can accompany motherhood.
My work includes supporting women following miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage, pregnancy and baby loss, difficult or traumatic births, and pregnancy after loss. I’m listed on the Miscarriage UK Counsellor Directory and the Birth Trauma Association’s Counsellors and Therapists Directory.
As a mum myself, I understand that motherhood can be both deeply rewarding and incredibly demanding. Having experienced postnatal anxiety, I know what it feels like to question yourself, carry constant worry, and navigate the profound changes that motherhood can bring. I also recognise that for some women, the path into motherhood includes grief through miscarriage, baby loss, fertility challenges, or a birth experience that didn't unfold as hoped.
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I support women through matrescence - the profound psychological, physical, emotional and social changes that come with becoming a mother. This can include identity loss and relationship changes.
I also support women who have experienced birth trauma, be it months or years ago.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£70.00 per session
Additional information
I offer a free 20-minute initial consultation.
When I work
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Further information
I am also part of Root & Bloom in St Albans, a local collaboration with a doula offering gentle, supportive sessions for pregnancy and the postnatal period. These sessions provide emotional and practical support and are separate from my counselling practice.
Further information can be found on Instagram at @root.and.bloomperinatalwellness
