Recovering from Breastfeeding Grief and Trauma Group
The team at Breastfeeding Psychology are experts in supporting women who are struggling with the emotional aftermath of breastfeeding challenges. We have designed this group to offer emotional support and practical strategies to help you to
Understand why you are feeling so distressed by what you have been through
“Map out” what psychological processes are keeping you feeling “stuck”
Experiment with a range of psychological strategies to help you to process what you have been through, feel more self-compassionate, and better able to live life the way you want to live it.
Although this is a group therapy, there is no expectation to share personal details, or anything you don't feel comfortable with. There are four group sessions in a small group of up to six women with similar experiences. The focus is on strategies that you can try in the here-and-now to manage anxiety, self-criticism, avoidance, worry and more. It is really common to feel a little apprehensive about group therapy, and we are happy to have a brief call to talk through what to expect. Previous participants have spoken about how reassuring it is to feel that they are not alone, and to learn amongst other women with similar struggles.
Running for four weeks from Friday 23rd October - Friday 13th November 9.30-11am
Cost £350
We also offer other therapeutic options including individual psychological therapy with Clinical Psychologists or a CBT therapist, and a single session “Breastfeeding Debrief” together with an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Click the links below to learn more about these other services.
“I was a bit worried about talking in a group, and having to share what happened to me, but there was almost none of that. It was surprisingly nice to realise that I’m not alone in how hard I found breastfeeding or in how upset I’ve been since it ended”.
“I found the session on managing worry really helpful, I’ve always been a “worrier” and now I feel so much more able to pause worries and get on with my day, which has helped me so much”.
“This group helped me to understand my threat system and why I found the first few months of motherhood so incredibly overwhelming. I’m now much kinder to myself and am trying hard to practice being more self-compassionate rather than self-critical, and I feel much more present with my baby”.
What Previous Group Members Say
Frequently Asked Questions
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We offer therapy with both Clinical Psychologists and CBT therapists, and all are highly trained, experienced, and committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based care. The right choice will depend on your needs, preferences, and what you’re hoping to get from therapy.
Clinical Psychologists have completed a doctoral-level qualification, including extensive training in psychological theory, research, and a wide range of therapeutic approaches across different settings. A key part of their expertise is in formulation—developing a holistic, in-depth understanding of your experiences, particularly when difficulties feel complex, longstanding, or hard to make sense of. They are well placed to support when there are multiple overlapping issues, or when you’re not sure where to start.
CBT therapists are specialists in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a structured, evidence-based approach that focuses on understanding and changing patterns of thinking and behaviour. CBT can be particularly helpful for specific difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, intrusive thoughts, or low self-esteem, and often offers a more structured, goal-focused way of working.
Both approaches are valuable, and many people benefit from either. Some clients choose to work with a Clinical Psychologist where they are looking for a more integrative, approach, particularly for more complex or longstanding difficulties. Others prefer the focused, skills-based nature of CBT.
If you’re unsure, we’re very happy to help guide you towards the best fit based on what you’re experiencing and what feels most helpful for you.
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We initially schedule a free 15-minute telephone call to answer any questions you may have about the process, and to check that we are the right service for you. If you wish to go ahead, we will agree which of our Psychological Therapists seems the best fit for your needs and schedule an initial assessment appointment via Microsoft Teams. This is an opportunity to develop a detailed picture of what has contributed to your distress, what factors may be keeping you feeling stuck, and how you would like to be able to move forwards. We will then make a plan on how we can work together to start moving forwards towards your goals. We can either meet weekly or fortnightly, usually at the same time and day each week, we only work online at present. The number of sessions we will need is variable, and we can decide between us. Sometimes a few sessions are enough to work through what you have been through, and show you the path for healing and moving forwards. In other cases, a longer piece of work is required to consider more complex factors. This will always be agreed together and a clear plan made.
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Session fees depend on the therapist you work with, and reflect the different levels of training, experience, and therapeutic approaches offered.
Consultant Clinical Psychologist & Founder (Dr Kelsey O’Reilly): £135 per session
Clinical Psychologist: £125 per session
CBT Therapist: £100 per session
We also offer a small, time-limited therapy group for breastfeeding grief and trauma, which provides a more cost-effective alternative to individual therapy, with a structured programme of support for £350.
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Ideally, therapy sessions are a space where you can just focus on you and your needs. However, we understand that when you have a young child this may be challenging! We encourage you where possible to arrange childcare, but if you need baby with you for a feed, or childcare would be a barrier to coming then of course bring them along. Just be aware that this may mean that our sessions need to be adapted.
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Most people who attend a therapy group are initially a little nervous about what to expect. We will meet before the group starts to get to know each other a little and ease any nerves. There is no expectation to talk more than you are comfortable with, and the focus is on together learning and applying new techniques to manage guilt, anxiety, self-criticism and more, rather than sharing in depth what you have been through. Please get in touch to talk it through more!