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Learn more about parenthood
Therapy for parenthood covers the psychological support available to people navigating any stage of becoming or being a parent, from pregnancy and the postnatal period through to parenting adolescents or adult children. Parenthood is one of the most significant transitions a person can make, and it brings with it a range of emotional, relational, and identity challenges that are rarely spoken about candidly. These can include the psychological shift into a new role, changes in the couple relationship, postpartum difficulties, parenting stress, and the longer-term demands of raising children while maintaining everything else. Therapy provides a space to address all of this without having to minimise or apologise for how difficult it is.
Parents rarely feel comfortable saying that they are struggling. Many of the following are more common than they appear.
- You are finding the adjustment to parenthood harder than you expected, and feel unable to say so
- Your relationship with your partner has changed significantly since having children and you are not sure how to address it
- You are dealing with the aftermath of a difficult birth, a pregnancy loss, or postpartum depression
- You feel overwhelmed, isolated, or as though you have lost the sense of who you are outside of being a parent
- You are parenting a child with additional needs and carrying the weight of that without adequate support
- Your own childhood or relationship with your parents is affecting how you are parenting, in ways you want to understand
- You are navigating a major family transition, including separation, and want to support your children through it
Several approaches work well for the range of difficulties that parenthood can bring.
- Family therapy Family therapy works with the family system as a whole, addressing the relational dynamics between parents and children and helping the family navigate difficulties together.
- Couples therapy Couples therapy addresses the relational strain that parenthood often amplifies, including communication, intimacy, and the division of responsibilities, with both partners in the room.
- Counselling Counselling provides a private space for a parent to speak honestly about what is difficult, without an agenda or a required outcome, and without worrying about the impact on a partner or child.
- Systemic therapy Systemic therapy considers the family as a system and examines how patterns, roles, and dynamics interact, which is useful when difficulties are relational rather than located in any one person.
- CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) CBT can help with the anxiety, perfectionism, and critical self-talk that many parents carry, building more flexible and sustainable ways of thinking about their role.
It's Complicated is a therapist-founded mental health platform connecting clients with verified practitioners across Europe and globally, in over 60 languages. We work with over 2,500 vetted therapists, with in-person availability in Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, Vienna, and other major cities, alongside online sessions worldwide. It's Complicated is free to use, and you pay your chosen therapist directly at rates they set.
Finding a therapist who understands the specific pressures of parenthood, rather than applying a generic approach to what is a genuinely particular kind of difficulty, makes a meaningful difference. Our matching service is built to remove that friction. You complete a short survey, our psychologists combine data-driven insights with human judgement to identify the right therapists for your situation, and you choose from a shortlist of strong candidates. You can also browse our directory directly if you'd prefer to choose yourself.
Get matched with a therapist who specialises in parenthood, or browse the directory.
