Melbourne Perinatal Psychologist
Perinatal psychology supporting you through pregnancy, postpartum and the complicated road to parenthood
“I didn’t think it would feel like this”
Struggling during pregnancy or after having a baby doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong with your bond, that you aren’t grateful or that you’re doing parenthood badly.
You can congratulate everyone around you as they announce their pregnancies and ache, wondering if it will ever happen for you.
You can lose the baby you dreamed of and feel overwhelmed by grief.
You can desperately want a pregnancy and feel anxious throughout it.
You can adore your baby and experience depression.
You can feel overjoyed about becoming a parent and want to go back to work because you feel so bored (and then feel guilty for having that thought).
You can be relieved your baby arrived safely and still be affected by what happened during their birth.
There can be a huge gap between how you thought the path to becoming a parent would feel and how it actually feels.
And when everyone keeps telling you how special this time is meant to be, admitting you’re struggling can feel even harder.
Feeling more like yourself again is what we can work towards
You don’t have to write off how you’re feeling as something you just need to get through.
And struggling with pregnancy, birth or becoming a parent doesn’t mean the rest of this chapter has to feel this hard.
Perinatal psychology can help you make sense of what you’re experiencing, work through what’s keeping you stuck and find practical ways to make day-to-day life feel more manageable.
You don’t need to become the version of parent you thought you’d be.
The work is about being OK with the person or parent you are.
Individual perinatal psychology
If you’re looking for a perinatal psychologist, I offer evidence-based therapy across the transition to parenthood: from fertility and IVF through pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. Appointments are available in person in Collingwood or Camberwell, or Australia-wide via telehealth.
I welcome LGBTQIA+ parents and families, same-sex couples navigating fertility treatment and solo parents by choice.
I can help with:
- Perinatal depression and anxiety
- Birth trauma
- Preparing for birth after a previous traumatic experience
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Feeling angry, irritable, overwhelmed or unlike yourself
- Guilt about not enjoying pregnancy or parenthood as expected
- Loss of identity and adjusting to parenthood
- Infertility and IVF
- Grief associated with fertility, pregnancy, perinatal loss and miscarriage
- Termination for medical reasons
- Navigating the transition back to work
- Changes in relationships after becoming a parent
- Eating disorders and body image concerns during pregnancy and postpartum
Appointment Fees & Rebates
50-minute appointment: $270
Medicare Rebate: Available with an eligible Mental Health Treatment Plan. If you’re seeing me for an eating disorder during pregnancy or postpartum, an Eating Disorder Management Plan may apply instead.
Private Health Insurance: Please check with your provider
Meet your perinatal psychologist Jess Green
My experience with children and families started well before I became a psychologist
I don’t have children of my own, but I have an extensive history working with them.
I’ve been a nanny, a foster carer and a disability support worker. Those roles put me inside family homes and gave me a very real view of family life compared to what you get from a textbook or therapy room.
Today, I’m a Clinical Psychologist with more than 10 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families.
I hold a Doctor of Psychology (Clinical) from Monash University, where I completed the clinical child, adolescent and family psychology specialisation, including a year-long internship at The Royal Children’s Hospital. I’m also a member of the Centre for Perinatal Psychology and have completed intensive Perinatal Mental Health and Perinatal Loss Training.
Over the past decade, I’ve continued working alongside children, adolescents and their parents through some of the more challenging parts of raising a family.
Because even after all that training, my clients are still my best teachers.
What can I expect when working with a perinatal psychologist?
01.
Tell me a little about what’s going on
Send through an enquiry with a little about what’s bringing you to therapy and whether you’d prefer Collingwood, Camberwell or telehealth.
You don’t need to know exactly what’s wrong or what kind of therapy you need before you get in touch.
02.
Before your first appointment
Once your appointment is booked, I’ll send you an email confirming the date and time, along with an online form for you to complete before we meet.
If you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan or Eating Disorder Management Plan, please send this through before your appointment too.
And because life is particularly good at becoming chaotic, I’ll send you a text reminder two days before your session.
03.
During your first appointment
Your first 50-minute appointment gives us a chance to talk about what’s happening now, what brought you to therapy and any history that might help us understand what you’re experiencing.
At the end of the session, I’ll share my impressions of what might be going on, and we’ll discuss your therapy goals, the approach I recommend and how frequently it makes sense for us to meet.
04.
Subsequent appointments
We’ll work collaboratively on the things that are getting in the way of how you want to feel or live.
If several things are happening at once (which, let’s face it, is fairly common during this stage of life), we’ll decide together where it makes sense to start and keep checking that therapy is focused on what matters to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
A few things you might want to know about perinatal psychology
If you need support now:
contact your GP, call PANDA on 1300 726 306 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call 000. I’m not an emergency or crisis service and I reply to enquiries within two business days.
When should I see a perinatal psychologist?
It’s common for the reality of birth or becoming a parent to bring things that have been bubbling under the surface into sharper focus. There’s no perfect time, but if you know there’s something you want to work through, it can be helpful to reach out sooner rather than later.
Can you help with birth trauma?
Yes. We can work through what happened during your birth and how the experience is affecting you now.
If you’re pregnant again after a traumatic birth, we can also work on preparing for your upcoming birth, including identifying triggers, discussing what would help you feel more supported and putting together a birth plan that takes what happened last time into account.
Can my partner come to an appointment?
Yes. Your partner or birthing partner can join you for an individual session when it would be helpful, for example, to talk through a previous birth, prepare for an upcoming birth or help them better understand what you’re experiencing.
Please note that I don’t offer couples therapy, so if mediating relationship conflict or ongoing relationship support is what you’re looking for, I can help you find a more appropriate service.
Can I bring my baby to my appointment?
Yes! You are most welcome to bring your baby to your appointment.
Do I need a referral?
No, you can make an appointment to see me and pay privately.
If you are referred by a GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician under a Mental Health Treatment Plan, you are eligible for Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual sessions and 10 group sessions per calendar year.
If you are referred by a GP or psychiatrist under an Eating Disorder Management Plan, you may be eligible for Medicare rebates for up to 40 individual sessions (sessions are granted in blocks of 10 with reviews with your referring provider in between, along with a review by your psychiatrist or paediatrician before session 20).
How many appointments will I need?
There isn’t one answer to this because it depends on what you’re experiencing, how long it’s been going on, and the type of treatment we decide is appropriate.
At the end of your first appointment, we’ll discuss the approach I recommend and how frequently it makes sense to meet. We’ll keep checking in on this as therapy progresses.
Can I claim a rebate on my psychology appointments?
I will need a copy of your current Mental Health Treatment Plan or Eating Disorder Management Plan for you to be able to claim a Medicare rebate.
You will need to check whether your private health extras cover includes psychology appointments.
Note: You must choose whether to apply for the Medicare rebate or private health cover rebate; you cannot receive both. The Medicare rebate is typically higher, so people generally claim their appointments under Medicare first and then use private health insurance once their Medicare-rebated appointments have run out.
How do payments work?
Payment is due on the day of your appointment. For in-person appointments, payment is made by EFTPOS. For telehealth appointments, I’ll email you an invoice with my bank details so you can make payment via bank transfer.
Once I have received payment, I will process your Medicare rebate for you. You will receive a receipt by email which includes the Medicare claim receipt.
Do you offer a concession rate?
A small number of concession sessions may be available if you are experiencing financial hardship. Places are limited and reviewed periodically. Please let me know when you enquire so we can have a conversation about your options.
What happens if I need to cancel or change my appointment?
Please give at least two business days’ notice to cancel or reschedule. Weekends and public holidays don’t count. For example, for a Monday appointment, I’d need to hear from you by the Wednesday before. Cancellations with less than two business days’ notice are billed at 100% of the appointment fee.
This might not be how you pictured it. But it doesn't have to be your whole story.
Whether you’re navigating fertility, pregnancy, postpartum or parenthood, you don’t need to have all the answers before you reach out.