About me
You love your kids, but parenting is nothing like you imagined. You thought you’d be patient, present, fun. Instead, you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, and wondering why this feels so hard.
I see you. I get it. And I can help.
Hello! I'm Katy
I'm not the dalai mama
I’ve spent two decades working in mental health, always drawn to supporting families. When my turn came to have kids, I was sure I’d be a natural.
But it wasn’t like the textbooks. I wasn’t prepared for a high-risk pregnancy, a traumatic birth, and a baby who never stopped crying and treated sleep like an optional extra.
And I wasn’t the calm, patient, fun mum I’d imagined. I was overwhelmed, anxious, and blindsided by the gap between the fantasy of parenting and the reality of it.
No one warns you about the emotional rollercoaster, the mental load, how becoming a parent stirs up old wounds and reshapes your entire identity. I had expected to feel love, pride, joy – and I did, in buckets. But I was also more anxious, irritable and exhausted than I’d ever been.
Even with all my training, I struggled.
how I got here
I had to use every tool I knew from my training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), and lots of flexibility to find a way to navigate parenting in a way that felt sustainable and enjoyable.
Balancing an intense NHS role, a long commute, and three kids under seven was a lot. My salary barely covered the childcare fees. I was exhausted. I knew something had to change. So I reluctantly left the NHS, hoping private practice would bring more balance.
Then the pandemic hit.
Like so many parents, I was suddenly stuck at home, homeschooling 3 little kids, running on empty. But if there was one good thing to come from those lockdown days, it was that the taboo around parental burnout was finally lifted. Parents everywhere started talking more openly about how hard this really is.
And I wanted to help them. So I did more training and became the UK’s first certified parental burnout practitioner in 2022. Now, I help parents navigate stress, difficult emotions, and self-doubt – so they can actually enjoy family life again.
how I can help you
I specialise in therapy for stressed parents – grounded in research, but always practical, down-to-earth, and free from judgment. My approach blends:
Expertise & Evidence-Based Therapy – using my two decades of clinical and academic experience to help parents manage the emotional rollercoaster of parenthood.
Personal Understanding as a Parent – I’ve lived the stress, sleepless nights, and tried to live up to the impossible standards. I’ll show you the tools I use in my own life.
A Down-to-Earth, Compassionate Approach – Therapy doesn’t have to be clinical and heavy. I bring warmth, humour, and relatability into the work we do.
Flexible & Accessible Support – I offer online therapy that fits into busy parenting lives and am expanding into digital resources for more accessible support
Kind Words from Colleagues & Clients
Training and Qualifications
- Parental Burnout Diagnosis and Treatment (Training Institute for Parental Burnout)
- Various Compassion Focused Therapy trainings including for postnatal depression
- Various Acceptance and Commitment Therapy trainings including several for parental mental health
- Maternal Mental Health Certificate (Postpartum Support International)
- Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals, Couples and Families (Dr. Sue Johnson)
- ClinPsyD - Clinical Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (University of Manchester, 2016)
- PhD - Research Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Bangor University, 2009)
- PGCert in Primary Care Mental Health (University of Huddersfield, 2005)
- MSc in Foundations of Clinical Psychology (Bangor University, 2004)
- BSc (Hons) Psychology (University of Leeds, 2002)
Getting started is EASY
one
Book your free 15 min video call and we’ll discuss your hopes for therapy and see whether we’re a good fit
two
We’ll book in 1 or 2 online assessment sessions to explore your difficulties and make a plan for therapy
three
We’ll book regular online therapy sessions and work together on our plan to get you back on track.
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