Perinatal & Reproductive Psychology intervention and support in the context of trying to conceive, fe
05/03/2022
Honestly, so many things scare me about endometriosis
💛 how long it takes to being diagnosed
💛 how many people with a uterus it impacts
💛 where in your body it can potentially be found
💛 the range of symptoms it might (and might not) lead to
💛 we dont have an effective treatment
💛 how LITTLE we actually know about the damn disease
BUT the BIGGEST thing that scares me - is that my daughter might also be diagnosed with it.
March is Endometriosis awareness month, take the time to get yourself educated on the disease, with 1 in 10 people with a uterus having it, you know someone (many someones) who have it, so don't stick your head in the sand about it.
Make some noise, so the next generations don't have to put up and be put through what we, and your friends and family, have had to experience.
02/03/2022
Music, its a pretty amazing thing.
It can take us back in time, transport us to memories, connect us with our past.
Its visceral - we feel so many emotions through music, it can send us to places of happiness but also of sadness and reflection.
BUT how often do you truly listen to lyrics, the movement in the song and let yourself be taken away in the moment?
I can rattle off so many songs and artists I love, but the band I default to the most is The Whitlams (.official) albums played over and over, more concerts attended than I can count. Songs I sing along to, music that makes me happy when I'm feeling down, and gets me dancing around when I'm feeling great.
What music gets you connected?
24/02/2022
Fairly certain this is an exact depiction on the emotional twists and turns we are taken on when start head down the TTC road, and end up at fertility treatments.
The fertility roller-coaster of emotions - excitement, hope, disappointment and despair - plus another million in between.
We can't stop the emotions from happening but we certainly can implement strategies to help us through
💫 managing our expectations through realistic understanding of conception odds and outcomes
💫 keep open communication with out partner
💫 take time for self care, reset and calm our system
💫 consider putting a limit on the fertility talk!
Link in my bio to
for more on the infertility roller-coaster
22/02/2022
AT LEAST
Nothing good comes from these words
Nothing positive follows them
Nothing often comes from our mouths in response, because we're shocked
At least makes us angry, upset, dismissed, and unseen in our grief, struggle, and sorrow.
We can respond - but only if we feel comfortable to do so, but maybe don't punch the person.
17/02/2022
How do you go with these little suckers?
This morning I had to do one for my oldest as part of school attendance, and today, despite doing them regularly, I was absolutely sh*tting myself.
Many people are doing these tests routinely, as part of work, education, symptoms, or being a good citizen!
Whatever the reason you're doing one of these tests, they are anxiety provoking.
If you have a history (or current experience) of infertility, they are down right traumatising.
The conflict in emotion - the disappointment of a negative - the realising actually in this case its a GOOD thing.
We haven't had a positive result in our house (thankfully), but I do know for some they get excited about seeing the two lines - then the reality sets in...
I never saw a double line on home tests - once we started fertility treatment I couldn't test any longer, I was too traumatised from seeing one line after one line, negative after negative.
Im really hoping my first ever double line on a home test is not due to one of these - but my gut says its only time!
If you too are being triggered by these tests, if they bring back or reignite the trauma of fertility treatment, you are not alone.
16/02/2022
Manifesting and the process of manifesting a baby seems to have become somewhat popular recently.
I don't know about you, but im fairly certain the depths of infertility no amount of positive affirmation or manifestation is going to bring about a pregnancy and a baby.
I read a LOT of books in the world of infertility and pregnancy loss, many are personal experiences, others written by professionals, some are biographies, others provide strategies for coping through fertility treatment and pregnancy loss.
What I have noticed is an increased amount of narrative around manifesting, being positive and thinking positive. I see nothing wrong with having a positive mindset, but often the narrative is tipping towards a toxic level, and pushing through the story that only positive thinking and manifesting will get you the baby you so desire.
The reality - for some that will never be the case, for others pregnancy is achieved not through positive thinking but through multiple doctors appointments, procedures and medications.
Manifestation and positive thinking may have a place in the world, but its not likely to bring about a baby, and purpoting these ideas is positive toxicity at its worst.
13/02/2022
Self Care Sunday
Sensory Grounding, can be one of the easier forms of engaging in mindfulness practices, because it can easily be done anytime and any place.
The premise of sensory grounding is to use our 5 senses - touch, sight, hearing, taste and smell - to focus, to disconnect or reduce our engagement with our churning thoughts, and calm our internal systems.
Overtime, we might find a preference to one sense over another, and find we tap into that sense more easily and with beneficial outcomes, or we might find the full range of sense is best for us.
Like all psychological techniques, sensory grounding can be adapted and shifted to suit our individual needs.
In the photos you can see some of the sensory techniques I tapped into
Popping Candy Chocolate - taste, sound, and touch/feel
Roses - Smell (amazing)
Bees - sounds and sight (you might also hear the sprinklers and the birds in the video)
Sight - the colour and form of the flowers in my garden
08/02/2022
Around 40% of my current work is pre-Fertility Counselling sessions for couples and single women who are engaging in either IUI or IVF with
There is often a lot of worry and concern at the start of the session, that somehow it will stop them from proceeding with treatment, due to being deemed as not being suitable to become a parent.
This is not the intention of the counselling session, rather its to explore concerns, work through questions, discuss managing stress, anxiety, grief and loss and identify supports.
Today on the I discuss more about the pre-treatment counselling and what you can expect.
The podcast can be found through the link in the bio, the title is Pre-Fertility Treatment Counselling Appointment.
08/02/2022
I promised at the start of the week I would let you all know about what I was working on! And here it is:
The Fertility Bites Podcast!
I decided to start a short format podcast, keeping episodes under 10 minutes with a focus on mental health and mental wellbeing while navigating trying to conceive, fertility treatments, pregnancy loss, pregnancy after loss, pregnancy, and post-partum period.
Life is busy, so I didn't want it to be too long. I love podcasts, but often find them hard to listen to due to being long, so short this one shall remain.
Its authentic (*unedited*) and I've figured out i find it easier to speak what I'm thinking rather than write it in a post! While I won't stop posting here, the podcast will offer a space to expand on the content of what I have here.
You'll find a link to the podcast in my bio!
05/02/2022
I absolutely love the Why It Matters Series, to the point, accessible, straightforward, language and content.
scotland Why Postnatal Depression Matters focuses in on the social and cultural constructs which impact on mood leading to depression for new mums, and dads too.
Mia provides a background for what depression is generally, and what perinatal depression is why it may occur, and backs it up with straightforward and practical suggestions of what can help to move through depression in the perinatal period.
What I love the most about this book is the continual reminder that the individual is NOT at fault or faulty, that YOU are not the problem rather that as a society we need to continue to step up and step in to support our new families.
It has also once again been an eye opener to why we have seen such and increase in mental health challenges broadly, but also specifically within the perinatal period over the past 2 years as we have been increasingly disconnected from one another.
If you are a parent to be, it worth the read.
04/02/2022
Let's face it, they would also be bloody exhausted by it too and potentially questioning why you are keeping going.
Yes its helpful to look back and see how far we have come, what we have achieved, and what we have done.
But let's face it, in the world of infertility, pregnancy, and baby loss sometimes when we look back we feel angry, frustrated and just plain exhausted - and that's ok too.
And yes you can keep going, but its also ok to stop too.
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Seeds For Hope Perinatal Psychology was established in 2020 by Lisa Ransome, as a way to share her passion about mental health particularly in the perinatal areas of Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART), Perinatal Loss, and Birth Trauma.
Lisa is a General Registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. Lisa completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Macquarie University Sydney, and continuing to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology, and a 5th year sequence of a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology, both also at Macquarie University, Sydney. She has also completed further specialised training in the areas of Birth Trauma, and Perinatal Loss. As well as drawing on her personal experiences with ART, Early Pregnancy Loss, & Birth Trauma to inform her work.
In Private Practice, Lisa predominately works with individuals who have been experiencing mental, emotional and cognitive difficulties within the perinatal period, including:
*Coming to Terms with Infertility (both Primary and Secondary)
*Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART - OI, IUI, IVF etc) Support
*Pregnancy Loss (single, recurrent, termination for medical reasons, and terminations)
*Birth Trauma
*Non-directive Pregnancy Counselling
Treatment and Intervention Styles are drawn from the theories and domains of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Attachment Theory, and Focused Psychological Strategies (Motivational Interviewing, Relaxation, and Skills Training).
Sessions fees are able to be partially rebated under the Medicare Better Health Access (GP Mental Health Care Plan Scheme), Medicare Non-Directive Pregnancy Support Counselling, Private Health Insurance, or full fee payment by the individual.
