Lotus Counselling & Psychotherapy MIACP

06/12/2025

Acknowledge your grief and welcome it. If you’ve loved and lost, Christmas can be a bit s**t. It’s ok to feel it. You’re heart can hold it ❤️

30/11/2025

Ireland’s first perinatal mother and baby unit for pregnant women and new mothers who have mental health conditions such as postnatal depression has been promised as part of €9.5bn capital spending covering the next four years.

The unit, which has long been called for and recommended since 2017, was due to be subject to a feasibility study carried out at Elm Mount Unit in St Vincent’s Hospital.

Currently women with severe perinatal mental health conditions are admitted to general psychiatric units.

A specialist unit would provide a more tailored and supportive care in a safe and appropriate environment for mother and baby.

It is earmarked among the capital projects under the Department of Health’s section of the National Development Plan for 2026 to 2030.

It provides the health sector with €9.25bn, “the largest ever investment in public health infrastructure in the State and will help to deliver a stronger, more modern and digitised healthcare service, providing better and faster care for patients, improved services for families, and a safer, more supportive environment for healthcare workers,” the plan states.

Read more on this below

12/11/2025

UPDATE: Three “safe homes” for victims of domestic violence have been identified for Cavan, with delivery expected sometime in 2026.

07/11/2025

30/10/2025

17/10/2025

Have you been told to “enjoy every minute!” It’s often well-meaning advice but can leave new parents feeling bewildered and disappointed when they simply don’t.

Becoming a parent, like life generally, is full of ups and downs. Of steep learning curves. Good days and bad days. Soul-stretching love and utter frustration.

Those early months are certainly full of enjoyable moments. Holding your baby for the first time. Searching their squashed newborn features for family resemblance. Taking a deep breath and inhaling the sweet, new baby scent. Passing your bundle around to love-struck relatives and clucking friends. There are smiles that erase entire bad days. Warm, time-stopping cuddles. And the joy of free-falling in love again.

But there are moments of sheer exhaustion, too. Fatigue that morphs you into a grumpier, tearier version of yourself you had no idea you were harboring. When you physically don’t think you can go on any longer without getting some sleep. When you find yourself arguing with your partner over things you’d never usually be bothered by, simply because you’re both so tired you can’t think.

When your writhing, pink-faced, overtired baby won’t settle, no matter what you do and you feel helpless and incompetent. And when you find yourself, just briefly, aching for aspects of your old life. And of who you used to be. There are moments, you simply need to get through. Enjoying them, doesn’t even come into it.

And yet, not enjoying every moment, doesn’t take away from the fact that being a parent is a privilege. And that while it can be tough and challenging at times, the rewards keep coming in first words and giggles and wobbly first steps.

If you’re finding it hard it’s because it *is* hard. You’re not alone ❤️

cope.org.au

10/10/2025

That’s a wrap for our ‘supporting postpartum m**s’ in 2025.
I’ve met the most wonderful parents and adorable babies during these groups. I’m so so grateful to each and every one of you who signed up and took part during what is such a bittersweet time in your lives, Im blown away by the support from one mam to another. Everyone was opening themselves up and sharing in discussions that are personal and to trust a group with that is so wholesome. Everyone was given warmth, support and not one bit of judgement or criticism towards each other. We shared tears of laughter and tears of overwhelm but we held each other. We drank coffee, ate chocolate and talked a lot about poo 🤣
It’s so hard to choose a picture to represent this work so I’ve added a few that replicate postpartum.
THANK YOU 🙏 from me and my baba. My heart is so full ❤️ I hope to run these groups again in February if there’s any m**s interested. Yous are all doing an amazing job and your beautiful kids are the result of that. Lots of love and hugs, Roisín x **ssupportingm**s

27/09/2025

A Co Cavan woman is on a mission to help combat winter loneliness.