Thrive - Psychological Support for Birth Trauma and Loss
Thrive supports those who have previously had therapy for perinatal trauma and/or loss but who are still experiencing PTSD symptoms. If you have not engaged in therapy for your perinatal trauma yet, you can access support from your GP or explore the services listed below.
Support for Mental Health After Perinatal Trauma or Loss
- Talking Therapies (formerly known as IAPT: Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) – https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/
- Kent NHS Psychosexual Therapy Service - Psychosexual therapy | Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Making Miracles - Making Miracles Registered Charity - Baby Trauma & Bereavement Care
- Petals - Petals, The baby loss counselling charity - Petals Charity
- Twins Trust - Twins Trust | Supporting you
- The Lullaby Trust - Home | The Lullaby Trust
- East Kent Hospital Women’s Counselling Services (for those who have received antenatal care from EKHUFT maternity)
- PTSD following perinatal loss (including early or recurrent miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death)
- PTSD related to a traumatic birth
- Significant emotional distress after repeated unsuccessful IVF
- Distressing psychological impact following a termination of pregnancy (for any reason)
- Parent-baby separation at birth (due to illness, safeguarding concerns, or extended hospital stays)
- Tokophobia – a severe fear of pregnancy/childbirth
You may be offered one of the following therapies, delivered by a qualified and experienced therapist:
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Compassion-Focussed Therapy (CFT)
These therapies are proven to be helpful for people working through the effects of trauma and can support you in feeling more in control of your mental health and wellbeing.
Specialist Midwifery Support
Our Specialist Mental Health Midwives bring expert clinical knowledge around perinatal experiences.
They’re here to offer compassionate support, including guidance for those planning or going through a future pregnancy.
Peer Support
Someone within the team who has lived experience of recovering from perinatal trauma or loss is available to connect with you if you’d like. They can:
- Offer emotional support and understanding
- Attend appointments with you if that feels helpful
- Share their recovery journey
- Connect you with support groups or other helpful resources
Sometimes it helps just knowing someone else has been through something similar — and made it through.
Additional Support and signposting
Depending on your unique needs, we can also provide advice, information, and referrals to other services. This might include:
- Reproductive health support
- Support for partners and family members
- Links to community groups or specialist services
You won’t have to figure it out alone — we can help you find the right kind of support for where you are right now.
Thrive only accepts referrals from health or social care professionals who are directly involved in a person’s care — for example, a Midwife, Obstetrician, GP, Counsellor, or Therapist.
Please note that we are not able to accept self-referrals.
Before Making a Referral
A consultation with a Thrive team member must take place before submitting a referral. Regular consultation slots are available.
To arrange a consultation, please contact us:
📧 Email: kmpt.thrivemhsupport@nhs.net
📞 Call: 01227 768928 option 2
Referrals may not be accepted without this initial consultation, so please get in touch before completing the referral form.
Important Information
- Consent from the individual being referred is required before making a referral.
- Thrive is not a crisis or emergency service and operates Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.
- Please review the eligibility criteria and complete the referral form after your consultation with the team.
Complex Mental Health Needs
If the person being referred is experiencing complex or ongoing mental health difficulties, they must already be receiving care coordination from a secondary mental health team (e.g., a Community Mental Health Team/CMHT or Mental Health Together+).
In these cases, Thrive may offer a specialist assessment, but ongoing psychological support would typically be provided through existing secondary care services.
We’re also happy to offer specialist consultation and advice to CMHTs/MHT+. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if your team would benefit from this.
If the referral is accepted and Thrive is the most appropriate service to offer support or treatment, the next step will be an initial joint appointment.
Where possible, this appointment will be carried out by a Therapist and a Specialist Mental Health Midwife or Peer Support Practitioner, and will include a conversation about your needs and well-being to ensure the right level of care is offered or recommended.
Where the Appointment Will Take Place
Initial appointments can take place either:
- Face to face – at one of our community venues across Kent and Medway
- Online – via a secure video appointment, if more suitable
We’ll work with you to find the best option based on availability and your preferences and circumstances.
This appointment will be an opportunity for us to get to know you and understand what you’re going through. Together, we can think about how we can best support you moving forward. To give you an idea of what we might explore, we may talk about:
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The reasons you were referred to Thrive and what feels challenging for you
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When these feelings or experiences started and how they are affecting your day-to-day life
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The people who support you, including family, friends, or professionals
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Your mental and physical health history
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What previous support or treatment you have received
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Significant experiences from your past that may be relevant to your wellbeing
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Your hopes for the future and any changes you would like to see
“I am so grateful for your time and support, it has been life changing. I don’t know what I’d do without the support of Thrive. You have always been very kind to me. It makes all the difference having a therapist you can be yourself with…”
“Thank you for all your support, care, patience, honesty, empathy, understanding and guidance. Thank you for creating a warm and safe space to share my thoughts and feelings. Thank you for encouraging me to be me! Forever grateful.”
“Thrive has truly been a lifeline for me and I wouldn’t have made the progress I have without you or the incredible work of Thrive. With love and heartfelt gratitude.”
“The whole process was good. Being able to talk openly about how I was feeling and understanding the process behind them. EMDR - X explained in detail every process and helped me to break this down. I never thought I would get to the place I am now. Thank you.”
If you would like to provide any feedback on the service, please scan the QR code
If you are interested in receiving training and/or supervision in any of the areas mentioned above, please do contact us.