If you are experiencing symptoms of OCD and find that they are affecting your work, school, or home life, our Sunshine Coast Psychology team are here to help. Our Psychologists are empathetic, non-judgmental and confidential.

Becoming a parent involves a roller coaster of emotions such as excitement, joy, stress, anxiety and apprehension. Emotional distress, also known as the ‘baby blues’, is common during the first few days after giving birth, causing new mothers to feel overly sensitive, teary, overwhelmed and moody. For most women, this experience is a normal part of the process and should dissipate within a few days. If these feelings are affecting your day-to-day functioning or have still not lifted after a few weeks, it is worth speaking to a trusted healthcare professional about support that is available.

Seeking support early is important, as postnatal depression and anxiety can impact not only your mental wellbeing, but also your relationship with your partner and your baby. Plus, it can be an extremely overwhelming and isolating experience as you try to cope with your own symptoms as well as adjusting to and caring for a new baby (and sometimes other children). Postnatal depression is nothing to be ashamed of and there is nothing “wrong” with you. It is important to remember that postnatal depression is a temporary medical condition and fortunately, with the right support, it is treatable.

Our team of highly trained and friendly Psychologists are able to offer an array of assessments. Including (but not limited to):

• Complete Psychological assessments- including for Depressive Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder, Dissociative Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and ADHD in both children and adults.
• Children’s social, emotional, language and cognitive functioning (all aspects of child developmental assessments)
  
• Medico-legal assessments
• Stress investigations
• Cognitive functioning assessments
• IQ Tests (Children and adults)
• Needs assessment
• Vocational assessment
• Personality assessment
• Parenting Styles assessment 

A psychologist or counsellor can provide professional support to help you understand the condition and implement and practise specific evidence-based techniques that will enable you to manage your social anxiety and bring about lasting change. This may include developing skills and techniques for managing anxiety, simple lifestyle changes, and using psychological therapies such as mindfulness techniques and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

It is common to feel like there is no end to chronic stress, however, there are a number of treatment approaches that have been proven to effectively reduce and manage stress. It is often not as simple as saying “stress less”. Rather, a thorough approach to stress management will enable you to feel empowered to identify and manage stressors and stress, ensuring you can lead a balanced life that supports your overall health and wellbeing.