Postpartum therapeutic doula support

a listening presence

motherhood listening Sessions

support that lets you rebuild from the inside out.

How we work together

A motherhood listening sessions is therapeutic support for the physical, emotional, and psychological shifts of your transition into motherhood. I create a warm, quiet and compassionate space, free from judgment for you to process your birth, explore your feelings and feel heard. Our one to one sessions are held in-person at your home or online, and are for mothers moving through a wide range of emotions that you like many others might be finding hard to put into words. Every mothers experience is unique and of all of you is  welcome. 
I am a doula with counselling training. I blend traditional talking, with evidence-informed somatic practices and postpartum knowledge to create a holistic container for you. This is not a clinical space. It is a holding space, a pause - where you can unravel, restore, and reconnect on your own terms. My work is therapeutic but it is not therapy. I have no particular formula giving the uniqueness of your experience and the emphasis I place on individualised care. There is no analysing or interpreting, I am here with you to listen. 
Together, we create a space where you can:
  • Feel safe to be seen
  • Share your birth story  
  • Reflective conversation 
  • Be supported stabilising your nervous system 
  • Reconnect to yourself with more capacity and awareness 
  • Gentle psychoeducation brain changes, sleep deprivation, intrusive thoughts (normal, not dangerous)
  • Experience the kind of deep listening that makes you feel heard, witnessed, and less alone within a space where you are held
This is not for you if:
  • You are seeking formal psychotherapy or a diagnosed clinical treatment plan. (I can help you find the appropriate support if this is what you need.)
  • You are in immediate crisis or experiencing thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. (If this is you, please contact emergency services or a crisis line immediately: Accident & Emergency (A&E) department or call 999: If you need urgent support but don't want to go to A&E: Call Samaritans on freephone 116 123 – they're always open and are there to listen: you can also visit Mind's website for more information,

Offers that work well

“you just need to say it out loud” - A single session to speak your birth story or the hard thought that is stuck on repeat.

“a weekly Check in with me ” - these are 4-6 weekly sessions. I know your story and can listen as it unfolds.

“let me know this is normal” - Where I can i normalise what you’re experiencing and name when its is time to see an alternative practitioner or clinician

“I’m not ready for therapy” You know something feels off, but the therapy feels too big. This is the step before.

“I don’t need fixing. I Need witnessing” - you want someone to sit with you and listen, rather than a list of coping strategies, analyses or problem solving

Practical information

Some mothers in a place of crisis come to me needing a space to be heard and one session is enough. Others work with me for longer periods on a weekly basis during first 1-2 months of motherhood and beyond. Your need will depend on your circumstances.   
I encourage you to have 20 mins free of charge call with me before making any commitments,  this can be arrange via the link below. 
My rates are £65 for a soft hour – I do offer a sliding scale for those on low incomes and experiencing financial instability, please reach out and let me know.
have questions or want to contact me - press here

isn’t dramatic.

It doesn’t require candles, crystals, or complicated rituals.

It’s the quiet act of saying:

“I’m here. I see you. I’m not going to rush you or fix you.”

It’s as simple (and as rare) as listening fully.

No judgment. No performance. Just presence.

Which makes it, frankly, quite dull.

And entirely essential.

Michelle Wollaston

a holding space

MY PRACTICE

I am committed to anti-racist and inclusive practice, my intention is to hold spaces that are culturally sensitive and trauma informed.

Meet VALÈ

My name is Valentina, my ancestry roots are from the lands of Cameroon and Italy, but I was raised in a small part of London with a big heart, called Brixton. Growing up in a multicultural landscape driven by a strong community spirit helped shape my perception and values around community care and the importance of embracing different backgrounds. I bring this awareness into my work supporting families from all walks of life,  I believe that it does actually 'take a village'.
My expertise 
​Over the span of over two decades, I have dedicated myself to cultivating expertise and a strong passion for supporting families. My professional background in Education built a strong foundation of patience, curiosity and active listening. I apply this now to provide personalised care that truly meets each mothers needs during postpartum recovery.
This time was followed by a period as a childcare provider during which I witnessed firsthand what postpartum looked like for many women in our society. It was my exposure to this which drew me to becoming a doula and further encouraged me to cultivate care that prioritises motherhood away from dominant systems.
My Masters Degree as a counsellor and psychotherapist has deepened my capacity to support clients with sensitivity and clinical clarity. Grounded in contemporary psychodynamic theory and practice and informed by psychosocial perspectives, my approach considers both unconscious processes and the social contexts that shape experience and relationships.
A core component of my training was a weekly, year‑long mother-and-infant observation, which provided concentrated professional experience in working safely with dyads and young children. This practice strengthened my skills in careful observation, attunement, boundary-setting, and reflective practice—qualities I bring to all therapeutic and support work, including postpartum therapeutic doula care.
I am currently pursuing a certificate in The Resilience Toolkit, a somatic framework for first-stage trauma healing and real-time stress navigation. This training enhances my ability to support clients through embodied practices that stabilise the nervous system, increase safety, and build practical skills for managing acute stress and early trauma responses. Allowing me to offer grounded, trauma-informed support tailored to each person’s needs.
Why I care so much about postpartum
For me, postpartum is the golden nugget, a seed that grows into the future lives of mothers, children, our society and culture. However, this period is often forgotten, less attended to and prepared for than pregnancy, which can leave mothers feeling underprepared and overwhelmed.

Witnessing mothers who were not receiving adequate care, or the understanding they needed, inspired me to create a counselling space for deep support where mothers feel truly seen and heard. Tending to the mother's inner world in the now helps shape the mental and relational health of the mothers and the future generations.

Finally, I find joy and fulfilment working with the full spectrum of beautiful, complex humans. The work that unfolds with each client is small and quiet act of resistance to the status quo of motherhood - and I love this!

education

  • PSYCHODYNAMIC Counselling & PSYCHOTHERAPY, MAsters IN science, four years birkbeck university*July 2026

  • The Resilience Toolkit Facilitator, somatic framework for first-stage traumA, RTK*2026

  • Full spectrum birth & postnatal doula, with Rent tent doula

  • Postnatal Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training, with NADIA RAFAAT

  • Teaching Yoga for Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, and Body Image: Advanced Training, with sarah bell

  • TRUAMA INFORMED YOGA AND SOMATICS, YOGA FOR HUMANKIND,

  • I have an up to date DBS

*in progress