A private, collaborative place to talk through the changes that come with becoming a parent, at a pace you set. Psychologists registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). In-person sessions at five locations in Edmonton and St. Albert. Virtual sessions available across Alberta. Clinic hours seven days a week.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Parenthood Transition Counselling Is Right for You

You may be asking yourself whether it is fair to struggle with something you wanted, planned for, or waited a long time for. Maybe you expected this to feel more natural by now. You might not be sure whether what you are feeling is the ordinary tiredness every parent talks about, or something worth bringing to a counsellor.

Perhaps you love your child and still miss parts of your old life, and feel guilty for admitting it. Small disagreements with your partner might be turning into bigger ones. Some people describe getting through each day on autopilot, doing everything that needs doing while feeling like a stranger to themselves.

These reactions make sense. Becoming a parent can change your sleep, your routines, your relationships, your work, and the way you see yourself, often all at once. Mixed feelings about a change this large are a common human response. They do not mean you are failing, and they do not mean something is wrong with you.

If you are considering whether talking with someone could help, you may wish to read on and see what this kind of support looks like.

Who We Help

Parenthood transition counselling may be a good fit if you are:

• expecting a baby, or preparing for a child to join your family
• adjusting after a birth, whether this is your first child or your fourth
• becoming a parent through adoption, fostering, surrogacy, or another path
• a partner or co-parent whose role, routines, or relationship are shifting too
• a single parent, a 2SLGBTQ+ parent, or part of a family that does not match the usual picture
• returning to work, or trying to balance paid work and caregiving
• feeling unsure, ambivalent, or simply not like yourself, and wanting a space to sort it out

If you are reading this for a partner, family member, or friend, you are welcome to share this page with them. You can also call the admin team at 780-904-4880 with general questions about how counselling works.

This service may not be the right fit if:

• you are in crisis or worried about immediate safety. Please use the crisis resources below.
• you need a court-related service, such as a parenting time or parenting responsibilities assessment. Legal and forensic work is outside this counselling service. Psychological assessments are a separate service.
• you are looking for a program for people who have used violence or control at home. This counselling is not that kind of program. The admin team can talk with you about whether a different service would fit better.
• your main questions are about your physical health, pregnancy care, infant feeding, or medication. A family doctor, midwife, or other health-care provider is the right first contact for those.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling is not set up to respond to emergencies. If you or someone else is in danger, or you need support right away, please contact one of these services:

• 911 if there is immediate danger
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free)

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Parenthood Transition Counselling Is

Parenthood transition counselling is talk-based support for the emotional and practical changes that can come with pregnancy, birth, adoption, or another path into parenthood. It offers a private, collaborative space to look at what is shifting in your routines, relationships, roles, and sense of self. You and your therapist then work out what you want to do about it.

Some people choose to talk about:

• how daily routines and personal identity are changing
• communication and connection with a partner or family members
• different expectations about who does what at home
• building practical and emotional support around you
• returning to work or rebalancing household responsibilities
• mixed or uncertain feelings about this stage of life

These are examples, not a checklist. You decide what matters most, and you set the pace. Your therapist will not push you to talk about anything before you are ready.

Canadian public health bodies pay attention to this stage of life as well. The Public Health Agency of Canada publishes material on postpartum care (Public Health Agency of Canada [PHAC], n.d.), and Statistics Canada has reported on maternal mental health in Canada (Statistics Canada, n.d.).

It also helps to be clear about what this service is not. Counselling is not a legal service, an investigation, or crisis intervention. It does not include psychological assessment or diagnosis, which are offered as separate services. It is also not a substitute for medical, obstetric, pediatric, or emergency care.

Every clinician works within the limits of their own training and professional registration. If something you need falls outside that scope, they will tell you and help you think about other options. What you share is kept confidential, with a small number of legal limits described in the confidentiality and privacy section below.

If your focus is narrower, related pages cover pregnancy support, birth and postpartum support, relationships after birth, adoption support for parents, and parenting support. There is also a page on perinatal mental health counselling.

Signs the Move Into Parenthood May Be Affecting You

You do not need to reach a certain level of difficulty before reaching out. Still, some people find it useful to notice patterns like these:

• feeling irritable, tearful, or flat more often than you expected
• carrying a steady background worry about the baby, money, or whether you are doing things right
• comparing yourself with other parents, or with the parent you thought you would be
• feeling guilty for wanting time to yourself
• arguing more with your partner, or feeling more like co-workers than a couple
• pulling back from friends or family, or feeling that no one quite understands
• feeling worn down in a way rest does not seem to fix, or struggling to rest even when you get the chance
• missing your old life and not knowing how to say so
• feeling torn about returning to work, or about staying home

Having some of these experiences does not mean something is permanently wrong. They are common responses to a period of big change, and they can shift over time. Talking them through with a supportive, structured approach may help you understand what is going on and what you want to do next.

If you have questions about your physical health, your sleep, or your baby's health, please speak with a doctor, midwife, or other health-care provider as well. If your feelings become overwhelming, or you have thoughts of harming yourself or someone else, please contact one of the crisis services listed above.

How Counselling Works Here

• Find your therapist. Use the Match with a Therapist tool, browse Our Therapists, or call the admin team at 780-904-4880 for guidance. Not every clinician works at every location or offers every format, so the admin team can help you narrow your options.
• Book your first session. You can book through the online booking system. In your first session, your therapist reviews consent and confidentiality, asks what brought you in, and talks with you about your goals. You decide how much to share.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist shape a plan around your goals, your family situation, and your schedule. Your input guides it.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes. Many people meet weekly or every two weeks at first, then adjust based on what is happening at home, at work, and in their availability.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews how things are going with you regularly. The plan changes as your needs change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Counselling is collaborative, and your voice matters at every stage, including when you decide you have what you need. Getting Started with Therapy explains the process in more detail.

Evidence and Approaches

The summaries below are deliberately cautious. Verified research on how well specific counselling approaches work during the transition to parenthood was not available for this page, so we describe what each approach involves and say plainly where the evidence is limited. Which approaches are available depends on the clinician you choose.

If you would like to read more, a Canadian fact sheet on perinatal anxiety is available (Canadian Psychological Association [CPA], 2025). Clinical guidance on antenatal and postnatal mental health has also been published in the United Kingdom (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], n.d.).

Collaborative, Client-Led Counselling

What it helps with: Sorting through changing routines, roles, relationships, and mixed feelings, with your own goals setting the direction.

Evidence summary: This is how the clinic describes its own counselling: collaborative, client-centred, and built around each person's plan. Canadian public health sources address postpartum care and maternal mental health (PHAC, n.d.; Statistics Canada, n.d.), but they were not reviewed as evidence for this approach. For that reason, no claim is made here about how well it works.

Limitations: Research on this approach specifically for new and expecting parents was not verified for this page. How helpful it feels varies from person to person and depends a great deal on the fit with your therapist.

Sessions That Include a Partner

What it helps with: Talking through shifting roles, expectations, and communication when both partners are adjusting at the same time.

Evidence summary: The clinic offers couples and family therapy, and a joint session may be possible when both people agree and the clinician offers that format. The national sources referenced on this page address postpartum care and maternal mental health (PHAC, n.d.; Statistics Canada, n.d.). They do not provide evidence on partner-inclusive counselling, so no effectiveness claim is made.

Limitations: Not every clinician offers joint sessions, and joint work depends on both people consenting. It may not be suitable when there are concerns about safety at home.

What Results to Expect

Change during this stage of life is rarely a straight line. You might feel more settled for a few weeks, then find that a new challenge arrives with a growth spurt, a move, or a return to work. That is a normal part of the process, not a sign that counselling has stopped helping.

Some people find a few sessions are enough to work through a particular question or decision. Others notice shifts over several months, and some prefer longer-term support as family life keeps changing.

What you get from counselling can depend on many things:

• what you have been through, including how your path into parenthood unfolded
• your current circumstances, such as sleep, support, finances, and health
• how well you connect with your therapist

No counselling approach can guarantee a particular outcome. Fit matters, and if a therapist or approach is not working for you, you can say so. Changing either is always an option.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential. Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists and follow the CPA's Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Other clinicians follow the privacy and ethics standards of their own professional bodies.

Two Alberta privacy laws often come up in health care. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) generally applies to private clinics like ours and sets rules for how personal information is collected, used, shared, and stored. The Health Information Act (HIA) applies to health custodians, such as Alberta Health Services, and to people working on their behalf. Psychologists in private practice are not currently custodians under the HIA. Your clinician can explain which rules apply to your file.

There are a few situations where a clinician may be required or permitted to share information without your consent. These include:

• a risk of serious harm to you or to someone else
• reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected, which Alberta law requires to be reported
• a court order requiring records to be released

Your therapist will explain these limits clearly in your first session, before you share anything personal. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy first and to take your time deciding what to share. If you are unsure how any of this applies to your situation, you can ask your therapist to walk you through it before you go into details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to talk about my pregnancy, birth, or adoption in detail?

No. You decide what to talk about and when. Many people start with what is happening now, such as arguments about night feeds, a hard return to work, or feeling disconnected from friends. If part of your path into parenthood was difficult, you can choose whether and when to bring it up, and your therapist will follow your lead.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, with a few legal limits. These include a risk of serious harm to you or someone else, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and a court order. Your therapist explains these limits in your first session. The confidentiality and privacy section above has more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people come for a short stretch to work through a specific question. Others prefer ongoing support while family life settles into a new shape. You and your therapist review progress regularly, and you can adjust, pause, or finish when it makes sense for you.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is reasonable to want a different match. You can mention it to your therapist, or contact the admin team, who can help you find another clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I have sessions online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available across Alberta, which some parents find easier when leaving home with a new baby is hard. The same professional and privacy obligations apply to virtual sessions as to in-person ones. Not every clinician offers virtual appointments, so the admin team can help you find one who does.

Is this service only for mothers or birthing parents?

No. Parenthood transition counselling may be relevant for expectant parents, new parents, partners, adoptive parents, and anyone whose role is changing as a child joins the family. The focus is on your experience and goals, not on a single definition of parenthood.

Can my partner come to sessions with me?

It may be possible. Joint sessions depend on your goals, both people's consent, and whether the clinician you choose offers that format. Ask the admin team or your therapist about the options.

What if things at home do not feel safe right now?

Your safety comes first. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818 is available 24/7 for confidential support and information. Counselling is not a crisis service, but if you are a client, you can talk with your therapist on your own about safety. Joint sessions may not be appropriate in that situation.

Meet Your Clinicians

Wholesome Psychology's team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW).

Canadian Certified Counsellors hold a national certification from the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Student Therapists are master's-level practicum students who see clients under supervision, which is one way the clinic offers lower-cost sessions.

Clinicians' areas of focus vary. Individual profiles on Our Therapists describe each person's training and interests. The Match with a Therapist tool or the admin team at 780-904-4880 can help you look for someone whose experience fits what you want to talk about.

Children and Youth

A new child changes the whole family, including older children. If an older child or teen at home is having a hard time with the changes, Wholesome Psychology also offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people.

Therapists who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches. They also work with parents and caregivers, so what happens in sessions and what happens at home can support each other. You can learn more on the child and youth counselling page.

Taking a Next Step

If you would like to talk things through with someone, you can start in whichever way feels easiest:

• Book a session through the online booking system
• Use the Match with a Therapist tool
• Call the admin team at 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy to learn what to expect

Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Canadian Psychological Association. (2025). Perinatal anxiety [Fact sheet].
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (n.d.). Antenatal and postnatal mental health: Clinical management and service guidance.
• Public Health Agency of Canada. (n.d.). Chapter 5: Postpartum care.
• Statistics Canada. (n.d.). Maternal mental health in Canada, 2018/2019.