Reproductive and perinatal services at Wholesome Psychology offer a private, collaborative place to talk through fertility, pregnancy, birth, loss, and early parenthood, at a pace you set. Registered Psychologists and Registered Provisional Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). In-person sessions in North, West, and South Edmonton and St. Albert. Virtual sessions available within Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Reproductive and Perinatal Counselling Is Right for You

You may be asking yourself whether what you feel is serious enough to bring to a counsellor. Maybe you wanted this pregnancy, this baby, or this chance at a family so much that struggling with it feels wrong. Or you might be wondering whether a loss counts if it happened early, or if only a few people ever knew.

Some people notice they hold it together at appointments and then fall apart in the car afterward. Others feel a growing distance from a partner who seems to be coping in a completely different way. You might be lying awake with worries you have not said out loud to anyone.

Reproductive and perinatal experiences can bring emotional, relational, and practical changes. Reactions like the ones above make sense when so much is shifting at once. They are understandable human responses to uncertainty, loss, and big transitions. They do not mean you are ungrateful, failing, or that something is permanently wrong with you.

If you are trying to work out whether talking with someone could help, the sections below describe what this kind of counselling looks like, who it may suit, and what it does not cover. You can read at your own pace and decide what feels right for you.

Who We Help

This service may be a good fit for:

• People trying to conceive, or deciding whether or when to become a parent
• People going through fertility testing or treatment, or living with fertility-related uncertainty
• People who are pregnant, including after a previous loss or with an unplanned pregnancy
• People adjusting to life after birth, including after a difficult or unexpected birth experience
• People grieving a pregnancy loss or the loss of a baby
• Partners, co-parents, and family members affected by any of these experiences
• People thinking through changes in identity, relationships, intimacy, or work, including returning to work after parental leave
• People of all family structures, cultures, backgrounds, and faiths

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

This service may not be the right fit if:

• You are in crisis or your safety is at immediate risk. Please use the crisis resources below.
• You need medical, obstetric, fertility, or psychiatric care. Your physician, midwife, fertility clinic, or health care team is the right place for those needs.
• You need a report or opinion for a legal or court process. Forensic and legal needs are outside this therapy service.
• You are looking for a formal diagnosis. Psychological assessments are a separate service and are not part of this counselling service.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling is not designed for emergencies. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911, contact local emergency services, or go to the nearest emergency department. These Alberta resources are available any time:

• 911 for immediate danger
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free), if you are not safe at home or in a relationship
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Reproductive and Perinatal Counselling Is (and Is Not)

Counselling can offer a private space to explore what you are experiencing and what support may be useful. Sessions may focus on pregnancy planning, fertility-related uncertainty, pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, loss, relationship changes, or other reproductive and perinatal concerns. You might come with one clear question, or with a general sense that things feel heavier than you expected.

It helps to be clear about what this service does not include:

• Counselling is not a substitute for medical, obstetric, fertility, psychiatric, or emergency care.
• It is not a legal service or an investigative process, and it is not crisis intervention.
• It does not include a psychological assessment or diagnosis. Assessments are a separate service.
• Your therapist will not make medical decisions for you or advise you on fertility treatment, medication, or pregnancy care.

You set the pace. You decide what to talk about and when. Your therapist will explain confidentiality and its limits before or during care, and the Confidentiality and Privacy section below covers this in more detail.

Each clinician works within the scope of their registration and training. With your consent, your therapist can talk with you about whether coordinating with your other providers may be helpful.

Signs Reproductive and Perinatal Experiences May Be Affecting You

There is no checklist that decides whether you "should" reach out. Still, some people find it useful to recognize patterns like these:

• Worry that is hard to switch off, about conceiving, the pregnancy, the birth, or the baby's health
• Feeling flat, tearful, or numb at times when you expected to feel happy or relieved
• Grief that comes in waves, sometimes set off by baby announcements, due dates, or anniversaries
• Feeling disconnected from your partner, or arguing more about decisions, roles, or intimacy
• Pulling away from friends or family who have children, or who do not seem to understand
• Trouble sleeping even when you get the chance to rest, or feeling worn down in a way rest does not fix
• Replaying a difficult birth or medical appointment in your mind
• Feeling unsure who you are now, at work, in your relationship, or in your body
• Unwanted or frightening thoughts that you feel unable to tell anyone

Having some of these experiences does not mean something is permanently wrong. They are understandable reactions to change, uncertainty, and loss. If you have concerns about your physical health or your baby's health, your physician, midwife, or health care team is the right place to start.

These experiences are recognized in Canadian public health. The Government of Canada treats mental health during and after pregnancy as a public health topic (Government of Canada, n.d.). Statistics Canada's 2024 Parental Experiences Survey looked at access to postpartum health care and perinatal mental health support (Statistics Canada, n.d.).

The World Health Organization's ICD-11 classification also recognizes that mental health concerns can arise in connection with pregnancy, childbirth, and the period after birth (World Health Organization [WHO], n.d.). That does not mean your experience fits any label, and this page cannot tell you whether it does. For readers who want more background, the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) has published a plain-language fact sheet on perinatal anxiety (Canadian Psychological Association [CPA], 2025).

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match with a Therapist tool or browse Our Therapists to read individual profiles. If you would rather talk it through, the admin team can help at 780-904-4880.
• Book your first session. You can book online or by phone. The first session includes a conversation about consent, confidentiality, and what you would like support with. You decide how much to share.
• Build your plan together. Your therapist will work collaboratively with you to understand your priorities, values, and goals. The plan is shaped by what matters to you, not by a fixed program.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes and usually take place weekly or every two weeks, adjusted to your needs and schedule. You can attend in person or virtually, depending on clinician availability.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist will check in regularly about what feels useful and what does not. The plan can change as your circumstances change, which is common during pregnancy, after a birth, or during fertility treatment.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Counselling is collaborative, and your voice matters at every stage. The Getting Started with Therapy page explains the process in more detail.

Evidence and Approaches

Therapists at Wholesome Psychology differ in the approaches they use. This page describes only what the sources reviewed for it can support. Those sources did not include findings about specific therapies for reproductive or perinatal concerns, so no single method is presented here as more effective than another. You are welcome to ask any therapist which approaches they use and why.

Collaborative, Client-Centred Counselling

What it helps with: Sorting through feelings, decisions, and relationship changes connected with fertility, pregnancy, birth, loss, or early parenthood, at a pace you choose.

Evidence summary: A systematic review has examined clinical psychological guidance for perinatal mental health, reflecting professional attention to evidence-informed, collaborative care in this area (BMC Psychiatry, n.d.). The source extract available for this page did not include the review's conclusions, so its specific findings are not summarized here.

Limitations: This page makes no claim that any one counselling approach leads to a particular result. Your circumstances and your fit with your therapist will shape what counselling looks like for you.

Coordinated Care Within Your Wider Circle of Care

What it helps with: Keeping counselling connected to the medical, midwifery, fertility, or psychiatric care you may already be receiving, when you want that.

Evidence summary: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published clinical management and service guidance on antenatal and postnatal mental health (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], n.d.). Guidance of this kind supports the view that psychological support works alongside other services rather than replacing them (NICE, n.d.).

Limitations: NICE guidance is written for the United Kingdom and may not map directly onto Alberta services. Its specific recommendations were not extracted for this page.

What Results to Expect

Counselling rarely moves in a straight line. Some weeks may feel clearer, and others harder, especially around due dates, appointments, or anniversaries. That unevenness is part of the process, not a sign it is failing.

Some people notice shifts within a few months. Others find longer-term support more useful, particularly when circumstances keep changing. Outcomes vary, and no form of counselling can guarantee a particular result.

Several things can influence how counselling goes:

• The nature of what you have been through, and how recently
• What is happening in your life now, such as medical care, sleep, finances, and support at home
• Your fit with your therapist

Fit matters. If something does not feel right, you can change your therapist or the approach at any point.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential, with some limits that your therapist will explain clearly. Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow its Standards of Practice, along with the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW).

Two Alberta laws are relevant to how your information is handled:

• Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA): generally governs how private clinics collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information, including the information you share with your therapist.
• Health Information Act (HIA): governs how health custodians, such as Alberta Health Services and physicians, handle health information. It may become relevant if, with your consent, your counselling is coordinated with those providers.

There are legal exceptions to confidentiality. A therapist may need to share information without your consent when:

• There is a risk of serious harm to you or to someone else
• There is a suspicion that a child is being abused or neglected (mandatory reporting under Alberta law)
• A court orders the release of records
• Another disclosure is required by law, which your therapist will explain

Your therapist will go over these limits in your first session. You can ask questions before you share anything personal, including how your records are kept and who can access them. The same confidentiality standards apply to virtual sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to describe what happened in detail?

No. You decide what to share and when. Many conversations focus on how things feel now, such as sleep, relationships, or worry, rather than a detailed account of a birth, a loss, or a medical event. Your therapist will not push you to talk about anything before you are ready.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, with some legal limits. These include risk of serious harm, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and court orders. Your therapist will explain these limits at the start. You can read more in the Confidentiality and Privacy section above.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people come for a few sessions around a specific decision or transition. Others prefer support over a longer stretch, such as through a pregnancy or the first year after a birth. You and your therapist will review how things are going regularly and decide together.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is fine to say so. You can raise it with your therapist directly, or contact the admin team at 780-904-4880 to find a different clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I access counselling online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available anywhere in Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply. Some people find this easier around a newborn's schedule, a pregnancy, or treatment appointments. Availability varies by clinician.

Is this service only for people who are pregnant?

No. Counselling may be relevant at many points, including planning for parenthood, fertility struggles, pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, loss, and relationship changes after birth. Partners and family members are welcome to seek support for their own experience too.

Can counselling replace care from my physician, midwife, or fertility clinic?

No. Counselling is not a substitute for medical, obstetric, fertility, psychiatric, or emergency care. It can sit alongside that care. If coordinating with another provider would help, your therapist can discuss it with you, and it only happens with your consent.

Will I be reported if I share frightening thoughts about my baby?

Some parents worry about this, and it can make speaking openly feel risky. Confidentiality does have limits, and one of them involves concerns about a child's safety. Your therapist will explain those limits in plain terms at the start, and you can ask how they would apply before you share anything. You can also ask how your therapist would involve you if a safety concern ever came up.

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. Provisional psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist, and student therapists are master's-level practicum students who see clients under clinical supervision.

Clinicians' areas of training and focus differ. Individual profiles on Our Therapists describe each person's background, and the Match with a Therapist tool can help you narrow your options. If you would like help finding someone whose experience includes reproductive and perinatal concerns, the admin team can guide you at 780-904-4880.

Children and Youth

A pregnancy, a new baby, or a loss can affect the whole family. Siblings and other children may have their own questions and feelings about what is happening. Wholesome Psychology 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 to support the child at home.

When You Feel Ready

If you would like to take a next step, these options are open to you:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call the admin team: 780-904-4880
• Email: info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy

If your safety is at risk right now, please call 911 or the Alberta Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642. Starting the conversation is enough.

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

References

• BMC Psychiatry. (n.d.). A systematic review of clinical psychological guidance for perinatal mental health. BMC Psychiatry.
• Canadian Psychological Association. (2025). Psychology Works fact sheet: Perinatal anxiety.
• Government of Canada. (n.d.). Mental health during and after pregnancy.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (n.d.). Antenatal and postnatal mental health: Clinical management and service guidance.
• Statistics Canada. (n.d.). Access to postpartum health care and perinatal mental health support, 2024 Parental Experiences Survey.
• World Health Organization. (n.d.). ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics.