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Honouring Birth Experiences: A Therapist’s Guide to Trauma Recovery

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Sam

woman in a home birth

Who Is Fiona?

Fiona Rogerson is a highly experienced and compassionate registered Perinatal and Trauma Counsellor, specialising in trauma recovery, particularly in the realms of birth, perinatal, and medical trauma. As an EMDR therapist, she offers evidence-based treatment to empower individuals, both consumers and health professionals, to heal from trauma.

In her role as the principal counsellor at her Perinatal and Trauma Group counselling practice, Fiona leads a dedicated team in providing supportive individual and couples therapy to help clients resolve their trauma, build resilience, and move forward. Additionally, as a Clinical Supervisor, she offers mentorship to emerging therapists and clinicians, and as a passionate Trauma Educator, she leads workshops and training to raise awareness about trauma and its effects. Her mission is to create systemic impact for those who experience trauma at the hands of our maternity system.

Episode Summary

  • Fiona explains what perinatal and birth trauma is.
  • I ask Fiona what brought her to the space of specialising in this space and how it is linked to her personal story.
  • We explore what a traumatic birth looks like; and how it doesn’t always look a certain way.
  • Fiona further defines the perinatal scope.
  • We discuss the overlaps between post-natal depression and perinatal trauma.
  • Fiona shares about what some of the symptoms of perinatal and birth trauma are, including the impact on the mother-child relationship.
  • We discuss the traumatic impact on the non-birthing partner.
  • I ask Fiona what people can look out for in themselves or in their loved ones. Normalising that there is no wrong point to ask for help.
  • Fiona shares what trauma therapy looks like Inside the Therapy Room.
  • We discuss the framework that Fiona developed in working with perinatal and birth trauma.
  • Fiona talks about why she believes EMDR is effective with working with trauma.
  • We explore the impact of trauma on the body and how past internalised messages have been reignited from the birth trauma.
  • For those who have never been to therapy, Fiona talks about what that process can look like.
  • Fiona shares what she would like people to know about birth trauma. Including what she would like other therapists to know.
  • Finally, Fiona shares what myth she wants to smash about perinatal and birth trauma.