When I was pregnant and first heard of postnatal depression I honestly felt that I wasn’t the type to get it! My perception was that it would not happen to someone like me – I was happily married, I had always longed for children, I had a good career, a supportive family and was always efficient and organised. Postnatal illness affected those who were not as lucky as me.

How wrong I was! Within a few months of the birth of my son I was diagnosed with postnatal depression and my life began to fall apart. By his first Christmas I was in a psychiatric hospital suffering from puerperal psychosis, the most extreme form of postnatal depression. I was self-harming; completely irrational and unable to look after myself; my son was placed on the ‘at-risk’ register under the watchful eye of Social Services; my teaching career looked uncertain and my whole family was traumatised.

Yet I did make a full recovery! When you are in the dark place of depression the aspect of recovery, for all involved, seems a distant dream; a long, dark tunnel from which there seems no light at the end.

Fundamentally I went on to share my story with others to offer them hope; to show them that as bad as postnatal illness can be, the likelihood is that you CAN get better!

This site is here for you if you are suffering from postnatal depression or are involved with anyone who is and want to help them.

Since I have shared my story I now appreciate that although the root of my depression was in having a bay there are many, many similarities across all aspects of mental health. Even middle-aged men have recognised the parallels. Consequently I can tailor my presentations and advice to those in business, education and almost any walk of life.