Individual Therapy for NICU Families

Who am I?

Hi, I’m Frankie, a highly specialised Clinical Psychologist with a passion for supporting parents who have experience of neonatal care. I also work with people who have been through birth trauma and/or perinatal trauma.

I am also a parent who has been through the personal experience of neonatal care. I had my son at 31 weeks in 2019 and I know from the inside out how hard it can be, but I also know what can help you to feel better after living it.

I am currently the only private Clinical Psychologist in the UK who specifically specialises in supporting NICU parents. I offer online one-to-one or couples therapy and work in a way that is tailored to your individual needs. I see people weekly, biweekly, monthly or even for one off consultation sessions.

What can I help with?

I provide trauma processing (EMDR), birth debriefs as well as talking therapy using models such as cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and compassion focussed therapy. We will find what you need together, to be able to help you in the best way possible.

I can help with: 
• Anxiety, Depression, Stress and Anger
• Health anxiety, OCD and Perfectionism
• Processing your NICU experience and previous traum
• Tokophobia (fear of pregnancy and birth)
• Issues with intimacy or relationships
• Pregnancy after NICU
• Developing coping tools

...and much more

Having a space to talk about what has happened to you, with someone who really gets it, who can validate your feelings and give you practical tools to help you process and cope, can help you with healing after NICU.

Therapy Services

Dr Frankie Harrison offers a range of therapy services to meet the unique needs of parents and professionals. Frankie provides compassionate and highly specialised support to help you to navigate the challenges you may be facing.

Individual Therapy

Individual therapy sessions are tailored to your specific needs, providing a safe and confidential space for you to explore your emotions and find healing. Dr Frankie provides 1-1 support, couples therapy, EMDR, one off consultation sessions or birth debriefs and pregnancy after NICU sessions. 

Professional Support

Frankie provides consultation, training, supervision and reflective practice for professionals supporting parents who have been through perinatal mental health issues, birth trauma and neonatal care.

Therapeutic Groups for NICU parents

We run a Therapeutic Support Groups for NICU parents. We open applications quarterly, for 10 people only.  Aimed to help parents connect with others who have been through similar experiences and learn practical coping skills from a specialist psychologist in an affordable way. 

Therapy FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about 1:1 therapy

What is the difference between a Counsellor and a Clinical Psychologist?

The main difference is related to the level of training and educational qualification obtained. The term 'counselling/counsellor' and 'therapy/therapist' are not protected titles, therefore no qualifications are necessary to use them. However ‘Clinical psychologist’ is a protected professional titles that require a high level of training, registration with an accrediting body (HCPC) and qualification to doctorate level. Sessions with a clinical psychologist will involve a period of assessment, understanding of what is going on for you and what you would like to change and intervention in sessions to support you in an individual way to help you create the life you want, whether that be through different ways of thinking, processing memories and emotions or changing what you do that may not be serving you any more.

How much does it cost?

Individual sessions are currently charged at £150 for a 50 minute session, this is subject to change.

How do I pay?

I charge for the first session in advance and then invoice the rest of the sessions on the 23rd of the month for payment by the end of the month. If it is easier for you to pay on a session by session basis I am also happy to consider this. I accept payment via BACS. 

Who do I contact about payment arrangements? 

You can contact Frankie directly at hello@miraclemoon.co.uk, her virtual assistant Iona may also be in contact and once you are an established client all contact surrounding invoices and payment should be discussed with Iona. 

How many sessions does it take?

This varies depending on the individual, the aims of the therapy and the willingness for the clients engagement outside of the sessions. However I would usually plan in around 4-6 sessions, with the aim of adding more or finishing sessions if you had met your goals. The average number of sessions needed is 6-10, however I am happy to see people for longer if you would like to have longer term therapy and I also have seen people for 2-4 sessions because it is all they have felt they needed.

What models of therapy do you use?

I utilise models such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Eye movement desensitisation reprocessing (EMDR), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and compassion focussed therapy (CFT) in an integrative and individually tailored way. I focus on developing the relationship and making sure that you feel comfortable to talk about your experience at your own pace, in your own way.

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for eye movement desensitisation reprocessing, it is a mouthful! But it is a therapy that is used to help people who have been through distressing events and as a result has caused problems in their life, like flashbacks, anxiety, upsetting thoughts or images or depression. You can find more out about EMDR here EMDR: The basics - EMDR Association UK - Overcoming trauma with expert help

It is highly effective and evidence based and I utilise it in the work I do with clients if clinically needed.

What is FLASH? 

Flash is a form of EMDR therapy and uses the same principles to process your experiences, but without thinking, talking or feeling your trauma. This works best for people with high levels of distress or people who struggle to talk about the events without becoming very upset or anxious. 

Do you work with couples?

I work individually, or with couples, I see men and women in my practice and try to be flexible in my approach to accommodate your needs.

Do you just talk about NICU?

Short answer, no. NICU Is my specialism and it is how people find me to talk to me. However, I cover support for anyone within the perinatal period. Quite often, we also find, that when people come to talk about NICU, there are so many other things that come up too… past, future, stuff going on in the present. So you may come to me to focus on NICU stuff, or perinatal stuff, or it may be that we talk about other things too… we go where you need to.

Do you see people face to face or online?

Currently I only see people online via Zoom. I can also provide telephone therapy if Zoom is difficult. 

Do you provide one off sessions?

Some people wish to come for one session where they talk about their birth or NICU experience as a way of offloading or accessing a debrief around their birth. In this session, I offer a listening ear, provide some reflection of what could help and send some resources that may help. It is worth caveating though that often people do need more than one session to help them get to where they need. 

Do you support people with pregnancy after NICU? 

This is a service I am currently working on, however, I offer a number of sessions to go over the past experience, reflect on what you would want to be different this time and to help you develop coping skills and practical tools to be able to cope with pregnancy and birth after a NICU experience. 

What happens if I can’t make a session?

If for any reason you are unable to attend a planned appointment, I ask you to please contact me by email or text message and to let me know as soon as possible. I ask for at least 48 hours notice. Missed appointments are charged at the full fee, with the exception of scheduled annual leave which will have been agreed 2 weeks in advance. The terms and conditions provide more information. 

Who do you provide therapy for?

I am a clinical psychologist and am trained in supporting people with a number of different mental health issues across the life span, however I currently specialise in supporting people throughout the perinatal period, in pregnancy, birth and parenthood. I have a specialist interest in supporting those who have been through neonatal care with their children and/ or those who have experienced birth trauma. I provide individual therapy for men and women, couples therapy, group therapy and online courses.

Can I bring my baby into therapy?

If you cannot leave your child or do not currently feel able to do so, then they can attend the sessions with you. I would rather you were able to attend and get the support you need. However, if we were going to complete EMDR, this is better to do this on your own without distractions and therefore I would ask that you find some childcare support for these sessions.

Can I talk to you between sessions?

Yes, however I would advise this to be via email or text rather than Instagram. If it is about changing appointments or payment, then this is better to be asked via email. If you need additional support, I may suggest that we wait to discuss in session or arrange an appointment sooner. I work limited hours and therefore am not able to provide crisis support. If you need additional support please contact your GP, 111, 999 or the Samaritans 116 123.

What is your social media policy?

I do not allow anyone to follow me on my private social media accounts, to respect both of our privacy and boundaries. However, I do encourage interaction via Miracle Moon platforms.That being said, if you have any session related enquiries these interactions should be done via email instead of social media to ensure security and data protection.

Can you support people in USA?

Unfortunately I cannot provide individual or group therapeutic support for those in the States at present due to legal issues. However, you can have access to our workshops and resources and please keep an eye out for further ways I can support people internationally in the future.

What if we are not the right fit? 

It is really important to me that we are the right fit for each other. If I do not think we are the right fit, I can suggest other therapists who are able to support you. You can find out more about different kinds of support here.

Parent Stories

Read what parents have to say about our 1:1 therapy services

It was one of the best investments I have ever made for myself and I am so very grateful to Dr. Frankie.
I am approaching the birth of my next child with a sense of calm confidence that I am as well resourced as I can be, will be able to navigate my way through whatever happens next and have access to the right support should I need it. 
I felt heard, the sessions were exactly what I needed and I have benefitted so much as a result. Thank you.
I am so grateful for the sessions I have had with Frankie, they were invaluable. Her warmth, professional expertise and her own understanding of NICU made her the ideal person to work with for me. 
I couldn't have imagined being in such a good place, prior to working with Frankie. I also feel I've developed new skills that will support me in all areas of my life for a long time to come!
Thank you to Frankie for all the support and making the sessions feel so calm and relaxed. That ultimately helped me to be as open as possible and get the most out of the process.

Take the first step today

Contact Dr Frankie to discuss your needs for individual therapy.

The quickest way to get in touch with us is to fill in our contact form at the button below. We will aim to respond to you within 48 working hours, but hopefully before. You will hear back from Dr Frankie Harrison directly or her virtual assistant, Iona. 

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