Last Saturday, I was fortunate enough to receive an early Mother’s Day treat to climb to the top of the O2, an Up at The 02 experience in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, courtesy of Experience Days. I am a psychotherapist at MumsAid, an award-winning charity that champions maternal mental health and along with two other mums who were singing the praises of the MumsAid counselling service they received, we donned our climb suits, hooked up our harnesses, pulled on our gripped shoes and made the very steep ascent to the top of one of the most striking buildings in London’s skyline. The rain held off and we saw spectacular views across the capital. It was a wonderfully exhilarating experience!
Little did we know that a week later, the world below us would be a very different place to live. Since my climb, schools have shut for all but children of key workers, and parents are now tasked with home schooling their children for the foreseeable future and they are either socially distancing or self-isolating. The impact on maternal mental health at this time cannot be underestimated.
MumsAid is committed to supporting maternal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and is offering two groups to enhance creativity, mindfulness and self-compassion in such uncertain times. We are welcoming mums and pregnant women across the country to join MumsAid’s Online Journalling Group and the Mama Tune Online Chorus. Absolutely no skill or previous experience is necessary to join and with Mother’s Day fast approaching, what better way to top up your personal wellbeing than this! Please email ali@mums-aid.org and visit www.mums-aid.org for more information about these groups or the online counselling service we are offering at this time. It’s really important to remember that although we are physically distant, we can still connect socially!
Wishing all mums and pregnant women across the UK a very happy Mother’s Day!