Homepage | McMillan Psychology

Parenthood is emotionally complex. You don’t have to navigate it alone.

Thoughtful and compassionate psychological support to help you make sense of what you’re feeling, at any stage of becoming and being a parent.

Dr Lindsay McMillan, UK Clinical Psychologist (HCPC Registered)

You might be coping but still struggling

No matter which stage of parenthood you are in, you may be functioning on the outside whilst feeling overwhelmed, anxious, low or emotionally depleted underneath. You are used to getting on with things, putting others first and telling yourself you should be able to cope.

Perhaps you are facing experiences that you didn’t expect to at this stage of life, some closely tied to trying for a baby, becoming a parent or being a parent, others arising alongside parenthood. Often, it isn’t easy to separate one from the other and the impact on mental health and emotional wellbeing can be significant.

When the challenges you are facing are affecting how you think, feel and function, it can be difficult to make sense of what is happening and know what support might be most helpful. Therapy can provide space and guidance to better understand the difficulties, how they are affecting you, and to find realistic, manageable and sustainable ways of supporting yourself and your wellbeing within the realities of parenthood.

Compassionate support via 1:1 online therapy

I offer one-to-one online psychological therapy for parents, parents-to-be, and those hoping to become parents. My work provides a calm, collaborative, and supportive space to explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences at your own pace.

My approach is integrative and tailored to your individual needs, drawing on evidence-based models such as Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), amongst others.

Together in therapy, we make sense of significant experiences, whether linked to becoming or being a parent, challenges arising alongside parenthood or experiences from earlier in your life. You can read more about the specific experiences I have supported parents with here: Who I Help.

The focus is on understanding what has (or hasn’t) happened, how your mental health and emotional wellbeing is being impacted, and what may help you to move forward.

You might recognise some of the following ways emotional and psychological distress can show up as:

Feeling anxious, overwhelmed or constantly on edge
Living in 'doing mode' - always problem-solving, planning or pushing through
Harsh self-criticism, perfectionism or believing you should be managing better than you think you are
Low mood, feeling shut down or disconnected
Feeling emotionally stretched, burnt out or depleted
Intrusive thoughts or memories that return unexpectedly
Avoiding certain thoughts, feelings, situations or people because they feel too painful or overwhelming
Intense guilt, shame, or fear of being judged or misunderstood
Feeling emotionally alone, unseen, or unsupported
Struggling with loss, grief or the gap between what you hoped for and what is

Specialist Psychological Support for
Parental Gender Disappointment

Dr Lindsay has a specialist interest in supporting parents and parents-to-be experiencing parental gender disappointment, a term used to describe the emotional and psychological distress that can arise when baby’s sex does not match what has been deeply hoped for.

Her professional expertise in this area developed through her Doctoral research (beginning in 2010 to explore gender disappointment from mothers’ perspectives) and continues through her established clinical work in private practice supporting parental mental health through one-to-one therapy and consultation, support for loved-ones and training for professionals.

Dr Lindsay is a strong advocate for challenging the taboo, misunderstanding and judgement that often surrounds gender disappointment, which can leave parents feeling further isolated and alone with their struggles.

No matter which stage you are at in your parenthood journey, I’m here to help you make sense of the emotional ups and downs, so you can feel more balanced, calm, and confident in yourself and in your role as a parent.