My name is Raedín O’Connor, and I am a Senior Mental Health Occupational Therapist with Way Ahead Therapy.
Becoming a mother has been one of the greatest joys of my life; it has also been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
Nearly eight years on, with three boys, the eldest of whom is seven, life is both fun and hectic, and everything in between. The proof – as I write this, I estimate an interruption rate of one question every five seconds!
In recent months, I have been reflecting on the last few years, and while I think it would have been impossible to be fully prepared for the change, there are a few things that might have been helpful to know at the beginning of my motherhood journey.
Last September, at the Private Practice Networking Summit, I met Laura Hackett, also a mother of three, a Perinatal Mental Health Specialist and a fellow Mental Health Occupational Therapist.
We had a passionate conversation about motherhood and the role that Occupational Therapists can play in helping mothers and their support partners during this transition. And so the seed for this webinar was planted. Together, we wanted to design a webinar with all the information that we wished we had when we were starting out.
One of the most helpful things for me, and that I have only realised now, is that any doubt, worry, and sadness I was experiencing were to be expected given such a huge transition. There was nothing wrong with me; I was adapting to change. The transition is called Matresence; having a name for it really helped me understand my experience.
Here are some questions and answers to help you decide whether this workshop might be for you.
What can I expect to get from the workshop?
Practical advice about how to keep well during this transition.
What topics will we cover?
- Adjustment to motherhood
- Emotional and hormonal changes
- Identity and role change
- Communication and connection
- Self-Care activities
- Support systems
Who is it for?
The webinar is designed for pregnant women, mothers up to two years postpartum, and support partners who want to better understand the transition to parenthood.
When and where is it on?
Thursday, the 16th of July 2026, from 7.30-8.30 pm (IST).
Online (Zoom).
Where can I get my ticket?
Tickes are €35 and will be on sale until the 9th of July.
Tickets are available at Eventbrite by clicking this link:
maternalwellbeingthroughpregnancyandbeyond.eventbrite.ie
If you would like more information about the workshop, please feel free to email me at raedin@wayaheadtherapy.ie
Hope to see you there, and wishing all the very best to mothers and support partners.