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Alisha Walls

@alltheselittlethings2024

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Nurse RN 💉💊
Specialist Postgraduate Training in Perinatal Mental Health (QUB 👩‍🎓)
Trainee Counsellor (CPCAB)
Signpost Service ☎️
Northern Ireland 🌊

POSTS STORIES REELS

Qualifications and Credibility 🎓

We had a discussion in class on Monday. It is worrying that currently, in the UK, a counsellor has no legal regulation over their job title.

Basically, anyone can call themselves a counsellor without having the required training and experience.

It's beyond scary to think that a woman could really need help and be drawn in by an individual who isn't qualified in any way to deliver the care that mother might need.

The point of this post? Never be afraid to ask your counsellor for their credentials or Qualifications, especially if you're paying privately!

Here's what women will be accessing if they choose me for future services.

💊 A senior qualified registered nurse with over a decade of acute medical experience spanning from Band 5 and progressing to Band 7 management

🏥 Experience in a Senior Band 7 Co-ordinator role on an Acute Hospital Site.

🩺 Nursed heavily pregnant through a pandemic, which triggered severe anxiety for myself. It is very much a lived experience that I have used to help other mothers.

🎓 A love for learning. I'm always striving to help shape better practice and create effective community support systems for mothers during pregnancy and postpartum.

🏫 I am currently back at school. Retraining as a Perinatal specialist Counsellor. The counsellor training is a level 4 minimum qualification to practice as a counsellor. So, if you're accessing counselling for the first time, always ask to see this. Level 4 minimum 🎓

🎓 My specialist area will be womens counselling support during their perinatal season. The time during pregnancy and up to 1 year postpartum. My specialist module commences in Queen's University Belfast in January.

🫶 I attend events that will help shape culturally inclusive care for all mothers in Northern Ireland. Maternity as a whole should be free from discrimination 💜

Lastly, the little video is one of me and my youngest boy. The guilt of leaving him to do 12 hour night shifts always crippled my anxiety. I'm here to say, I've been where you are, I see you, and I will be here to help!

#traineecounsellor #nurse #perinatalmentalhealth #womensadvocate #maternalhealth by @alltheselittlethings2024

Perinatal Mental Health ⭐️ Sensitive Content ⭐️

A few little snippets to save, share, and spread a little awareness light 💛

Every time we reach a mother and encourage her that it's OK to talk, that spaces for safe conversations do exist, we have potentially saved another mum ❤️

We know the statistics. We know the leading cause of maternal death in the UK is suicide 😪

It's time to keep creating safe spaces. It's time to build resources, and it's time to fund service provision.

It's time we all started to use our voices to advocate for mothers during pregnancy and postpartum.

I am the face, I am 1 in 4 and I will continue to use my voice, my knowledge, my skills, my professional background to advocate for Mother's and to help them get the support they need!

#perinatalmentalhealth #maternalmentalhealth #pregnancyhealth #supportingwomen #advocatingforchange by @alltheselittlethings2024

A little bit about me ❤️

I have some lovely new followers, so I thought I would update the Squares 🫶

My name is Alìsha. My clinical background is in nursing. I graduated from the University of Ulster in 2012, and I worked for over a decade in Northern Ireland within the trust as a senior nurse.

I am a mother of five, my eldest is at university in England, and my youngest has turned two 🐣

I am currently back in education and retraining as a perinatal counsellor. Perinatal is the term we use to reference mummies' time during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum. I am also studying in Birth Trauma support. So, my area of service delivery will be counselling during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

I enrolled to do my specialist course in Queens University Belfast in September 2026🎓

Specialist services pending 🎓👩‍🎓

This little platform serves as an education hub and support system for any Mummy's out there who have any questions or need any support, pop me a private message and I will help in any way that I can or signpost you to another service or professional that can help. There is a great support network in Northern Ireland, it's just about finding the right service for your needs.

I am a BIG advocate for Maternal Mental Health. If I can do anything to support a mummy in any season, please just ask.

I have started a Mummy Walking Group in my hometown, and tomorrow, I'm launching a little Mummy Meet Up Group in our local Parish. It is open to any and everyone who wishes to come along. Very informal, a cup of tea and some friendly faces.

As a professional and as a mother who struggled with postpartum, sometimes the best thing you can do for a new mum is just listen 🫶

Save this post or tag a mummy friend ❤️

#nurse #counseling #motherhood #womensupportingwomen by @alltheselittlethings2024

The Perinatal Pocket Guide 🎓

Something I've been working on in my educational background and will hopefully be bringing to publication very soon 🎓

A little guide to help Mama's along on their bump journey 💛

Sometimes, the algorithm annoys me. It's either all or nothing when it comes to Maternal Mental Health. Or it only shows one side of it. Pregnancy is a holistic journey, meaning it's physical and mental. It's mummy and baby, Mental well-being and physical well-being in pregnancy and postpartum go hand in hand.

It's not about scaremongering Mum's into thinking the worst when it comes to Maternal Mental Health. It's acknowledgement of those Mum's who have experienced it. It's acknowledgement of their journey and the heroic choice to share it with us so we can create support systems that work 💜

Raising awareness on Perinatal Mental Health is about creating a safe space for all Mummy's to come and talk and feel listened to. Having Mum's informed instead of influenced 🙌

Talking about Maternal Mental Health during pregnancy and postpartum should be as open as talking about low blood pressure, or gestational diabetes or any other common factor in pregnancy.

Raising awareness shouldn't feel like we have to tread around the topic. It's just letting Mum's know that THEY CAN talk if THEY NEED TO.

The space exists for both here 💜 I will continue to share physical and mental support systems for Mum's and Mummy to be's!

I also learned a completely different perspective today in class on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Some wonderful prompts for holistic therapies in pregnancy and perhaps a pathway in the future.

Watch this space 💜🎓

#perinataleducation #perinatalmentalhealth #perinatalmentalhealththerapist #traineecounsellor #northernireland by @alltheselittlethings2024

Education and Learning 🎓⭐️

October achievements and small wins I'm celebrating 💛

💛 Mothers meditation Evening 🧘‍♀️ . A lovely service we have locally, which can be maintained with some lovely guided home meditations on the Mindful Mama app.

💛 Self Care routine. I've been consistent with my self care in terms of what I can control. A healthy diet, good hydration, and keeping my skin fresh and glowing.

💛 Meeting myself with Grace. Allowing slower days to reset. I do not need to fill every minute of the day.

💛 Assignments and class work. Studying Person centred theory and CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy). Every day is a school day, and I can see myself more drawn to CBT. It's very interesting. Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments..No pressure though!

💛 Im already putting preparations in place for my specialist perinatal module. Reading and researching, evidence based practice is key!

💛 Decluttering my personal spaces and my work spaces so I can maintain my own sense of peace.

💛 Education Seminar certificate for attending an amazing webinar hosted by The APP. Being informed over being influenced, always 👏.

💛 Perinatal specialist counsellor is the end goal. Working through the education stages consistently and with gratitude.

Those are my October positive points 💛 Believe me when I say, for every positive, there have been negatives. For every advancement, there have been delays, and to get here, almost defeated me as a professional and as a person.

The love and support I received from the maternity discrimination awareness reel I shared this week was heartwarming. I'm very grateful for the encouragement, and hopefully, a positive change will eventually follow, not just because of my experience but for every woman in Northern Ireland who has been in the same position. The main point is to always....

Keep going 💛 Keep showing up 💛 Keep learning

Let's advance Perinatal Mental Health provison one small step at a time!

#traineecounsellor #perinatalmentalhealth #personcentredtheory #cbt #supportingwomen by @alltheselittlethings2024

Maternity Discrimination 😪

It still exists 😔 Imagine that....

Class task 🎓Use Person Centred Theory to identify a womans condition of worth to be based on this experience.........

Imagine an educated woman being discriminated against for having a baby.

Imagine, in a country that currently sits with 1,800 vacancies in her chosen profession. Imagine adding one more because she had a baby!

Imagine in a country where Perinatal Mental Health and Maternal Mental Health is finally receiving recognition, and yet within our employment sector, maternity discrimination is still happening.

Imagine when a woman is at her most vulnerable, Imagine treating her like shit.

Imagine professionals who lawfully took an oath of honesty but will happily do the devil's work to lie, corrupt, and collude.

Imagine leaving a woman to question her entire worth. To the point where she even questioned life.

Imagine isolating that woman so much there were days she struggled to even leave the house.

Imagine destroying a womans postpartum to an extent so severe she looks at photographs and doesn't remember them being taken?

Imagine being a group of people who call themselves women, friends, and professionals, and yet they assist in maintaining the silence.

We won't be silent any longer. This platform exists to support women, like myself, who struggled during postpartum for reasons that were beyond my control.

This platform exists so that women like me know that they are valued, they are thought of, that they're human beings. Where is empathy?

This isn't a click bait post. It isn't hypothetical. This is real life. This is what is happening in 2026

Do you want to support women in postpartum? In Perinatal?

Stop the Silence 💛 Create a safe space 💛 Value her worth 💛 Show it, Say it, be supportive

Pregnancy and postpartum are a hard enough season. Don't add to it! Stop turning your head in the other direction. Ignoring it won't make it stop.

I debated sharing this, but if it reaches another new mother in a similar situation. Know you're not alone ❤️ Support exists, and YOU are needed ❤️

#maternitydiscrimination #maternityleave #rebuildingmyself #maternitycare by @alltheselittlethings2024

Recent Camera Roll in terms of Perinatal Mental Health 👩‍🎓

👩‍🎓 Assignments and meeting deadlines. Every day is a new learning opportunity.

⭐️ Spending time with my family. I like to keep this space focused on support and signpost services. However, it is an important reminder that I'm a real person behind the page. Not an AI bot 🤖

🍂 A lovely Nature Walk with my Mummy Walking group. Supporting other Mummy's is a privilege and something I thoroughly enjoy doing.

💜 I put together a little tea party where all donations could be made to Action Mental health. The link is still live on my previous reel.

🌊 My only plans this week being off on midterm is to factor in a beach day. A reset day is very much needed for everyone 🐚

⭐️ The Regional Perinatal Mental Health Care Pathway for Northern Ireland is available courtesy of the PHA to download and read. It's always beneficial to know policy and procedures, especially family members or people who are close to new Mummy's. Reading material such as this can potentially help spot signs or symptoms of a Perinatal Mental Health need.

💛 Early intervention is key. One read, one save, one share. Can potentially reach someone who needs to read it.

#perinatalmentalhealth #traineecounsellor #maternalwellbeing #northernireland by @alltheselittlethings2024

Reflection and Mindset Work 💛

The next time you're being hard on yourself, take a moment and reflect 💛

You are not your negative thoughts 💛

Here's a few beautiful quotes by some pretty amazing people in case you needed a little reminder 💛

#maternalmentalhealth #perinatalmentalhealth #maternalwellbeing #traineecounsellor #mindsetquotes by @alltheselittlethings2024

Castlederg Mummy Walking Group 🎃

Our Halloween Walk and Party 🏰👻🎃

Thank you to all the lovely Mummy's and littles who joined us for our Halloween Nature walk this morning 🎃 and for celebrating Theadoras' birthday tomorrow 💛

We found our very own "Sliabh na Caillì" and some of the witches had forgotten their hats 👻

Pumpkin patches, baby bats, little ghosts, and witches hats 🎃

Our next walk will be at Christmas , our mummy and baby Jingle Prams 🎄 🎅

Any donations towards our walk will he gifted to @action_mental_health 💛

#maternalmentalhealth #maternalwellbeing #supportingmums #mumandlittleones by @alltheselittlethings2024

Postpartum 💛

Yesterday in class, our lecturer shared a beautiful quote by Carl Rogers 💛

"People are just as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be.
When I look at a sunset, I don't find myself saying,
"Soften the orange a bit on the right-hand corner."
I don't try to control a sunset, I watch with awe as it unfolds."

Carl R. Rogers

Wouldn't it be beautiful if, instead of making mothers feel like they need to be fixed, wouldn't it be so much more, to support them in every way, so that they can unfold into their new identity and embrace it, in all its raw beauty.

Let's start by listening 💛

#postpartummentalhealth #perinatalcare #maternalmentalhealth #carlrogersquote #traineecounsellor by @alltheselittlethings2024

Monday 💛

Today, in the thick of getting children out the door, getting myself into the classroom. Processing everything that is currently ongoing and there's a LOT ongoing. I got overwhelmed.

Like I always do when I get overwhelmed, I retreat, and I am introverted. It's a coping mechanism.

I learned that today, when I get overwhelmed, I become reclusive because I feel that if I retreat into a smaller space, I can regain control.

The mind is a very powerful tool. Today, I was reminded of that, so as a mummy, as a person and as someone who wants to help other mums,

Be kind to yourself firstly, stop feeling guilty for getting overwhelmed, we all do and most importantly take the day one simple task at a time, but allow yourself the slower paced days.

The mind needs as much rest as all the other systems, today gently reminded me of that.

#maternalmentalhealth #perinatalcare #maternalwellbeing #traineecounsellor #nurse by @alltheselittlethings2024

Mummy Relaxation Evening 💛

What a lovely experience this was. Hosted by The Birth Sanctuary 💜

A beautiful guided mummy meditation 🧘‍♀️ followed by warm conversations, the opportunity to meet other mums, tea, and yummy refreshments 🫶

How lucky are the Mummy's in our local area? To have this. If you don't already follow Kingsley, go over and have a look at her page.

There is information and resources on

🕊 Pregnancy & Birth
🕊 Doula Services
🕊 Mummy Relaxation classes (Highly recommend)
🕊 Hypnobirthing
🕊 Lived experience from a mummy of four herself

Thank you for a wonderful experience, I'm always using this platform to encourage mums to nurture their wellbeing and maternal mental health 💜 and this ties in just perfect!

#maternalwellbeing #maternalmeditation #maternalmentalhealth #supportingmums by @alltheselittlethings2024