Gemma is our administrator at Release and is usually the first person people will speak to when they get in touch. Here Gemma shares what the role involves, why she supports our charity and her maternal mental health tips.

What does your role involve?

Hi, I’m Gemma and I am the administrator for Release. I have been working with the charity for over 2 years. One of the aspects of my role involves organising the Mother Nurture and Second Nature groups, and the Wellbeing Days. I am the person that answers all your questions and alleviates any concerns that you may have prior to joining our sessions. You may feel apprehensive or nervous which is completely understandable but hopefully I can reassure you. Some of the main concerns people have are; their babies being unsettled during sessions, they don’t feel that they ‘deserve’ a space, they worry they will be judged for feeling a certain way, that they will ‘bring others down’ with any negative thoughts they have to mention a few. We have been running groups for new parents for over 10 years, and I can never reiterate enough how welcome you and your baby will be, however you show up.

Why do you support Release?

I feel so grateful to work with Release. I attended a Mummyshock course, now Mother Nurture, in 2017 when my eldest son was 5 months old. I still feel to this day that it saved my sanity and created connections with other mothers in the group that are so deep and strong, all these years later. I feel that Release is a really unique charity that gives women and mothers a space to be honest, open and vulnerable, and be met with support and non-judgement. I have the pleasure of collating all the feedback that people write after groups, and I often get quite emotional reading how much of an impact it has had on their lives.

Do you have any tips for supporting maternal mental health you’d like to share?

Find a friend (or few!) that you can be really really honest with, so that you don’t have to pretend that everything is okay when it isn’t. Also say goodbye to mum guilt – taking time away from your children to do something just for you really does improve your capacity to look after your family – and going to the supermarket on your own doesn’t count! Get out in nature as much as possible – even a short walk outside can help regulate your breathing and your mind, and help you feel less alone.