Purpose: To enhance the couple’s coping skills.
Having a baby can be stressful and overwhelming. This section helps parents to identify sources of stress and learn ways of coping together and supporting each other.
Below, you will see the content that the couple will access in Section 2. You will also see suggestions and instructions as to how you can follow up with the couple after the session.
Remember to check in on progress towards the goal parents set at the end of Section 1.
Stress can come from different things:
How often do you find yourself feeling stressed? A couple of times a week? Every day?
We all have times in all our lives when we feel stressed. It’s helpful to know where stress comes from so that we can learn how to deal with it in a healthy way.
You can think of stress as a balance. When you've got lots of ways of coping, it can be easy to deal with stress. But when the causes of stress outweigh your ways of coping, it can all feel like too much.
1. Emotional support: This is when you show that you have understood.
2. Practical support: This is when you offer ways of solving the problem.
Emotional support is important because it shows your partner that you are there for them.
Often, it’s better just to listen first without offering advice.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t offer practical support at all, but you should try to offer emotional support first.
This video shows you how this works. In the first version of the story, Liam only offers practical support. In the second version, we rewind and Liam offers emotional support first. Can you see the difference in the way Naomi reacts?
Watch the next video (on the next page) for a breakdown of what's happening in each version.
Think about how you might be able to use these skills in your life. Next time your partner comes to you with a problem, see if you can offer emotional support before you try to come up with solutions:
If the couple needs some extra help in offering each other emotional support, this additional activity might help.
Ask the parents to tell you about a recent time they felt stressed, focusing on:
This is the ‘funnel method’ of offering emotional support. You will be modelling relational skills – empathy, understanding, and acknowledging the other person’s feelings.
e.g. ‘I can see why that might make you feel scared/angry/sad.’
When you or your partner are stressed, try not to think of it as my stress or your stress. Instead, think of it as our stress – something for you to deal with together.
This animation shows why it’s best to work together as a couple, even when only one of you is going through a hard time.
Now it’s time to set some goals. A goal can be a thing you want to happen, or a way you want to be. Goals are a good way to make sure you use the new skills you are learning.
What would you like to do differently? Either choose your own goal or pick one from our list:
The most important thing is to PRACTISE. Whatever goals you choose, try them out over the next few weeks. The more you practise, the better you will get.
You have reached the end of this section.
It's a good idea to take a break here before moving on.
Check in with the parents to see how they are progressing with their goals. If they haven’t set a goal yet, you can help them to choose one now.
They can choose their own goal, or you can suggest one based on their experiences so far. Some suggestions:
You can review their progress at the start of the next section.
Emphasise the key messages of this session:
