URSULA Meehan knows all too well how important maternal mental health services are for people in this area.
When her third child was born she suffered from post-natal depression, struggling to meet her own high expectations and never putting herself first.
Now stronger than ever before, she is determined to use her own lived experience to help others through a project designed to support women in the first two years of their baby’s life and during pregnancy.
The Mum’s Wellness Project, borne out of the success of the Family Wellness Project, has only been operational for a year, but has already made an important impact on the lives of mums across this area.
Its aim is to help women find ways and means of coping with emotional health and wellbeing difficulties through the use of a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP).
And in recognition of the work it has achieved, despite its infancy, it was nominated for the Champion for Change award at the NI Maternal Mental Health Conference which took place last Thursday.
Speaking to the Impartial Reporter as the Project marked Maternal Mental Health Week, Ursula explained the motivation behind her job title.
“I feel so passionate about this project because I have come through that journey myself.
“I’m well in recovery now - I want people to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. With the right support you can overcome it.
“My third pregnancy was difficult - I had an emergency caesarian.
“I place so many high expectations on myself and I felt I didn’t have the right to make time for me.
“But by changing that around, I was doing my own WRAP without realising that is what I had been doing.
“I implemented those changes without being familiar with the programme.”
Ursula one of the main struggles mums experience is coming to terms with a change of identity.
“When a baby comes along, they may find themselves going back to work part time, or not going back at all.
“They may feel they are losing their identity in a way. They need that time out - social time, to be something other than ‘mum’.
“The whole idea behind the Mums Wellness Project is showing mums that the can overcome this.
“I feel I am a stronger person as a result of my own experience and if I can manage that I am capable of so many more things.
“I wouldn’t change my experience at all - it has made me who I am today. I wouldn’t be doing this role without that experience and understanding. I really feel that because I have been through it, it helps to break down barriers when I am talking to other mums currently going through it.”
The one-of-a-kind Mindwise Mums Wellness Project has a base in Fermanagh House, offering a nurturing environment for service users to come into.
Supported by Comic Relief it has secured additional funding for two more years from Lloyds Banking.
This will enable them to recruit an additional worker meaning they can reach out to more mums in the community.
“At the moment we have an active case load of 14 mummies and there are 14 mummies on the waiting list,” says Rachel Cashel, Child and Family Services Manager.
There are two referral pathways to the Mums Wellness Project.
Mums and expectant mums can contact the Child and Family Services manager or their local Family Support Hub to self-refer.
Referrals can also be made to the Family Support Hub via health professionals including GPs, health visitors and midwives.
According to Rachel, some mums don’t feel comfortable approaching their Health Visitor about how they are feeling.
“They have a fear about speaking out,” she says, “If that is how they feel they can go directly to the Family Support Hub.
“But we would encourage mums to link in with their Health Visitor - we assure them that the Health Visitors are there to help.”
Once a referral has been made, a Child and Family Support Worker will aim to meet with a mum or expectant mum on a weekly or fortnightly basis for around 12 sessions.
Each session will last around one hour and can take place in the home or a community venue.
According to Rachel, however, while the home environment feels familiar and safe for mums to open up about how they are feeling, both she and Ursula encourage mums to come to them, in order to tackle feelings of isolation.
The sessions are based around encouraging the mums to develop a ‘WRAP’, designed specifically for them and their needs.
“We work one on one with the mums,” says Rachel, “It can take up to 12 sessions for a mum, or as quick as eight.
“During the sessions, Ursula takes the mum through the programme, talking about the different key concepts and encouraging them to use their ‘wellness tools’ - i.e. the things that help them feel better again.”
Some of the key signs and symptoms that a mum or expectant mum may be experiencing emotional health and wellbeing difficulties includes sadness or tearfulness, no energy or feeling exhausted all the time, difficulty sleeping, racing mind, feeling overwhelmed, feeling isolated, anxious or negative thinking.
Both Rachel and Ursula believe that many mums are placing far too much pressure on themselves. WRAP provides a way to re-prioritise what is important.
“Ursula has that lived experience, she understands what these women are going through because she has been there herself.
“I would have done WRAP during my own pregnancy and when I came back to work I did it again.
“I maintain that is what has kept me well.”
In its first year the project has helped around 40 mums take control of their own lives and get things back on track.
“The feedback has been so positive,” says Rachel, “There is one mummy who always sticks out in in my mind.
“We partnered with Sure Start in Irvinestown to do a group WRAP. At the beginning this mummy said: ‘I don’t think this is for me’. But she came along every week and participated. 
“At the end of the seven weeks she said: “I didn’t know how much I needed this’.”
The Project also offers support groups and a drop in where mums who are on the waiting list for the service can come to the base at Fermanagh House and spend time with like minded people.
“During the drop-in mums can bring their kids along. It is just an opportunity for them to get out of the house and sit and have a cup of tea with other people.
“The main reason is to give mums the chance to challenge their isolation.
“There are support groups in Lisnaskea and Irvinestown.
“They meet in the evening time just so the mum can have some time to herself.
“These meetings are very much led by the mums. Dads are also welcome too.”
According to Rachel the additional funding for the next two years will enable the Project to set up a new support group in the Belleek area.
Rachel believed more government funding should be put into maternal mental health projects like the model designed for Fermanagh.
“There are huge costs attached to us not meeting the needs of mums,” she says, “We could save the economy millions if we were meeting the needs in a more effective way.
“Early intervention is key.”