This insightful book offers a rich collection of practice stories written by forty-eight psychological professionals working in neonatal care in the UK, illuminating the compassionate human endeavour of holding distress as families and teams navigate the storms of neonatal care. Through diverse voices, including clinical and counselling psychologists, child and adult psychotherapists, counsellors and psychological wellbeing practitioners, these evocative narratives reveal what it means to bring forth and hold stories that make sense of overwhelming experiences for others.
Organised across four thematic sections-exploring the 'what?', 'how?', 'where?' and 'who?' of neonatal psychological practice-the book weaves together first-person narratives, reflective pieces and conversations with conceptual commentaries that provide theoretical and empirical context. Chapters address the nature of psychological intervention during ongoing trauma, the therapeutic processes of holding and containment, clinical and ethical dilemmas arising from positioning within multidisciplinary teams, and the mutual influence between practitioners' selves and their work. Topics span transitioning into parenthood, neonatal loss and trauma, parent-infant relationships, staff support, personal and professional boundaries and experiences of leadership, offering both anchor and compass for this rapidly evolving field.
Written with accessibility in mind, this book assumes no background in psychological training and speaks to a wide readership: psychological professionals seeking to learn about or deepen their neonatal practice; allied health professionals, nurses, medics and other multidisciplinary team members wanting to understand their colleagues' roles; parents and families who have experienced neonatal care; and anyone interested in discovering what psychological professionals can offer within the neonatal system. By celebrating diverse approaches, this anthology of creativity, connection and courage opens up new possibilities for practice while honouring the complex reality of this profoundly human work. Additional resources that support readers' reflection on and engagement with the stories, including a read-along guide, are available as an eResource on the book's online profile, on the Routledge website.
