Upcoming Class: Meeting Yourself in Motherhood
A guided reflective workshop for mothers to explore their journey into motherhood with compassion and curiosity.
By Registered Psychologist Viola Prinz.
Motherhood changes us in ways we rarely expect. This workshop is an invitation to pause long enough to notice those changes, understand them, and meet yourself with greater curiosity and compassion.
Through gentle teaching, guided experiential practice and personal reflection, you'll be introduced to the Mum Parts Framework—a compassionate way of understanding the different parts of ourselves that can emerge throughout motherhood.
Whether you're carrying guilt, overwhelm, perfectionism, self-sacrifice or simply wondering why motherhood feels so much harder than you expected, this workshop offers space to pause, reflect and realise you're not alone.
Saturday 29th August | 10am-12pm | Cottesloe.
A workshop for mums who appear to have it together, but quietly wonder...
This workshop is for the mum who appears to have it together, but quietly wonders why motherhood feels so much harder than she expected.
You might spend so much time looking after everyone else that you've lost sight of yourself. You're not looking for someone to tell you how to parent. You're looking for space to understand yourself, make sense of your inner world, and realise you're not the only mum carrying so much.
You might recognise yourself here if you...
constantly feel like you're trying to "get motherhood right."
wonder whether you're doing enough, no matter how much you're giving.
carry the weight of feeling like you should know what to do, and find yourself endlessly searching for answers when things don't go to plan.
are so used to holding everything together that you don't realise how much it's costing you.
can't remember the last time you did something simply to care for yourself.
miss parts of the person you were before becoming a mum, while deeply loving the person you're becoming.
long for a space where you don't have to hold it all together—a space where you can slow down, reflect, and realise you're not alone.
As mothers, we already know how to nurture.
We comfort, encourage, protect and care for our children every day, often without thinking twice.
This workshop is an invitation to begin including yourself in that same circle of care.
So much of motherhood happens on the inside. While we celebrate births, birthdays and milestones, many of the inner transitions mothers experience are never spoken about or witnessed.
Motherhood changed me too | My Story
The story behind this workshop.
After becoming a Mum, I went from feeling like a relatively grounded, functioning adult to feeling overwhelmed almost overnight. There was so much happening all at once. I was keeping a tiny human alive, recovering from birth, navigating sleep deprivation, learning how to breastfeed, and trying to make sense of one of the biggest transitions of my life.
At first, I felt like I was still me... just with a baby.
It wasn't until later that I realised motherhood had changed me too. There was no going back to who I was before. I had to slowly come to terms with who I was becoming.
At the same time, motherhood seemed to awaken parts of me I hadn't expected . Parts that had been around long before becoming a Mum suddenly had a much bigger job to do.
My ‘Organiser Part’ wanted to run wake windows, feeding schedules and naps like a military operation.
My ‘Intellectualiser Part’ wanted to understand everything: Why is she crying? Why won't she sleep? What am I missing?
My ‘Achiever Part’ was determined to "do motherhood right", while my ‘Self-sacrificing Part’ insisted my needs could always wait.
Alongside those familiar parts were others that suddenly felt louder than ever - the ‘Guilty Part’, the ‘Overwhelmed Part’, the part longing for a moment to herself, the 'Resentful Part’, and the Part worrying whether I was doing enough. It often felt confusing because I didn't have a way of understanding why I felt so pulled in different directions and I felt like I wasn’t coping.
Motherhood asks so much of us. We're constantly balancing competing needs while trying to keep another human alive, fed and happy. It's relentless. There isn't much space to stop and notice what's happening inside us - we just keep going.
Learning the ‘Mum Parts’ Framework during my Mother-Centred Internal Family Systems training was a real lightbulb moment. I already loved using this modality in my therapy work, but seeing it applied specifically to motherhood suddenly gave me a language for what I'd been experiencing myself.
Instead of seeing all these different reactions as signs I wasn't coping, I began to understand them as different parts of me doing their best to help me figure out how to be a Mum.
My own experience and training helped me realise there was another way I wanted to support mothers. Not just through one-to-one therapy, but by creating spaces where women could come together, better understand themselves, and realise they're not the only one whose inner world feels messy, conflicted or confusing.
That's why I created this workshop.
My hope isn't that you'll leave with motherhood all figured out.
It's that you'll leave with a language for what's been happening inside you, a little more understanding of the different parts of yourself that show up in motherhood, and the permission to begin showing up for yourself with the same compassion you so naturally offer your children.
What we'll explore together
This workshop is intentionally held in a small group to create a warm, supportive and reflective space where you can simply show up as you are.
Throughout the workshop, you'll be invited to experience:
A guided experiential practice to help you slow down, step out of the busyness of motherhood, and gently notice what's happening in your inner world.
The opportunity to meet one of your Mum Parts, helping you make sense of thoughts, feelings or reactions that may have previously felt confusing or overwhelming.
Reflection using the Mum Parts cards and journalling, giving language to experiences that can often feel messy, conflicted or difficult to explain.
An invitation to share your reflections, and experience the power of having your inner world witnessed by other mothers in a compassionate, non-judgemental space.
A simple closing ritual, helping you leave with greater clarity about how you'd like to care for yourself beyond the workshop.
A Mum Parts card deck to take home, so you can continue meeting yourself with curiosity and compassion long after the workshop has ended.
No previous knowledge of psychology or Internal Family Systems is needed. The workshop is designed to be accessible, gentle and suitable for mothers from all walks of life.
My hope is that you'll leave...
Feeling seen, understood and less alone, knowing that many other mothers carry similar thoughts, feelings and inner conflicts.
With a language for what's been happening inside you, helping you recognise your Mum Parts with greater curiosity and compassion rather than self-criticism.
More able to hold the competing needs of motherhood with compassion, without feeling like you have to choose between being a "good mum" and caring for yourself.
Trusting that difficult emotions don't make you a bad mum, but are experiences that can be met with curiosity, understanding and care.
More confident in your capacity to continue meeting yourself with the same care, compassion and nurturing you so naturally offer your children.
Instead of seeing all these different reactions as signs I wasn't coping, I began to understand them as different parts of me doing their best to help me figure out how to be a Mum.
The Mum Parts IFS Framework
The Mum Parts Framework is a gentle way of understanding the different thoughts, emotions and inner experiences that can show up throughout motherhood. Inspired by the evidence-based Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, it invites us to see these experiences not as flaws or failures, but as different "parts" of ourselves that are each trying to help in their own way.
Rather than asking, "What's wrong with me?" the framework encourages a different question:
"Which part of me is here right now, and what might she need?"
Together, we'll learn how to gently recognise these parts, become curious about what they may be trying to protect, and begin responding to ourselves with the same compassion we so naturally offer our children. This simple shift opens the door to greater self-awareness, self-compassion and a more nurturing relationship with ourselves.
Considerations Before Registering
The workshop is a psychoeducational and reflective group experience designed to support learning, self-understanding and personal insight. It does not provide therapy or treatment for specific mental health concerns.
This workshop may not be the best fit if:
You're currently working with me in individual therapy, as maintaining recommended professional boundaries means I am unable to facilitate workshops for my current therapy clients.
If you're a former therapy client of mine, please contact me before registering so we can consider together whether attending this workshop would be appropriate.
You're looking for personalised therapeutic support or are currently experiencing difficulties that would be better supported in individual therapy.
If you're unsure what kind of support would be most helpful, you're welcome to contact our Client Care Team here to discuss the available options.
Participating and sharing: The workshop includes opportunities for reflection and optional sharing. You're always welcome to participate in the way that feels right for you. Sharing is completely optional, and there is never any expectation to discuss personal experiences.
For urgent or immediate support, connect with the PANDA website or contact PANDA's Perinatal Mental Health Helpline on 1300 726 306.
If this workshop feels like something your heart has been quietly longing for, I'd love to welcome you.
Workshop Details:
Meeting Yourself in Motherhood
Saturday 29 August 2026
10:00am–12:00pm
Gabriella de Mori & Co Counselling, Cottesloe
Facilitated by Registered Psychologist Viola Prinz
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