Meet the team

Maria Viner

Chief Executive Officer

Maria has been a client, volunteer, Trustee and was the Chair of Trustees for 6 years before becoming CEO in June 2018.

Maria had a moderate perinatal illness after the birth of her second son and began to use Mothers for Mothers helpline, groups and counselling service. During her pregnancy with her daughter she became more ill and was severely ill after her birth. Mothers for Mothers continued to support Maria through this until she had fully recovered.

Maria is a member of the Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists Women’s Network and the Women’s Voices Panel. She is a member of the RCOG lay faculty and a lay examiner. Maria enjoys her role at the College and fully supports the aim to improve women’s health in the UK and globally. She also sits on the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit Perinatal Mental Health Sprint Audit advisory group.

Maria’s Patient and Public Involvement began in 2006 and she is currently the PPI Lead at the Tommy’s National Centre for Maternity Improvement.

Maria is an expert by experience and a Maternal Mental Health Alliance Everyone’s Business Campaign Champion.

In her spare time Maria enjoys walking her dog and landscape art.

Kaeti Morrison

Business Manager

Hi, my name is Kaeti and I’m the Business Manager at Mothers for Mothers. I have over 20 years experience in fundraising and relationship building in the not for profit sector.

I lost my first daughter to stillbirth and as a result suffered with anxiety during my subsequent pregnancy later that year and into the early part of my son’s life. I also went on to have a second daughter three years later.

A lot of my free time is spent walking my dog, doing zumba and fitness training as well as volunteering for a charity supporting bereaved parents.

Rebecca Rice

Operations Manager

Rebecca comes from a maternal health background having practiced as a midwife and then as an independent birth worker before having her daughter in 2014. Following a difficult period of postnatal depression, she decided to focus on mental health in motherhood and applied to be a volunteer at Mothers for Mothers. Since then, she has come on to the staff roster, worked for the home visiting team – going on to coordinate it, and in 2024 moved to the post of operations manager. Rebecca is also a shiatsu practitioner and believes in the holistic nature of health, where mind and body interact to create wellbeing or disease. Rebecca likes loud music, pizza and suguru puzzles.

Nixie McAllister

Group Co-Ordinator

Hi, my name is Nixie and I am the Group Coordinator at Mothers for Mothers. I facilitate four of our peer support groups across BristoI and South Gloucestershire.

I suffered with severe post-natal anxiety after my daughter was born in 2016 and decided to ring the helpline at Mothers for Mothers when I reached crisis point. I then received support calls from the team and attended the peer support groups. This combined with medication and holistic therapies meant that I was able to recover from my anxiety and enjoy my life/family again.

In 2019 I started to volunteer for Mothers for Mothers and then began my role as a staff member in the Client Care team during 2020. In 2021 I moved into the role of Group Coordinator and love my job as it enables me to support women in the same way that I was supported during the most difficult time of my life.

In my spare time I like to read, draw, dance and spend time with my family and friends.

Claire Littlejohn

Home Visiting Co-ordinator

Claire is a mum of 2 boys and experienced post natal depression after the birth of her second child. Working for many years in Community Development and then Family Support, she has joined the Home Visiting team to help other mums who otherwise may not get any support. To keep her head clear Claire runs, enjoys open water swimming and crochets.

Ruth Short

Art Psychotherapy and Counselling Co-Ordinator

Ruth is mum to one son, after he was born in 2008 she found her fragile relationship increasingly fractured with all the changes and challenges of a new baby. Her coping mechanism was to shut down and hide how she was struggling from friends and family, surviving rather than thriving. Her mental health declined, until her relationship ended and she finally sought help for depression. As Ruth recovered she rediscovered her creativity. Now she is passionate about using creativity as a tool to promote and support wellbeing, individually and as a community. Having experienced powerful healing through Art Therapy herself, she is keen to see more women able to access the therapy that Mothers for Mothers offer.

To support her wellbeing Ruth enjoys painting, crafts, gardening, swimming and time by the sea!

Rachel Langford

Client Care

Rachel Langford is a mother of 2 and suffered with severe Post-Natal depression after the birth of her second child. Rachel received support from the crisis team and Mothers for Mothers. When Rachel recovered, she began volunteering at Mothers for Mothers and joined the management committee, offering telephone support and setting up the Bedminster group. Rachel started paid employment at Mothers for Mothers in 2004 and ran the peer support groups until 2021. Rachel is our client care representative, taking new referrals, working on the helpline and making support calls. Rachel has been working for Mothers for Mothers for 19 years. Her hobbies are gardening, reading and being outdoors.

Richa Pandya

Client Care

I  have been working with children and families for over 15 years. I have worked  as an Early Years Practitioner, Montessori school Practitioner, Family Support Worker. I have always been passionate about mental well-being. After experiencing perinatal mental health illness my curiosity around pre and perinatal psychology deepened. During my difficult journey I did not know who ask for support or if such support even existed. Having a space where you are heard, supported and your feelings acknowledged would have made my transition to motherhood smoother. I decided to dedicate time to mothers who are experiencing similar difficulties. I strongly believe that sensing, naming and identifying what’s happening inside (mind and body) is the first step towards healing.

During  my free time I enjoy reading (mostly fiction) and going for long walks in the woods.

Kiri Durston

Client Care

Hi, my name is Kiri Durston. I have four children and suffered with Post natal depression after my first child. I first heard about Mothers for Mothers as a child when my own mum volunteered to work for the organisation, occasionally bringing me along to the office. She spoke very highly of the service and so I always had a interest in the resources and support that they provided to mothers. Fast forward to 2021 and, I was refererred by my health visitor due to once again suffering with depression and anxiety after the birth of my fourth child. Using the service proved to be absolutely invaluable to me and I longed to help others, once I had been through my journey, that had had difficulties surrounding parenthood and making adjustments too. I applied to work voluntarily in 2023 on the helpline initially and was eventually offered a position as a Client Care and Group Peer Support Worker, much to my absolute joy. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, tabletop gaming, singing and dance fitness.

Sapna Boden

SEND Peer Support Worker & Administrator

Sapna is a mum of 2 and suffered from Perinatal depression and anxiety after the birth of her first child which resurfaced once her second child was born. She valued all the support she received from her weekly Mothers for Mothers group.

Sapna is a qualified SENDCo as well as a mum of children with additional needs so can offer SEND Peer support work for mums on a similar journey as well as educate and inspire conversations about Neurodiversity.

Sapna enjoys gardening, cooking and more recently, DIY/interior design projects thanks to the free upcycling workshops at Ikea!!

Amy Sutherland

Peer Support Worker

Amy is a mother of two and suffered with post-natal illness after the birth of her first child.

Due to her experience of post-natal illness, Amy, went on to train as a Counsellor. It was here that she first came across Mothers for Mothers, working initially on the support line and then as a Trainee Counsellor.  Amy is thrilled to be working with Mothers for Mothers again as a  Peer Support Worker helping Mothers to access support they might not other wise receive.

In her spare time Amy enjoys spending time with family, country walks and playing tennis.

Genevieve Shergold

Link Peer Support Worker

Following a traumatic pregnancy and birth with my first child I was diagnosed with post-natal depression. This was incredibly difficult to accept and I felt so lost and alone in the world. I was referred to a perinatal mental health charity where I got the support I needed and part of that was a peer support group. I learnt to connect with myself, my baby and others and this had a huge impact on rediscovering myself.

Becoming pregnant again 5 years later I was worried I would have a similar experience, however, the second time around I was more prepared and resilient. I was able to be more open about my mental health and support was put in place during my pregnancy which prevented me from having a second episode of post-natal depression.

I am now raising two gorgeous children who are thriving. I’ve learnt that motherhood will have its ups and downs but I am able to be present and know that those difficult periods will pass. Through rediscovering myself I have found that I am able to express myself through my artwork. I mostly enjoy painting but I love any opportunity to be creative.

Alice Ritchie

Peer Support Worker

Jacob Kelly

Dads and Partners Peer Support Worker

For me talking openly with others about my thoughts, feelings and emotions really helped me to feel less alone, it also helped me to meet others who had been through similar experiences which really helped smash the stigma and guilt I was feeling as a Dad and Husband.

Jessica Cox

Sessional Art Psychotherapist

I began my journey with mothers for mothers during my Art Psychotherapy training and developed a real passion for the work. I offer a space of empathy and understanding to those who may need some extra support during their parental journey.

My background is based predominantly in schools, giving me insight into the challenges parents and children may face.

In my spare time, I enjoy being in my art studio or listening to live music around the city.

Alicia

Senior Art Psychotherapist

I am an Art Psychotherapist who believes that with a warm therapeutic relationship and an honest safe space we can all find a way to recovery; to reconnection with parts of ourselves;  to managing the huge change that Motherhood can bring. I use several approaches including Sensorimotor Art Therapy and I am training to be an Art Psychotherapy Supervisor with BAAT.

It is a privilege to provide Art Psychotherapy at Mothers for Mothers.

Emma

Art Psychotherapist

I am an HCPC registered Art Therapist with an MA in Art Psychotherapy.  I’m also a member of the British Association of Art Therapists.  I completed my final year therapy placement with Mothers for Mothers, so I am proud to continue working with their dedicated and caring team.

Before qualifying as an art therapist, I worked as a teacher with pre-schoolers, infants and juniors.  I also co-facilitated art projects in schools and the community.  I have a wide variety of experience working with adults and children, and I am passionate about supporting families.

As a mum I understand the difficulties that parenting can bring.  I am dedicated to supporting wellbeing and positive mental health, and strive to create a non-judgemental, safe place for those that I am fortunate to work alongside.

In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family and friends.

Alice

Student Art Psychotherapist

Alice is a mum of 2 boys. After giving birth, she reflected on her changing identity, losing parts of herself, and finding new ones. This prompted her, after being a specialist eating disorders nurse for 14 years, to have a career change and retrain as an art psychotherapist. Her nursing background has seen her working with mums experiencing difficulties and she is keen to bring an empathic and holistic approach to her practice.

In her spare time, she likes to paint, draw, walk in nature, attend film festivals and live comedy

Zelda

Therapist

Having had a long career in social care, in 2023 I decided to train as a psychotherapist.  I was pleased to get a counselling placement at Mothers for Mothers as I really liked their emphasis on lived experience, and I have always been passionate about women’s mental health. I have three adult children, and I love reading, film and walking the dog

Clare

Therapist

Hello I am Clare. I am a mental health occupational therapist and trainee counsellor and psychotherapist. I have worked lots with adults, parents and young people in a variety of settings and services. I am excited to be joining Mothers for Mothers as part of my counselling and psychotherapy training. I hope to offer a safe emphatic space, and sit alongside clients, as we think and talk together. I am a keen open water swimmer, and yogi. I love spending time outside with my children and dog.

Charlotte Claessens

Play Support Worker

Charlotte Claessens is a mother of two young children and suffered a traumatic, lonely birth with her first child being born at the beginning of the pandemic. At this time her body was fighting sepsis. The struggles she faced as a first-time mother and the isolation that came with a pandemic started to take its toll as she fought hard to seek help for breast feeding. Her mental health deteriorated and she found it incredible difficult to reach out again for help about a health concern. Eventually with the support of family and spouse she made a GP appointment. 

The GP refer her to many other mental health services with her first born and they helped to return trust in mental health services. However, she became so anxious when she fell pregnant with her second child just over two years later and really didn’t want to fall back into the sickness of depression. This is when she attended Mothers for Mother’s peer support group; which strengthen her bond with her first born and encouraged better habit to support her second born child in the mist of the newborn stage.

Charlotte has now joined the team in 2024 as a Play Support Worker; she wants to support other mothers in their journeys through mental health challenges and encouraging better habitat to strengthen bonds through play.

In her spare time Charlotte enjoys all different hobbies such as photography, videography and painting