Being and Becoming Father: An Exploration of Paternal Postnatal Mental Health Through a Psychotherapeutic Lens
Authors
MacGinty, Emma
Issue Date
2025.16.12
Degree
BA in Psychotherapy
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
Open Access
Abstract
This study explores paternal postnatal mental health challenges through the lens of psychotherapists, addressing a gap in existing research around how fathers present in therapy and how therapists experience this work. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), three experienced therapists were interviewed, producing rich data. The analysis found three key superordinate themes emerging: The Censored Man, The Conflicted Self, and It Takes a Village. The Censored Man explores how fathers are silenced, by themselves, society, and systemic minimisation. The Conflicted Self captures the internal tension between expectations and realities of fatherhood, and the role that intergenerational dynamics play during this life transition. It Takes a Village looks at the need for connection, belonging, and support during the postnatal period, with the therapist often becoming a temporary 'village' for the client. The findings highlight the complexity of therapeutic work and how the personal and professional lives of therapists play out in the work. This study draws attention to the unintentional exclusion of fathers in postnatal care, with emphasis on the need for further research, awareness, and clinical recognition. Without this, many fathers may suffer in silence, which affects not only their wellbeing, but that of the entire family unit. This research calls for a more inclusive postnatal framework.