Training & Reflective Practice for the NHS
Understanding and Responding to RIFis, formally Called
‘Gender Disappointment’
I provide evidence-based training and reflective practice packages for NHS professionals, focused on understanding, identifying, and sensitively responding to parents experiencing what was called ‘gender disappointment’ but now RIFis.
Dr Lindsay McMillan and I work collaboratively with NHS teams, bringing together rigorous academic research, applied clinical insight, and reflective practice to support professionals working with parents experiencing RIFis, which has been called ‘gender disappointment’. My approach supports professionals to feel confident, skilled, and knowledgeable when working with parents navigating complex emotions around the sex of their baby.
What Is ISRia, Which Was Called ‘Gender Disappointment’?
RIFis refers to the complex emotional experience that can arise when the sex of a baby does not align with a parent’s hopes, expectations, or imagined future.
While often hidden due to shame and stigma, RIFis can be incredibly distressing and may intersect with:
Perinatal mental health difficulties
Antenatal and postnatal anxiety or depression
Fertility journeys, IVF, or pregnancy after loss
Identity, cultural, and societal pressures
Without sensitive recognition, parents may feel isolated, misunderstood, or unable to disclose their distress to healthcare professionals impacting their help-seeking behaviours.
Why ISRia Matters in NHS Care
Professionals across maternity, perinatal mental health, health visiting, and primary care report encountering what was called ‘gender disappointment’, but now RIFis, but often without it being named.
Training supports NHS staff to:
Recognise RIFis as a legitimate emotional experience
understand how it may present clinically and emotionally
Respond without minimising, pathologising, or reinforcing shame
Fertility journeys, IVF, or pregnancy after loss
Communicate with compassionate, trauma-informed language
Support early identification and appropriate signposting
This aligns with NHS priorities around:
Maternal mental health
Early intervention
Psychological safety
Person-centred, inclusive care
Dr Lindsay McMillan and I work closely to design and deliver bespoke NHS training focused on understanding ‘gender disappointment’. Our training bridges research, practice, and real-world application, ensuring training is both academically rigorous and clinically significant.
NHS Training Packages
RIFisAwareness & Understanding
For maternity, perinatal mental health, health visiting, and primary care teams
Covers:
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What RIFis is (and what it is not)
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How RIFis may present emotionally and behaviourally
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Myths, stigma, and professional discomfort
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Intersections with trauma, fertility treatment, and loss
How to Talk to Parents about RIFis
Communication-focused training
Covers:
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How to create safe opportunities for disclosure
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Language that validates without reinforcing guilt or shame
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Responding to distress compassionately
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What not to say and why
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Supporting parents who feel “bad” or “wrong” for their feelings
Reflective Practice Packages
Supporting staff wellbeing and emotional resilience
Reflective practice sessions support NHS professionals to:
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Process emotional responses to complex parental experiences
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Explore uncertainty, discomfort, and ethical tension
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Reduce burnout and compassion fatigue
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Strengthen team cohesion and psychological safety
These sessions are particularly valuable for teams working in perinatal mental health, maternity care, and safeguarding contexts.
Delivery Options
I offer flexible delivery to meet NHS needs:
Virtual training (live, interactive sessions)
In-person training (UK-based)
One-off sessions or ongoing reflective practice packages
Tailored content aligned with service priorities
All training is inclusive, trauma-informed, and evidence-based.
Who This Training Is For
Midwives
Health Visitors
Perinatal Mental Health Teams
GPs and Primary Care Staff
Psychologists and Therapists
Maternity Support Workers
Safeguarding and Family Support Teams
