Women in the UK face an unprecedented crisis in accessing mental health support. Over 1 million women are waiting for therapy, with shortages of more than 2,000 therapists nationwide.
Mental health conditions are the leading cause of maternal death between six weeks and a year after birth – accounting for one in three deaths, according to the Oxford University-led group MBBRACE-UK, which records all maternal and baby deaths in the UK. However, despite a record 1 in 5 of the 600,000 women who give birth in the UK every year experiencing a mental health condition, postnatal mental health services are closing across the country due to a lack of funding.
We are looking to pilot the commercial and clinical feasibility of addressing the mental health care gap through group therapy. We will begin by launching a Postnatal depression group for mothers struggling with postpartum mental health conditions who are unable to access timely or cost effective mental health care. This grant will enable us to run our first series of pilot group therapy programs, a crucial step in proving that women’s mental healthcare can be delivered accessibly, affordably, and at scale.
We will run 3 pilot groups serving 30 women over 4 months. Each group will include 10 women facing similar maternal mental health challenges – an area where traditional 1:1 therapy access is limited and costly. Led by our clinical advisor (25+ years’ experience), each program will follow a structured, evidence-based format that combines professional facilitation with peer support. By delivering care in groups, Circe provides 10x the reach at 1/10 the cost of traditional therapy, while maintaining clinical rigour and personal connection.
Through this pilot, we aim to generate early evidence that group therapy can be clinically effective, socially inclusive, and financially sustainable, laying the groundwork for Circe’s vision of closing the gender gap in mental healthcare.
