Welcome - to the margins of normality

I’m happy to meet you here. I’m Dr Emma Svanberg. A Clinical Psychologist and writer, working with parents and parents to be and specialising in trauma, attachment and intergenerational cycles… But here on Substack I am here to be just Emma. Late diagnosed Autistic and ADHD-er, wondering how I existed for so long without knowing that. Especially as a Clinical Psychologist since 2009.

I find myself very comfortable on the edges of normativity - and much of my work has involved questioning, challenging (and sometimes burning down) the many systems that constrain us, in our beautiful, messy human-ness. This is a space for us to explore some of that together. Letting go of the shoulds and realising the hopes and dreams.

What is Un-Normal?

I’ll be writing down my thoughts and findings on Neurodiversity, Race, feminism, gender roles, politics, psychology, mental health, family, education…and the intersections of these things too. As I embrace an Unmasked me too, I’ll be asking questions about psychology and mental health and how often the systems designed to help us can end up binding us.

And, in part of my embracing of neurodivergence - I promise you thought-provoking newsletters which may at times be weekly, may be daily, may be monthly. Maybe we’ll have some Q&As, maybe some interviews with brilliant people, definitely some book reviews. But I promise that everything I write - no matter how sporadic- will be open, warm and full of curiosity. So, if you’re curious too, please join me.

Why Subscribe?

I offer much of my work for free over on Instagram @mumologist, and as part of my Facebook community for parents The Village, and blogged for many years. This is the first time I am writing from a more personal perspective, although through my lens as a Clinical Psychologist. So, I’m keen to keep this place safe for me and for everyone reading and commenting and your financial commitment provides this because - capitalism.

As I navigate a somewhat different career path too, your contributions will be gratefully received. If, however, you would like to receive newsletters and are not in a position to subscribe, please get in touch.

About Emma

I am a Clinical Psychologist specialising in the perinatal period (the period encompassing the journey to parenthood and the early years of being a parent). I founded The Psychology Co-operative, which offers therapy, workshops and education - with the aim of making it more accessible.

And I’m also a writer - of books, essays and (bad) poetry.

I started blogging as the Mumologist1 in 2010, to share information about common perinatal experiences to those who may not access psychological support. I moved on to Instagram a few years later, and set up a community for parents on Facebook. I have a love/hate relationship with social media and am really grateful to find that things are coming full circle with longer form writing here on Substack.

My most recent book Parenting For Humans came out in 2023 and was formed in my mind over many years. It takes you on the journey I take parents on in therapy - understanding ourselves deeply, in order to better understand our children. It brings together all the things I love most about my work - understanding how unique we are as humans, and how magical children can be in our lives if we can let go of some of our adult stories about how life ‘should’ be.

I wrote Why Birth Trauma Matters (2019) after co-founding Make Birth Better in 2018 with wonderful perinatal psychiatrist Dr Rebecca Moore. I stepped back from the day to day running at the start of 2020, handing over to our amazing CEO Nikki Wilson who has grown our tiny baby into a fully fledged grown up Community Interest Company.

As a second generation, mixed race (Sri Lankan and Swedish) child growing up in Newcastle in the North of England, I always felt more comfortable on the edges of things. I often found myself almost accidentally taking unexpected pathways, away from conventional trajectories (sometimes not knowing why I wasn’t able to just do what was expected of me). In my work, as well as social life, I realised I was a brilliant community builder but often stayed on the margins myself. Metaphorically slipping away just as things were getting lively.

I’ve always had many questions about how the world works, and why we humans so often act against our best interests and the needs of our communities. And often asked those questions, not quite understanding why other people weren’t as invested in the answers as I was. So my autism diagnosis in early 2023 felt like a coming home, filling in lots of gaps I hadn’t realised were there.

Learning about neurodivergence has taken me back to earlier versions of me, who wrote copiously in order to make sense of the world. And opened up huge new pathways of discovery, leading to even more questions about myself, humans, the world at large.

So here we are. Welcome to these margins. Make yourself at home.