The “Psychology in Practice” series aims to support ongoing training initiatives for professional psychologists through a set of accessible books explaining qualified approaches to professional practice. A psychologist needs to master an extensive array of theoretical and practical skills, and the contexts in which a psychologist uses them vary widely as well: health and well-being interventions, workplace and organizational consulting, guidance activities in schools, sports psychology, legal advice (ranging from expert opinions to family mediation). This series, conceived primarily for psychologists, is also helpful for anybody who works in a context requiring psychological knowledge and skills: teachers, managers, physicians and healthcare assistants, personnel management operators. Its books provide practical, yet scientifically validated tools for addressing challenges that typically arise in psychologists’ activities. The texts are brief, focus on important topics and provide a wealth of examples, models and procedures; they allow readers to find substantial, functional answers for their professional practice.

The parent-child relationship is a crucial factor for proper development and thus performs not only a protective but also a preventative function in the field of mental health care. The birth of a child is a potentially critical event for a family in psychological, social and relational terms. Psychological and educational assistance supplied via home visiting programmes is a consolidated approach in many countries and, in situations of psychological and social risk, an effective tool for safeguarding children and supporting parenthood. This book is a helpful, practical guide for clinical psychologists, specialists, and other professionals and operators who assist individuals in their transition towards parenthood. Special emphasis is placed on a set of risk conditions, such as maternal and paternal perinatal depression and anxiety during pregnancy.

Renata Tambelli, a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst, teaches Models of Clinical and Psychotherapeutic Intervention in Development, as well as Methods and Techniques of Psychological Interviewing, at “La Sapienza” University in Rome.