About me:

Hi, I’m Mel- a qualified Occupational Therapist, Postpartum Doula & the founder of Motherscape. I live in the beautiful Eastern suburbs of Sydney.

I created Motherscape after my own transition to motherhood. It involved a profound reshaping of everyday life, my identity, relationships and my overall capacity. I felt unsure, lost and completely overwhelmed.

My work is grounded in supporting women and their families, though pregnancy, postpartum, and early motherhood- not only emotionally, but practically too.

I’m especially interested in the often unseen parts of maternal life: the mental load, sensory demands, shifting routines, overwhelm and the everyday rhythms mothers move within.

Through occupational therapy, postpartum support, education and reflective resources, I aim to help mothers feel more supported within the changing landscape of motherhood.

If we work together, you will find a warm, approachable, thoughtful and reflective listener.

‘ I founded Motherscape because I believe women deserve more than advice and survival strategies. They deserve a space where the complexity of motherhood is acknowledged, where identity is explored, and where support extends beyond the baby to include the mother herself.’

Mel

Why ‘Motherscape?’

The experience of motherhood can bring with it a vast and ever-changing terrain. Each mother navigates her own unique landscape, encountering peaks of joy, valleys of exhaustion and many winding roads of change and growth. Motherscape came about as I wanted to create a meaningful impact on the landscape of each individual and their family. Like any landscape, it’s constantly changing. There are seasons of growth and seasons of survival. There are calm waters and difficult terrain. There are moments of joy, uncertainty, connection, loss, identity shifts, and transformation. No two landscapes are the same, and no two experiences of motherhood are identical either.

The name also reflects my belief that motherhood extends far beyond pregnancy and birth. It encompasses the routines, relationships, environments, roles, and daily occupations that shape a woman’s experience. Motherscape was created to support women as they navigate this evolving landscape while rediscovering themselves within it.

‘When I became a mother, I became a landscape. I became a backdrop to my children’s everyday lives and sleepless nights. But beyond that, I also became a vast space, as my body and being composed an entire world for my young children.’

-Jayne Matricardi

Explore my Research

I have an interest in evidence-based practice, and my research is published in peer-reviewed journals. My research explored the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness.

Use the contact page if you wish to know more information about my research, or if you would like to discuss a research project.

  1. Honey, A., Mayes, R. & Miceli, M. (2018). Mothering after child removal: Living under the rule of Greek Gods. Child and Family Social Work, 1-10.

  2. Beard, E., Honey, A., Hancock, N., Awram, R., Miceli, M & Mayes, R. (2019). What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysis, BMC Psychiatry 19: 229. 

  3. Honey, A., Miceli, M & Mayes, R. (2019). Living with mental illness and child removal, Advances in Mental Health, 19(2), 164-175.