Are The Demands Of Motherhood Causing You To Feel Stressed And Overwhelmed?
As a mother, do you struggle to find a balance between your relationships, work, childrearing, and self-fulfillment? Or is this your first pregnancy, and you’re seeking mental health support as you undergo the significant transition of becoming a parent? Does it feel as though, no matter what age your child is, you’re in a constant state of worry about their future?
You may be under immense stress as you shoulder the burden of responsibility and caregiving in your household. Perhaps you regularly feel burnt out, exhausted, or on edge as you try to manage your daily to-do list. This has likely impacted your relationship with your partner and children, resulting in chronic conflict and disconnect. Whether your kid is a toddler, adolescent, or teen, you may always feel like the “bad guy” at home—the one who always has to discipline your child or say no. If this is the case, you may feel that you have to monitor your child’s behavior constantly.
It’s probably impossible for you to find a break from the chaos. Without time for rest, relaxation, or recreation, you may feel like you’re burning the candle on both ends, unable to keep up with the relationships and activities that bring you joy. Perhaps you find it hard to ask for help from others or have difficulty communicating your needs. Or maybe you’re tired of having other people weigh in on your parenting style.
With all of the commotion and expectation, it may feel like your mental health is taking a backseat to your maternal status.
New Moms Often Battle With Perinatal And Postpartum Mood Disorders
If you’re pregnant or recently postpartum, you may be struggling with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and the “baby blues.” These symptoms include constant worry that something is wrong with your baby and intrusive thoughts about your child’s safety. Maybe you aren’t comfortable ever separating from them out of a fear that something terrible will happen, leaving you in a constant state of distress and worry.
Regardless of if you’re a new, expecting, or established mother, you probably feel like there is not enough time in the day to get your needs met. Unable to clone yourself, you need to find other ways of striking balance in your daily life.
Fortunately, in therapy for perinatal, postpartum, and established moms, you can find time to pause and receive the support you need to manage the stress that comes with being a parent.
Mothers Of All Ages And Backgrounds Struggle With Their Maternal Mental Health
Every mother encounters at least some challenge at every stage of childrearing—from the moment of conception to the postpartum period to the long, beautiful, and complex relationship that is developed as we raise our children into adults. An estimated one in five women struggle with perinatal and/or postpartum depression and anxiety. And according to a recent study conducted by the CDC, anywhere from 10 to 24 percent of women in all stages of childrearing suffer from a maternal mental health disorder.
There is a lot of pressure on us moms to juggle all of our responsibilities, especially if we’re working parents. Even if we don’t work or are on maternity leave after giving birth, we often end up having more childrearing responsibilities than our working partners. This can prevent us from returning to work and other long-term goals unless we can afford reliable childcare.
Not to mention, birth can be traumatic. For those of us who are new mothers, our lives have changed in an instant. And the struggle with symptoms of PTSD or postpartum depression and anxiety can significantly impact the bond we form with our new baby. As we adjust to this new maternal status, the relationship with others, our mental health, and our body shifts dramatically.
But there is a safe space to talk openly about these challenges. With a therapist who supports maternal mental health and pregnancy, you can find guidance and relief from the physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms that keep you in pain.
Customized Therapy That Offers A Chance To De-Stress And Heal
As someone who is so used to taking care of the needs of those around you, you probably don’t get very much time during the week devoted to becoming vulnerable and processing your emotions. Working with a maternal mental health therapist, you can identify your strengths, understand how past wounds have impacted your relationships with your children and partner, and learn to assert your needs.
As a licensed social worker, trained psychotherapist, and fellow mom, I can help you develop the tools you need to find lasting solutions to the obstacles keeping you stuck in a cycle of stress and overwhelm.
My Approach To Maternal Mental Health Support
Therapy for maternal mental health begins with a basic intake and assessment that will give you a chance to verbalize your goals and get a sense of what the therapeutic process looks like. I will use this information to tailor sessions in a way that meets your individual needs and preferences.
My approach to counseling draws from a variety of traditional therapeutic modalities as well as maternal mental health-specific techniques. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS), I will help you welcome your emotions and gain a newfound awareness of how your thoughts impact your behaviors. And with Perinatal Mental Health methods alongside the Safe and Sound Protocol, you can learn how to access a sense of safety and regulation when symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety surface.
With a customized toolkit that blends these approaches, you will be able to gain a stronger understanding of your challenges, manage daily stressors, and develop strategies for communicating boundaries, needs, and desires. This will help you feel more in control of your life and strengthen the bond you have with your children and partner.
Balance is achievable. Working with a therapist who specializes in maternal mental health, you can find your footing amidst the chaos as you develop more trust in yourself and the world around you.
Maybe You’re Interested In Seeing A Therapist, But You’re Not Sure If Counseling Is Right For You…
I just don’t understand how working with a maternal mental health therapist can help me.
At the very least, therapy is a designated time for you every week to pause and examine your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This will naturally lead to meaningful insights that will improve your overall well-being and relationships.
By processing and working through your greatest fears, challenges, and worries, you can increase the thought patterns and behaviors that get you closer to the life you want to live. In essence, therapy for maternal mental health allows you to identify goals for the kind of individual and mother you want to be—and create ways to achieve those goals.
I don’t have the time or physical space to carve out for therapy during the postpartum period.
I understand that committing to therapy requires your time and energy, but I want to reassure you that you are more prepared for this than you might realize. As a therapist, I approach maternal mental health sessions with absolutely no expectations about how or when you show up—I’ve conducted virtual sessions with clients in their cars, during their baby’s nap, and amid breast pumping sessions.
I aim to make the therapeutic process as flexible and accommodating as possible, meeting you exactly where you are on your parenting journey.
I’ve tried therapy before; what makes you different?
Choosing a therapist should be an organic process that happens over time, and it’s important to find a clinician that makes you feel safe and connected.
Though I specialize in maternal support, I am trained in a broad spectrum of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, and trauma. Combining that training with my focus on perinatal and postpartum support, I help mothers find meaningful solutions to their challenges at any stage of parenting.
Invest In Yourself To Become The Mother You Want To Be
If you’re a mother in need of mental health support, I specialize in behavioral methods, family systems therapy, and maternal-specific techniques. For more information about how I can help, I offer a free, 15-minute consultation that can be scheduled here.