Mom Voice
The Similarities Between Motherhood and Depression: Laughing Through the Tears
Life is a journey filled with ups and downs, full of beautiful moments and challenges that push us to the brink. Two such experiences that are often linked to a rollercoaster of emotions are motherhood and depression. The connection between the two may seem a bit far-fetched, but if you look deeper, you'll find striking similarities that both experiences share. And while they each come with their unique challenges, there's a silver lining in the fact that understanding these similarities can help us navigate these experiences better and find the strength to laugh through the tears rather than curling up in a ball.
The Mother Load
I recently shared in my TheraMama FB group a short story of angst. It went something like this:
How Mom Guilt Undermines a Therapist Mom’s Self-Care
Mom Guilt. Just two little words, but they pack a punch, right? This relentless feeling of never being quite good enough, of always putting ourselves last, creeps into our lives more often than we'd like to admit. And, let's be honest, it's not a stranger.
The Importance of Boundaries
Boundaries at work. Huh?
I shared an interesting point with a client this morning: "kids these days" are getting a bad reputation for having boundaries when it comes to work and their employers.
#SorryNotSorry
I remember vividly standing in the back kitchen at my first job in a small town restaurant. I was in high school, but a lower classman. I was talking with a peer that I worked with and went to school with. We'd known each other since the babysitter when we were younger. She made a comment about how I apologize for everything. My response? Yup, you guessed it. "I'm sorry." Oof.
Support: You Either Got It Or You Don't
It's the middle of the night and your husband (or child) has to go to the emergency room. But you can't exactly leave the rest of your household home alone. What do you do?
It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year! Is It Though?
Ladies, we need to talk for a moment about the unrealistic expectations that come around the holidays.
I Love You, But Please Do It Yourself
When I saw this on Facebook I had almost a physical reaction to it. I felt called out that particular day. A few days later in a conversation with a colleague she made an excellent point...this person isn't uncomfortable enough yet to make changes. (Mic drop) Yep, definitely called out.
Taking Care of Mom
A Fairytale of Self-Care
As Moms, we are givers. We take care of everyone else. We eat cold food. We might get a shower every other day. (I said might.) We might wear the same shirt two days in a row because we weren’t able to get to the laundry yesterday. We put ourselves at the end of the list because we’ve grown up with the misnomer that that’s what makes a good mom. (I actually think that's a loose definition of a martyr, but what do I know?)