Maternal Mental Health

April 8, 2024

Raise your hand if you don’t think that women, namely moms, get the credit, grace, or support they deserve….

Working with moms, whether those who are planning on becoming moms and working tirelessly to get pregnant, ones who are freshly in the postpartum stage, or seasoned moms of kids of all ages; you all matter. Your stories are unique and important. And your mental health should matter too.

We know that mom’s brains change substantially after going through pregnancy and birth, just as much as our brains change when we go through puberty (source: NPR). We also know (and probably often see) a new wave of awareness on the good, bad and ugly sides of motherhood on social media. I often see this as a blessing and a curse for moms. The constant comparison what they see other moms doing, questioning if you’re doing enough, feeling jealous of what other moms are able to pull off that just aren’t realistic for you, etc. At the same time, there is a lot of good information and awareness out there that gives tips on everything for how to pack a hospital bag to how to gentle parent.

At the end of the day, as a mom myself, I know how beneficial it can be to have individual therapy to process one’s own experience with motherhood and the journey to get there as well as the journey beyond it, such as finding your new identity or processing grief of losses (along with the awes of the beauty in it all of course). Knowing that you’re not alone, finding a safe place to feel validated and able to process your unique emotions matters.