Being a mom is a rewarding gift – but it is also challenging and often overwhelming.
And for moms struggling with postpartum depression or other anxiety disorders – parenting can seem almost impossible.
But instead of encouraging struggling moms to seek professional counseling, society often pressures moms to just “grin and bear it.”
And eventually, many moms crack under the pressure and take out their anxiety on their husbands and children.
Instead, simply going to therapy can help moms manage their emotions, and even help them be a better parent.
Here are the benefits moms can find by finally making the decision to seek therapy.
Uncover The Root Of Old Hurts
Everyone has some amount of baggage from the past that influences their present.
Some are aware of this baggage and can admit they are still grieving the loss of a loved one or dealing with the emotional trauma of growing up in an abusive home.
Others think they are “fine” and don’t realize how much this unprocessed pain is hurting their present.
By talking with a trained therapist, one can begin to see old family of origin patterns or other past traumas that may still need healing.
And by dealing with the past and processing the pain, one can finally get to the other side.
In the end, you’ll be end up stronger emotionally to parent your children.
Talking It Out
Instead of taking out all your anger on your children – process your emotions with your therapist.
They might help you view things from a different angle causing you to have compassion for your children who are struggling instead of being frustrated.
And often times having someone simply listen is therapeutic in itself.
Having a safe place to get real can help moms freely express their thoughts instead of keeping them bottled up.
Learn New Skills
A good therapist is trained in different techniques to help people manage their toughest moments.
Perhaps your therapist can help you find ways to manage your time better so your mornings aren’t so stressful.
Or maybe you can adapt new strategies to relax in the moment, such as remembering to take deep breaths when you’re stressed, or take a moment and pause before reacting to something your child just did.
They can also identify your blind spots.
Some moms are so stressed out because they aren’t getting any sleep or taking time for themselves.
Realizing where things are “off balance” is the first step to coming up with healthy solutions to get back on track.
There’s no shame in getting counseling if you are struggling.
Your children don’t need a “perfect” mom – they need a mom who loves them unconditionally and can parent them with a balance of compassion and direction.
By not dealing with depression or anxiety it only ends up hurting loved ones.
Instead, by healing from past hurts and getting to the root of one’s anxiety – you are well on your way to developing a healthy way of bonding and parenting!
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