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I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and how us Moms are often so quick to think of how to help our children, yet we overlook taking care of ourselves. A while back I posted on self-care and how taking care of ourselves is taking care of children, and I thought I might expand on that.

I want to expel the myth that therapy is only for people who are sick, have diagnoses, or have really big problems. Therapy is for your everyday person like you and me ! And actually, most of the people I see in my practice don’t have any diagnosis that could be found in the the DSM-V. (The DSM-V is the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual for Mental Disorders. It’s that humongous book that helps people research, diagnose and treat mental illness and can also be controversial).

When I think about the Mothers I see in my practice, I think about their work to be the healthiest version of themselves. That looks different for everyone.

You might be coming in to improve the relationship with your spouse, your children, or (gasp) yourself! Yes, therapy can improve the relationship you have with yourself! You know that voice inside your head that says not so nice things to you? You know the one. We do a lot of work on that.

We work on extending grace to yourself. Go figure! :) We work on untangling your past to find out how it’s affecting you now. We work on breaking the patterns that have helped you get where you are but aren’t helping you anymore. We work on feeling unstuck to help you thrive in your career. We reflect on the ways you were parented, and how you want to parent differently, or the same! We help you figure out what brings you joy and makes you tick so you can fulfill your passion in life. We can work on anything you bring in the door that you are willing to unpack.

You will notice how I constantly say “we”. This is your time and is about you. (How nice does that sounds?) While I am a professional, you are the expert on yourself, my job is to learn about you. This is also a joint effort. You are going to get out of therapy whatever you put in.

I won’t lie and say that therapy is easy. It can be challenging at times. We might unearth something that you’ve been pushing away for a long time. It will get easier, though. The more you come and practice being open and reflective, the more you will learn and love about yourself.

That’s the beauty of therapy, that you don’t have to go it alone. Brené Brown says it so beautifully “Shame cannot survive being spoken, and being met with empathy”. That’s what happens when you step into my office, you are met with a non-judgmental ear, and the shame cannot survive.

If any of this sounds like you, you are worth investing in yourself. You are worth being able to sit across from someone that will listen as you work on being your best and happiest self.

So, if you ever have the feeling of not being good enough, something’s missing, or feel like you aren’t functioning at 100% capacity, feel free to reach out!

Later this week I’m going to answer some Frequently asked questions about therapy. If you have any questions, feel free to write them in the comments below, and I’ll answer them!