Life. It sure can be demanding. It sure can be beautiful. It’s a paradox, isn’t it? As I’ve said before, we can learn to “live in the paradox;” it's how we grow (This is How We Grow, p. 59). It’s where I’m living now. The Paradox...
It wasn’t until I first became a mother--with a beautiful baby boy I dearly loved, yet still struggling through postpartum depression--that I realized how hard it was to practice self-care and let others help me. I thought I could—and should—do it all on my own....
I don’t usually post this often--3 times in one week--and I don’t usually hit the keyboard furiously the second I finally get all my kids out the door. But today, I can’t help it. My heart is racing, my head is pounding, and I feel like, if...
In part 1, we discussed the importance of “alone time” for mom mental health and happiness. Today, we focus on HOW to actually make that happen. HOW to get "Alone Time" That’s the number one thing I hear from moms when I’m helping them learn to prioritize...
It sounds simple, yet so many of us get stuck on this one. Some think, “I love myself,” then, hesitantly wonder, “Don’t I?” Others believe, “I don’t love myself enough” or “I’m not even sure how.” (If you missed parts 1-3 of this series on...
Are you a perfectionist? Not sure? Well, do you… Set unrealistically high goals/standards for yourself and/or others? Judge yourself based on what you do/don’t accomplish? Have a hard time stopping a project until it’s exactly how you want it? Have trouble relaxing in even a small mess at home? Feel...
In Part 1, we explained the symptoms of Pregnancy/Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (PPOCD) and what makes this disorder the most misunderstood of all the Perinatal Mood/Anxiety Disorders. (If you have not yet read Part 1, I suggest doing so before moving on.) In Part 2 we discuss...
Beyond Postpartum Depression (PPD) Postpartum Depression (PPD) is the most commonly talked about and treated form of Perinatal Mood/Anxiety Disorder (PMAD). It affects as many as one in five new mothers (up to 20%), and can have a significant impact on the father, the infant, and...