Motherhood ~ It’s a Process
"Much as a baby is born physically,
a mother is born psychologically."
∼ Daniel N. Stern, MD; child development psychologist
"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.
She never existed before.
The woman existed, but the mother, never.
The mother is something absolutely new."
∼ Osho; spiritual leader
Pregnancy begins the emotional process. Childbirth marks the physical process when a woman becomes mother. This ‘absolutely new’ version of a woman then becomes the lens through which she experiences, responds, and meets the many challenges of motherhood and life.
Motherhood is full. Sometimes it is full of wonder and sometimes it’s full of worry, uncertainty, and chaos. It can be lonely, exhausting, and challenging.
It can also be beautiful, magical, and full of joy.
It also changes you.
Beginning in pregnancy, a woman begins a profound personal journey. This new maternal identity must become integrated into a woman’s sense of who she already is with whom she is becoming. This process of integration can evoke questions for many women around identity, purpose, and roles; an identity shift that evokes questions around purpose, roles, values, relationships, and beliefs.: "Who am I now? Is this all there is?? Will I be a good mother?" Treatment focus becomes accepting, adapting, and redefining self and purpose while learning how to move forward with reflection, confidence, and grace. This adaptation process happens continually across the lifespan for moms.
The psychology of motherhood is an on-going process of learning, merging, and integrating this new mother aspect of self into the woman who already is.This process of adjustment and transition to motherhood is called matrescense. Matrescense is the physical, emotional, hormonal and social transition [of] becoming a mother.
Click on this link to watch the TedTalk video "A New Way to Think about Transition to Motherhood" presented by Alexandra Sacks.
This integrative process of becoming mother is different for each woman and evolves over time. The roles of a mother changes as children grow and mature and her life unfolds and evolves. Integration may involve processing and healing unresolved loss, challenging and modifying outdated values and beliefs, identifying and changing negative patterns of thoughts and behaviors, or confronting and overcoming fears that inhibit personal growth and emotional well-being. This uniquely personal and soulful experience is an intimate, on-going life process of discovery, integration, acceptance, and adaptation.
My aim is to be a resource for moms during the many unique, bewildering, confusing, profound, sacred, and joyful phases of their motherhood process. I provide emotional support and clinical care in a warm and intimate setting where moms can safely process and redefine their sense of self and purpose, while moving forward with introspection, confidence, and grace.
Maternal Mental Health Matters Because Moms Matter
