For some people, hearing the words "therapy" or "psychologist" is like hearing that someone is crazy or insane. But actually, therapy is a great tool that can help us grow even more as people and have fuller lives, in which we feel satisfied and happy.
Many times when we are mothers, we forget a little about attending to the emotional part of ourselves by caring for our children, but taking care of our mental health is a fundamental part of our well-being. I share you today my experience attending therapy and how it has helped me improve in my performance as a mother.
The challenge of being a mother
When we become mothers, we go through a physical and mental transformation, which undoubtedly comes to turn our routines, our ways of thinking and our life in general. During this great change, it is not uncommon for some women to feel lost because of all those emotional changes, or that being so focused on taking care of their own they forget that they must also take care of themselves.
Sometimes as moms we feel a lot of social pressure, because when it comes to commenting on the children of others, it seems that all people have an opinion and that our role as moms is something they have the right to talk about. We constantly seek to do our best, sometimes demanding beyond our physical and mental limits, not only for our children, but for what other people may think or say. All this It can make us feel overwhelmed, frustrated and even alone.
And here, is where the topic of therapy comes in. As I said at the beginning, some people think that going to therapy is only for "crazy", but in reality, therapy is something that could all serve us a lot, especially for those who think that therapy "is not for them."
My experience with therapy and how it helped me to be a better mother
I will tell you a little about my story and personal experience attending therapy. The first time I went there was already a mother, and it was because -finally- I accepted that I had anxiety problems. During the day I lived my life in a normal way like any mother: always in a hurry, busy, focused on making all my earrings. But in the evenings, incredible insomnia invaded me and I felt very nervous.
The truth is that it is not easy to accept that you have a problem and it is much less to recognize that you need professional help. But you know something? Going to therapy was undoubtedly the best thing that has happened to me in recent years. Among the benefits that I have found from going to therapy, in addition to helping me in my personal, emotional and spiritual growth, is that I am now a better mom.
Before going to therapy, I felt overwhelmed by all those pending issues that unconsciously evaded or did not devote enough time. I was so focused on being a good mom, that I forgot that to take care of others, I must first take care of myself. And that is a golden rule that all moms should always keep in mind: so that our children are well, we must also be.
Going to therapy, I was able to analyze and realize certain things that I missed and that they were the ones that kept me anxious or that made me feel like I wasn't doing things right. I realized for example, that that season in which it seemed that my patience had flown out the window, was because I did not spend a few minutes for myself during the day.
In therapy, I learned not to feel guilty for wishing a time alone for me, a time for mom. So I began to gradually put into practice those activities that I had abandoned when my daughter was born, focusing on recovering that identity that had hidden in the dark when I became a mom.
When I started taking care of myself and my emotions, the changes began to show. I found myself being a more patient, more objective, more focused and more proactive mother. And is that when you focus on working inside, the results are seen outside.
Don't be afraid to go to therapy
I know there are those who fear or avoid going to therapy for fear of what others think or because they feel that something is very wrong with themselves, but it shouldn't be like that. After going to therapy, when I see or talk with some people about their problems or situations that prevent them from being fully happy, I think about how much it would help to find a psychologist who can help and guide them.
Personally, I think if we all went to therapy, things would be very different in the world. Because when you focus on working on yourself, you don't have time to see what others do. When you look for ways to improve, everything around you does: in your family, your work, your friendships. The relationship with my daughter is a very different one from what I was when I started going to therapy, and we are more than happy.
So if you are a mom (or dad or you don't even have children but you are reading this) and you are considering that you may need to attend therapy, do it. No matter what others think. At the end of the day, the only person who can make you happy is you. And what better, than working on making yourself better for yourself.
Photos | Pixabay
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