One of the most important lessons we can teach our children is how to stay safe in a world that can sometimes be unpredictable. Traditionally, we’ve done this through the concept of “stranger danger,” but this approach has its limitations. Sometimes the real risk comes from people children may already know, and not all strangers are dangerous. That’s why I recommend shifting the conversation from “stranger danger” to the idea of “tricky people."

I’ve seen firsthand how mom guilt can take a significant toll on a mother’s mental and emotional well-being. The constant self-criticism can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and even depression. It can erode self-esteem and create a sense of inadequacy. Over time, this guilt can strain relationships, lead to burnout, and rob mothers of the joy that should come with parenting. One of the most challenging aspects of mom guilt is that it often goes unspoken. As a mother, you may believe you are alone in feeling this way, which only deepens a sense of isolation and shame. But the truth is, mom guilt is incredibly common, and there are strategies to reduce guilt and increase coping.

When I recommend mindfulness meditation as a tool for managing stress and finding inner peace. I am met with pushback. And I get it… because I felt the same way. The idea of sitting still and quieting my mind felt impossible, especially in the chaos of my own daily life where I was balancing a career, a household, and the endless responsibilities of parenthood. Here’s my story and some practical tips for integrating meditation into a busy parent’s life.

Perfectionism, often celebrated in our achievement-oriented society, sets an unattainable standard that inevitably leads to stress, anxiety, inadequacy and burnout. This brings many to therapy. I see a version of myself in my clients, especially those who describe themselves as high-achieving, type A and perfectionistic. They sit across from me, their faces etched with the exhaustion of trying to meet impossible standards at work, in relationships and within parenting. For as long as I can remember, perfectionism had been an inherent part of who I was. Read more to find out how I recovered from my perfectionism.

Have you ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you went in there in the first place? Has a word been on the tip of your tongue, but you have absolutely no recall? Or perhaps you've found yourself frantically searching for your phone, only to realize it's been in your hand the entire time? For many of us, especially new parents, experiencing moments of forgetfulness, absent-mindedness, and general cognitive fuzziness is all too familiar. But did you know there's a scientific explanation behind this phenomenon?

Everyone experiences stress. When children encounter stressors, their bodies activate the "fight, flight or freeze" response, triggering a cascade of physiological reactions, which prepares the body to confront or flee from the danger or shut down to protect itself. While this response is crucial for survival, prolonged activation of stress impacts children's physical health and cognitive development. In this blog, you will have a guide to understanding your child’s stress response and where and how stress responses develop.

Our inner dialogues shape our perception of the world and ourselves. Negative self-talk reinforces self-doubt and limitations, acting as a barrier to our full potential. Constant negative self-talk can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety, perpetuating a cycle of pessimism and self-doubt. It can also exacerbate stress, fuel perfectionism, and strain our ability to cope with challenges. In contrast, positive self-talk can uplift, motivate, and rewire our brain in empowering ways. This simple practice can yield profound benefits for your mental well-being and cognitive functioning. But how exactly does it work? This blog post dives into the science behind positive self-talk and its transformative effects on the brain.

May 1st marks World Maternal Mental Health Day, which draws attention and awareness to essential mental health concerns impacting mothers and their families. Without such acknowledgment there is a risk that these individuals struggles would go unnoticed beneath the surface of societal expectations and the inclination to remain silent.

As a reproductive mental health therapist, I have the honor and privilege of accompanying individuals and couples through the often turbulent waters of infertility. National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) is a time to acknowledge the struggles, triumphs, and complex emotions that come with the journey to parenthood.

Picture this familiar scenario: your baby cries, and instantly, your heart wrenches with the desire to make everything better, to erase their discomfort and restore peace. But what if I told you that sometimes, the best way to meet your child’s needs is by creating a bit of emotional distance?

Indulging in self-care is more than just pampering oneself with spa days or long baths. Instead, it's about recognizing the importance of prioritizing personal needs and desires. In the realm of self-care, even seemingly small acts can have a significant impact on mental well-being. One such act that often gets overlooked is the simple act of taking the best piece of chicken during a meal.

The holiday season is meant to be a magical time, filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments. However, for many parents, this time of year can quickly turn into a whirlwind of stress and burnout as they strive to create the perfect experience for their children. We’re calling it the holidaze – that chaotic period where the pursuit of holiday magic collides with the realities of parenting. In this blog post, we'll explore the common sources of stress during the festive season and provide practical solutions to help parents cope and truly enjoy the magic of the holidays.

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and its wide-ranging applications across industries like finance, transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare, there is great potential to revolutionize the way we think about mental health care. AI offers a promising pathway towards supporting the mental health needs of clients, through its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, personalize interventions, and provide accessible support. AI has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of maternal mental health, an area of healthcare often under-resourced and overlooked, by offering innovative solutions and transformative potential to support and enhance the well-being of mothers and their babies. What does this look like for therapists and the clients that we serve?

Whether you’ve been crushed by seeing the absence of two pink lines month after month or if you knew from the start that your family-forming journey would have its challenges, living with the highs and lows of infertility can take a toll.

The love, joy, tradition, and efforts mothers pour into their families on Valentine’s Day that is often dismissed or unseen. This is also known as invisible mental overload. If you are not a mother or do not know, motherhood mental overload is a real and exhausting phenomenon many women experience where they are constantly juggling multiple responsibilities, such as caring for their children, managing the household, working outside of the home, and occasionally staying up late connecting tiny toy hearts to school Valentine’s Day cards.  Often mothers take on the task of helping their children create and distribute Valentine’s Day cards to their classmates, which can be time-consuming and stressful.

Amanda is a mother and an Infertility and Postpartum Doula and Coach. She is passionate about sharing her education and experiences with new parents and parents-to-be. When she started trying to conceive she knew nothing about infertility. But negative pregnancy test after negative pregnancy test left her feeling overwhelmed, disappointed, and alone. As Amanda chronicled her fertility journey, she realized how hopeful she was that her experiences would prevent other moms-to-be and new moms from feeling alone in their stories. Amanda founded Heartfelt Beginnings and began helping others the way she wished that someone had helped her.

The best gift that parents can give their newborn babies is to be in a strong and loving relationship. However, two-thirds of couples report dissatisfaction in their relationship the first three-years after a baby is born The one-third of couples who continued to feel satisfied in their relationships after the arrival of a baby realized that the stress they encountered with the birth of a new baby was outside of the relationship. When conflicts inevitably did arise, they were better able to manage them. Here are some things to do and not to do in your relationship after having a baby.

Vania always wanted to be a mom. But when she unexpectedly became pregnant a few months into her relationship with her now-husband, she was nervous. “It definitely caused a lot of discord and strong emotions trying to navigate being a new parent and still trying to figure out who each other was.” The first year of motherhood was challenging for Vania, she felt anxious, and full of rage—a common symptom of PPD—and knew something did not feel right. “My rage episodes often happened when my anxiety would become unmanageable. It was hard and I often hated myself after it happened.” On her worst days, Vania found herself having intrusive thoughts. “I remember talking to my husband that I didn’t feel like myself, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.” It wasn’t until a few years later that Vania realized that she was suffering from postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety.

I first met Amy when her son, Henry, was one-week-old. You could tell— even then, that underneath the exhaustion, overwhelmed and awestruck feelings brought up by early motherhood—she was a #MightyMama. This is confirmed in Amy’s candid and thoughtful reflections of motherhood. But she admits she struggled to believe that she could have anything unique or helpful to contribute to other mothers.

Meet Rachel Chaimovitz this week's #MightyMama and mother to 16-month old, Leavitt. Rachel opens up about her motherhood journey, including unexpectedly becoming a stay-at-home mom when she had been planning on returning to work Rachel has embraced full-time motherhood and her baby boy, Leavitt, and shares how he has helped her become the best version of herself.