Do I Need Therapy?
7 Signs You Might Benefit from Extra Support as a Mom
Photo credit: Omar Lopez
Feeling stretched thin or not quite yourself lately?
Sometimes the demands of parenting and life build quietly but persistently. If you’ve been wondering whether therapy might help—even if you’re still functioning—it’s something worth exploring.
You’re getting things done. The kids are cared for, your responsibilities are being met, and there are still moments of connection in your day. But some things feel harder than they used to.
Maybe you’re more tired at the end of the day. Maybe your patience is thinner, or everyday tasks feel heavier.
Parenting often comes with an invisible load: the mental to-do lists, the emotional labor, the responsibility. It adds up, even when everything looks fine on the outside.
These experiences are common, especially during demanding seasons of life. And meaningful support can help—offering space to process, replenish, and feel more grounded in the midst of it all.
Therapy isn’t just for crisis. It’s also for the in-between seasons: the functioning-but-depleted, the holding-it-together-but-exhausted, the quietly overwhelmed
1. Persistent Exhaustion: Rest Doesn’t Feel Restorative
What this might look like: You’re getting sleep or taking breaks, but still feel tired and drained. The exhaustion lingers, no matter how much rest you get.
Why this happens: When your mind is running in the background—replaying, planning, managing—it’s hard to fully reset. Mental rest is different from physical rest.
How therapy can help: Therapy can help you address what’s keeping your mind “on” all the time, so rest can actually feel restorative again.
2. You feel less present during moments that matter to you
What this might look like: You’re going through the motions and keeping things moving, but you feel emotionally checked out or distracted.
Why this happens: When you’re managing a heavy load, it can be hard to access the emotional energy to show up—even for the parts you care most about.
How therapy can help: Therapy gives you space to explore what’s occupying your mental and emotional bandwidth, and how to feel more grounded in the moments that matter.
3. Mental load overwhelm: Everyday tasks require more effort than they they used to
What this might look like: You’re still handling the logistics—appointments, meals, school forms—but the tasks feel more draining or harder to initiate.
Why this happens: Moms often carry a massive mental load. When that load becomes too full, even routine things can feel like too much.
How therapy can help: Therapy can help you clarify what’s adding to the overwhelm, share the mental lodd, and find more sustainable ways to manage the daily demands.
4. Increased irritability or frustration: Your patience feels shorter than it used to
What this might look like: You feel snappier or more irritable, with your kids or your partner. Things that didn’t used to get under your skin might trigger bigger emotional reactions.
Why this happens: When you’re carrying most of the emotional and mental load in your household, it can lead to frustration and resentment—especially if it feels like others aren’t noticing or sharing the weight. That quiet sense of being on your own can take a toll on your emotional bandwidth.
How therapy can help: Therapy can help you understand what’s draining you and offer tools for setting boundaries, communicating needs, and finding ways to feel more supported at home.
5. Decision fatigue: You second-guess yourself often
What this might look like: You’re revisiting interactions, wondering if you said or did the right thing.
Why this happens: Stress and fatigue can cloud your confidence and make it harder to access your usual sense of clarity.
How therapy can help: In therapy, you can begin to quiet the noise of self-doubt and strengthen your trust in your own judgment and parenting wisdom.
6. Losing Interest: Things you used to enjoy don’t feel the same
What this might look like: You still care about your hobbies or friendships, but it feels hard to prioritize them—or they don’t feel as fulfilling as they once did.
Why this happens: When you’re in constant caregiving mode, your own interests can slip to the background. It becomes harder to access the parts of yourself that exist outside of parenting.
How therapy can help: Therapy can support you in reconnecting with what lights you up and finding ways to nurture your identity beyond being a mom.
7. Feeling alone in your experience: You wonder if other moms feel this way too
What this might look like: You start to question whether what you're experiencing is normal, or if it’s supposed to be this hard. You may feel unsure if others are struggling too—or if you're just not coping well enough.
Why this happens: So much of parenting labor is invisible. Without open conversations, it’s easy to assume you're the only one feeling this worn down.
How therapy can help: Therapy offers a place to speak freely about your actual experience—without having to minimize or explain it away.
What Therapy for Moms looks Like
Therapy during high-demand seasons isn’t about "fixing" anything—it’s about having consistent, supportive space to make sense of what you’re carrying.
When I work with moms, our sessions often focus on:
Understanding how stress shows up in your body and mind
Making space for your own needs, even when time is limited
Shifting patterns of perfectionism or self-judgment
Building confidence in your own parenting decisions
Reconnecting with yourself in the midst of it all
It’s practical, collaborative, and grounded in your real life—not some idealized version of motherhood.
You Don’t Need to Wait for a Crisis to Start Therapy
You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from support.
In fact, therapy can be just as valuable when you’re functioning well—but feeling the toll of everything you’re carrying.
If you’ve noticed that things feel heavier lately, or you’re craving more space to sort through it all, that’s reason enough. There’s no perfect threshold or timeline.
Support can help you move through challenging seasons with more steadiness, clarity, and connection.
Ready to Feel More Like Yourself Again?
I offer therapy for moms who want to feel more present, more supported, and more like themselves again.
Sessions are available both in-person in Irvine, California and virtually throughout the state.
You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation to explore whether therapy might be supportive in this season.
