Mothering
Oakland, California
Mothering requires so much of you:
physical stamina, guesswork, flexibility and organizational skills. But mostly it requires a deep emotional commitment to your baby, to yourself, to your new family, to your partner. It requires an emotionally attuned devotion to a new being, This is hard work because it evokes emotional experiences from your past and deep hopes for your future. Your heart and mind are so open that things can feel raw, overwhelming, joyful, frightening and disappointing. It might not be what you expected. You might not be who you expected.
It is a good time to be in therapy
You can use the fact that strong feelings are emerging in you to integrate past experiences, allowing you to be come a bigger person. What kind of mother did you have? What kind of mother do you hope to be? What gets in your way of becoming that? How are you at facing new challenges? Does perfectionism eat away at you? What kind of partner do you have? What do you expect of him or her? What happens when you do not receive what you want? What if you have a challenging child? What if you have feelings that are unloving or distant, cold or lonely?
The myriad experiences of motherhood are fertile ground for individual and relational growth. It can be hard to make sense of the unexpected feelings of motherhood. But there is no better time to get in touch with your inner self to become the person you have wanted to become.