It’s Time for Women to Thrive
It started with a Newsweek article I wrote about my experience with Postpartum Depression. What began as a writing assignment that came my way out of sheer happenstance ended up fueling a fire inside of me that wouldn’t subside. Instead, it grew over time.
Like many therapists, I have always had an affinity and an aptitude for connecting with others. I believe that hearing stories and bonding over shared experiences give our lives a profound sense of purpose. This type of human connection reinforces that we aren’t alone in our struggles and that we have both the ability and resilience to process and heal from them.
A few days after my article was published in May of 2024, the company I worked for received a number of phone calls from women asking to speak with me. There was one, in particular, who was desperately seeking both personal and professional guidance with regards to her relationship with her young daughter. Fearing that her own struggle with postpartum depression had irreversibly destroyed her daughter’s ability to form secure attachments, she was looking for answers and - most importantly - hope.
I assured her that attachment styles can indeed be changed and praised her for her insight and ongoing dedication to her daughter’s well-being in the face of her own mental health struggles. Over the next couple days, a few more text messages were exchanged and I provided her with both resources and reassurance, encouraging her to give herself grace as she navigates this chapter of her life.
Almost a year later, I heard from her again. This time, the narrative had changed. She informed me that the situation had improved significantly, thanking me for providing her with validation and support through my article and texts.
I was thrilled by how happy she sounded. I was also intensely proud of the fact that she had taken it upon herself to reach out a year ago while in the depths of her darkest moments. In that moment, I decided that I needed to dedicate my career to working with (and lifting up) women.
Why? Because women need each other. We need to support one another. We need to share our stories, to offer compassion, to let each other know that we have walked in the same shoes and that our empathy is sincere.
The seasons of our lives are always shifting, as are our identities and roles. We already know we can survive - of that, history has proven there can be no doubt. However, it has become increasingly evident that we need to advocate for our own wellness if we want to thrive. No one will do it for us.
As women, we need to talk about our struggles in order to create a future for our peers and younger generations that normalizes and destigmatizes the issues we face as a result of social, cultural, and biological contexts. Only then can we begin to challenge the pressures and expectations that hold our mental wellness hostage. These conversations hold the key to genuine connection, true compassion, and life-changing validation that will allow women to embrace their full humanity, advocate for their needs without shame, and move through the world with a stronger sense of belonging and self-worth.