Are you feeling super stressed by trying to balance the demands of motherhood and/or work, and holding it all together? Have you forgotten what “fun” is? Do you find yourself trying to cope by getting too little sleep, drinking too much coffee or wine, or snacking throughout the day and night?

I can help you:

• Restore balance to your life.

• Re-evaluate your priorities.

• Replace unhealthy lifestyle choices with wholesome habits.

• Improve your mood.

• Feel better about yourself.

• Live a more fulfilling life.

Women in the 21st century are expected to manage relationships both inside and outside the family while bringing in a substantial paycheck and looking like Cosmopolitan cut-outs or characters from Desperate Housewives. When do you hear that the airbrushed models on the covers of glossy magazines have to manage symptoms of PMS, relate to snarky in-laws, and train their toddler not to terrorize the family cat? When have you heard they can’t afford a babysitter and dinner out, plus pay their PG&E bill?

The standards to which society holds women today — and to which women then hold themselves — are often unrealistic and born out of unfair comparisons to Photoshopped images of a handful of stars who live low-stress lives, have plenty of money and are assisted by a staff of paid helpers. When women compare themselves to models and media personalities, they feel disheartened, discouraged and depressed. Real women have real limitations. They have real problems that warrant real attention and real assistance. Real women have enough to handle without burdening themselves with self-criticism and refrains of “never good enough.”

But I don't have time to see a therapist!

This is a common complaint of women who are already overstressed and overstretched with commitments and responsibilities. However, not taking the time to take care of yourself can make you short-tempered, resentful and even less able to handle the myriad people and tasks demanding your attention. Sometimes we tell ourselves that we just can't spend time on ourselves—and then we end up getting a migraine or a nasty cold. Our body has ways of telling us that how we are doing things just isn't working.

When you place expectations on yourself, and fail to reach them, you may be unrealistic about what you think you can accomplish—or perhaps what you think you should be able to accomplish. It can help to talk with a therapist who can help you sort out your priorities and encourage you to establish reasonable standards for yourself.  Working with a therapist who understands the complexities of women's lives and the weight of responsibility they bear can be a gift both to yourself and to the loved ones, friends and colleagues that matter most to you.

Taking the time to see a therapist could save you hours and days of angst and agony.

Please contact me if you would like to talk about your concerns.