Guest Blog Post by Hera Hub member Asal Azizi, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Mental health is an important part of our overall well-being, yet navigating life’s challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming. Dr. Azizi specializes in helping teens and adults manage anxiety, navigate major life transitions, and work through grief and other personal challenges through compassionate, evidence-based therapy.
On this World Mental Health Day, don’t forget to invest in yourself. As female professionals, career moms, or just women in general, we are constantly the givers and doers of all things. We shower love, attention, gifts, and our precious time on our careers, our families, and our friends in so many generous ways.
What often gets overlooked is that the best gift we can give our loved ones, and even our businesses, is the gift of self-love. We forget to stop and take care of our overall health, which unquestionably includes our mental health. So why not take a few moments to consider how you may want (and need!) to take care of yourself emotionally and mentally?
What does “balance” really mean?
Just ask yourself how you are doing.
- Are you managing the constant demands of being a parent?
- Are you balancing the chaos of being a boss lady and household CEO?
- What exactly is “balance,” really?
As a woman with a private practice, raising a tween girl with my husband of 20+ years, taking care of my mid-40s health, and serving as a room parent and Girl Scout troop leader, I know all too well that it rarely feels like there is much time left over for myself. Oof, I’m tired writing that last sentence!
Why overwhelm is so common
It is normal to feel overwhelmed physically, emotionally, and mentally when you are navigating multiple roles in your life and career. When we constantly feel and believe that we are not managing the endless responsibilities of life very well, it can lead to difficulties affecting:
- Our mood
- Our sleep
- Our decision making
- Our interactions with loved ones
Why we don’t talk about it
It is common not to want to talk about this overwhelm with the people in our lives. Many of us fear being judged or perceived as:
- Incompetent
- Weak
- Somehow inferior
You might tell yourself, “I’m a business owner… I’m supposed to have my stuff together!” As women, we also feel the added burden of personal or societal expectations to always be strong.
The truth is that most of us do not always have our stuff together, and we do not always feel that strong. We may also buy into the false stigma that, in our roles as independent professional women or mothers, we are not the ones who need help. We are supposed to be the ones carrying the mental and emotional load of caretaking and giving.
Two reframes on therapy
As a psychologist, I often hear jokes or comments about my work when people learn what I do for a living. There is misguided humor about “those crazy/troubled people,” and awkward moments when someone tells me they once saw a “shrink” but “it didn’t work.”
May I offer some reframes?
- Those “crazy people” are not crazy. They are regular folks like you and me who have experienced emotional distress and challenging hardships in their lives.
- Trying therapy once with only one therapist is like going on a test drive, not liking how the car feels, and vowing to never buy a car again.
Why mental health slides down the to-do list
It has always fascinated me that as a society we are quick to go to the medical doctor to cure our physical ailments, but we tend to have strong reservations about seeking support or treatment for our emotional health.
The stigmas I mentioned above, and many more, often prevent people from getting the help they need. Add the busyness of entrepreneurship, parenthood, and adulting into the mix, and it’s easy to see why our mental health takes a backseat or gets pushed further down the to-do list. We forget ourselves and the necessity of self-care.
What therapy offers
Psychotherapy, provided by licensed mental health professionals, offers everyday people like you and me the opportunity to identify and process the thoughts and feelings related to life’s stressors and difficult circumstances. A knowledgeable and professional therapist can:
- Help you feel safe in a confidential setting
- Validate you through empathetic support
- Empower you through the non-judgmental feedback they provide
The bottom line
My hope is that this World Mental Health Day gives us all the opportunity to toss out the antiquated and false stigmas around mental health and psychotherapy services. It is also essential to quiet the unhelpful stigmas we often hold about the capacity of women, moms, and business owners. Perhaps this would help reduce self-judgment and allow those of us who are struggling to admit that we need emotional support.
Many of us experience the overwhelm of everyday situations in life that lead to unpleasant emotions and problematic behaviors. We, the women of Hera Hub and beyond, are often especially vulnerable to this stress and would greatly benefit from such support. After all, a little bit of much-needed “me time” is the ultimate practice of self-love and self-care. However, if we give in to the negative portrayal or stigma of emotional difficulties and mental health services, we deprive ourselves of this great opportunity. In other words, let’s talk about it.
Dr. Asal Azizi is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Hera Hub member with her own practice, Asal Azizi, Psy.D.
Email: Asal.Azizi.Psyd@gmail.com
Website: www.asalazizipsyd.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/asal-azizi-psyd
