Moms are usually the ones who take care of the family; they’re the ones to turn to when others need someone to talk to; and they’re also the ones who make other family members feel loved and cared for when feelings get overwhelming.
But what do moms do themselves if a national tragedy hits? How can they find help when they are already focusing on helping others? This article tells you how and provides some concrete steps to help moms care for their mental health during a major tragedy.
Four steps That Can Help Moms After A National Tragedy:
1. Find A Space For Your Feelings
The first step to healing is to find a safe space for your feelings.
You might want to try talking about what happened with someone who can listen without judgment or advice, such as a friend — someone who doesn’t need your immediate care. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it may be helpful to seek professional help from a therapist as well.
2. Get Help When You Need It
If you’re feeling isolated, it’s okay to reach out for support.
It’s not weak to ask for help.
You can talk about your feelings and ask for advice about how you can help yourself. A therapist is a great option for this because they are trained to have the emotional stamina to help you hold your feelings. Find a therapist in your area who specializes in grief or trauma therapy. If you don’t have a therapist, or you can’t get one, talk to your doctor about whether they have experience working with families dealing with loss and trauma. It matters most that the help happens, not who delivers it.
3. Remember That You’re Not Alone
It’s not uncommon to feel anxious, angry, or sad after a national tragedy.
Many women have been through similar things, and they also had to continue managing the family afterwards. This means that you can share your experience with other people who will have true empathy for what you are experiencing.
Sometimes the best support is the one you don’t need to explain everything to; it can be a great relief when someone just understands your pain.
If you don’t know anyone who shares your experiences, try to find online communities for other people who have experienced similar things. Or you may also be able to find local support groups. It can be very healing to be surrounded by that kind of understanding and shared emotion. You can help the others navigate their grief and trauma processes and work through yours at the same time.
4. Take Time For Yourself
It’s so easy to get caught up caring for everyone else around you.
Your children need reassurances; your partner is going through their own grief and needs your support; and your friends are struggling just as badly as you are. With so many people in distress you might not feel like you can take a break to look out for your own physical and emotional health.
But it’s important that you do.
If you aren’t caring for yourself, you are going to burn out from the stress and then you won’t be able to help anyone else. Moms so often hear that they need to put their own needs aside for others, but that’s just not the case. To be the best support you can be for others, you need to support yourself and enlist help doing it.
If you’re struggling with how to cope with your emotions following a tragedy, don’t worry! You are not alone. There are resources available to you from friends, family, and mental health professionals that will help you find mental stability. Contrary to how it feels, you are not required to navigate everything by yourself. Hopefully the steps in this article will help you find the support you need.
If you are a mom in St. Louis who is dealing with grief and exhaustion after a national tragedy, reach out to us at Marble Wellness. Our therapists are experienced in helping moms navigate difficult situations while caring for their mental health. We are here to provide support for you as you process your grief and trauma, and as you work hard to care for everyone else. Let us take care of you and make things a little easier.
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St. Louis
Our St. Louis team of therapists have a variety of training backgrounds and areas of expertise. We specialize in anxiety, depression, grief, chronic illness, therapy for men, couples, and maternal overwhelm. We can also help new moms with various postpartum concerns, moms in the thick of parenting, and moms with teens. We can also chat from wherever you are in the state with online therapy in Missouri and online therapy in Illinois. No matter where you are in your journey, we would love to support you.
Chicago
Our Chicago team of therapists offer a wide range of mental health services to help our clients through the different challenges and hurdles in their life. In addition to anxiety, depression, grief, therapy for men, and maternal overwhelm, we are specialized in professional burnout, therapy for breakups, and love partnering with working moms.
