Mental Health Care for The Career Woman

Posted: October 23, 2023

Women have been expected to be there for anyone and everyone (except for themselves). Emotional, mental, domestic, and other types of labor have been expected if not demanded of women since the dawn of time. This has not changed in the “modern” era where women also often have career responsibilities on their plate.

As a result many women, over time, will experience burnout and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

A Gold Medal for Prioritizing Mental Health

A couple summers ago, the world held its collective breath as gymnast Simone Biles made the heartbreaking decision to withdraw from the Olympic finals. She was very transparent, announcing her decision was a result of making her mental health a priority.

This was a real act of bravery and her decision shone a light on the importance of protecting the mental health of world-class athletes.

But the reality is, protecting your health is not just important but absolutely vital for all women, no matter your career choice or lack thereof. From professional athletes to CEOs and every career woman in between, it is vitally important to prioritize their mental health.

How Career Women Can Cultivate Good Mental Health

The following are some ways professional women can protect their mental health from the burdens of careers and family life:

Accept and Expect Imperfections

No matter how hard you try, you’ll never get everything perfect 100% of the time, and that’s definitely okay. Recognize your own humanity and give yourself some grace.

Find Support

As you continue to try and be there for everyone else, it’s important that you find people and things to lean on. This can mean family, friends, your spirituality, or a personal exercise routine.

Make Time for Yourself

It’s important to step back from the daily grind every once in a while to just rest and relax. The more you take the time to recharge your battery, the more able you’ll be to juggle the responsibilities of your life. This is easier said than done. You can start by scheduling in more free time and not allowing yourself to fill that space with obligations or to-do’s.

Talk with Someone

Sometimes it’s easier to speak with someone outside of your social or familial network. Talking with a therapist can really help you gain perspective on your life and your abilities. He or she can also give you strategies to navigate the stressful situations in your life.

If you’d like to speak with someone and explore treatment options, please get in touch with me by booking here.

SOURCES:

Rebecca Steele

Rebecca Steele, MA, MSW, RSW is an individual therapist offering psychotherapy and counselling services in Kitchener-Waterloo, and all across Ontario virtually through telehealth sessions.

She specializes in providing 1:1 individual therapy sessions to adults who may be experiencing depression, trauma, emptiness, boundary concerns, low self esteem, relationship stress, or anxiety (eg. general anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, phobias, anxious attachment style, or ocd).

Rebecca offers a variety of psychotherapy treatment approaches including: Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT, DBT), Psychoanalytic and Jungian Therapy, Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapy (C.Hyp™), Mindfulness-based therapy approaches, exploration of Archetypes, as well as Dream Analysis & Interpretation. Her therapy approach is called Smart Therapy™: Insight-Driven Depth Therapy

Click here to learn more about her online Kitchener-Waterloo counselling practice!