Therapy for Women
Are You A Woman Who’s Tired Of Dealing With Unrealistic Demands And Expectations?
Do you feel overwhelmed by thinking that you need to “be it all and have it all?” Are you struggling to make sense of the contradictory demands for women in our society? Maybe you feel inadequate or unable to fulfill expectations as a partner, parent, or professional. No matter what you do or how successful you are, there’s always someone you can’t please and expectations you cannot meet.
You’re supposed to be assertive, yet worry about being perceived as rude. You’re supposed to be beautiful, but not too concerned with your appearance. It’s like you’re expected to be Barbie—perfectly balanced in every area of your life.
In the face of all these opposing demands, you may feel confused, overscheduled, and burnt out. As a result, you may be wondering if therapy for women can help you.
Being A Woman Is Exhausting
All the conflicting pressures in your life could make you anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, and fatigued. When you don’t meet certain benchmarks—such as having children, a relationship, or a new job promotion—your self-esteem may suffer and you feel like you’re not good enough.
When you look at everyone’s highlight reels on social media, you may feel like the odd one out. You likely feel physically depleted from trying to accomplish everything, but instead of slowing down, you push yourself harder and over tire yourself. This could include behaviors like skipping out on getting a good night’s rest, over-exercising, hyper-focusing on your children and their behavior, or going to extreme lengths to control your diet and weight.
Deep down, you probably wish you just had room in your life to eat, rest, and just live without always having to think about pleasing everyone. You probably think that if you could express your needs and desires with confidence and without the fear of judgment, you could feel fulfilled. Therapy with Inside Psychotherapy can provide women with the safe space they need to start making that wish a reality.
Women In Today’s World Don’t Have It Easy
Some issues intensify the already challenging landscape women face. Many women struggle with feelings related to aging or self-image, as society still tends to place a high value on youth and fitness. Auto-immune-related conditions are more commonly diagnosed in women. They can create fatigue, pain, and other stressful symptoms, but since they may not be easy to treat and are often invisible, they can be brushed over by doctors, leaving you feeling gaslit and questioning your reality.
Women also continue to face societal problems like sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and demeaning comments about their gender in the workplace. While women’s rights in the workplace and upward professional mobility have made great strides in the last several decades, women are well aware that we have a long way to go towards equal opportunities.
Acknowledging Your Needs Can Be Difficult In Today’s Society
We live in a society that expects (and even in some states forces) women to bear children. It’s important for women to learn that it’s necessary to advocate for themselves and acknowledge what they want and not what society, politicians, or their family expects of them.
Women can be painted as overly-demanding or aggressive when advocating for their needs, and as a result, they may opt to keep quiet and not make waves or draw attention to themselves. Although many women have conversations about these topics in the quiet corners of their friendships, sometimes it takes a professional to really dive deep and get to the root of these challenges.
Counseling can help women get in touch with their inner voice and allow it to be heard. A lot of the work in therapy involves making unconscious desires conscious. It is possible to navigate the challenges you face and keep your goals and dreams at the forefront of your life.
Therapy Can Empower Women To Believe In Themselves And Unlock Their Innermost Desires
We all need a space to share our deepest fears and wishes and vent to a trusted ear about the difficulties we face. Inside Psychotherapy provides that. We want you to feel seen, heard, understood, and inspired to live a life that aligns with your hopes and dreams. Counseling can help point out the societal forces at play that complicate things for women and help you understand how they impact your thought processes.
Your therapist can offer a space to talk candidly and openly, without fear of judgment or criticism, about the challenges women face and what that looks like for you in the workplace, your social life, and your home life. Let us provide you with a place to air all of your frustrations and exasperations.
In therapy, we often talk about the effects of hormonal fluctuations from PMS, pregnancy, breastfeeding or weaning, perimenopause, and menopause. These are often taboo topics that women may avoid discussing in public, but therapy is a safe environment to be able to talk openly and freely about these issues.
Additionally, we can help refer you to women-friendly medical professionals if needed, while validating the symptoms you face that aren’t always visible. We want you to know that we believe you—if doctors and other people in your life have made you feel invalidated, we’re here to be the difference makers!
Counseling Modalities That Move You Closer To Your Goals
Through therapy, you’ll come away from most sessions feeling like you have a concrete plan of action to move closer to your goals. We use an eclectic approach that is helpful for many issues women face, incorporating principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mind-body-oriented psychotherapy.
Through CBT, you can learn to identify thought patterns that keep you stuck in repetitive and unhealthy cycles of behavior. By uncovering negative beliefs and working to reframe your perspective, you can overcome your personal barriers and cultivate healthier habits.
Our therapists also utilize mindfulness principles to help clients listen to their inner voice instead of defaulting to the voice that tells them to adhere to society’s standards. Mindfulness can involve breathwork, meditation, journaling, and various mind-body connecting activities.
Therapy can be a place for women to discuss their unique challenges, where the “inside voice” is spoken aloud about what they want and need. Counseling can help you discover your own empowerment to set aside other people’s expectations and discern your needs for yourself. Inside Psychotherapy can help you make your dreams of a balanced, joyful life possible.
You May Still Have Concerns About Women’s Therapy…
What if therapy makes me feel worse for having such a hard time in my life?
Therapy may not always make you feel great every time we meet, as we will be discussing issues that make you unhappy in your life, but you can feel hopeful. You come to therapy to talk about challenges, but there is much to gain from this process as you move closer to your goals. A lot of the time, clients find that they’re the ones standing in their way, and we figure out ways to work through their unique barriers.
What if I become reliant on therapy?
Our goal is to help you develop the skills to become more self-reliant, not reliant on other people. We want women to feel confident about moving forward with their goals and we don’t expect any of them to feel that they can’t succeed without counseling long term. That said, there is no shame in leaning on us for extra support—we all need each other, and that’s why therapy is so vital.
I feel too guilty for spending money on therapy for myself.
Therapy is no longer considered only a solution for those who are in a major life crisis, but for those who want to make the most of their lives and let go of what’s holding them back. We are not here to convince you to pursue therapy, but we encourage you to prioritize your mental health and invest in yourself.
Often, the decision to take time for yourself with counseling boils down to whether you want to make space for self-care. Just choosing to come to therapy is a great first step
Let Us Help You Become A More Confident And Resilient Version Of Yourself
Inside Psychotherapy can provide a place to share your story, vent if you need to, and give voice to your authentic self. Reach out to us at 917-310-0512 or use our online form for a free, 15-minute consultation to learn how therapy can help women like you feel seen, heard, and hopeful again.
