Balancing the multifaceted roles of motherhood can feel like an overwhelming juggling act. Between managing household responsibilities, work, and the emotional needs of the family, it’s easy for moms to place their mental health on the back burner. Prioritizing self-care is not just beneficial but essential. Here are six key resources that can help moms navigate anxiety, stress, and overall mental well-being.
1. Online Therapy Platforms
Why It’s Important: Therapy offers a safe space to express concerns, develop coping strategies, and gain professional insights into mental health issues.
Top Recommendation: BetterHelp
BetterHelp provides access to licensed therapists via video, phone, or chat sessions, offering flexible and affordable mental health support. Its convenience is perfect for busy moms who want therapy on their schedule. The platform matches you with a therapist based on your needs, ensuring personalized care.
2. Mindfulness and Meditation Apps
Why It’s Important: Mindfulness and meditation can reduce stress, enhance emotional regulation, and improve overall well-being.
Top Recommendation: Calm
Calm offers guided meditations and mindfulness exercises tailored to all experience levels. The app includes specific programs designed for parents, focusing on stress relief, patience, and finding calm amidst chaos.
3. Support Groups
Why It’s Important: Connecting with others who share similar experiences can provide emotional support, reduce feelings of isolation, and foster a sense of community.
Top Recommendation: Postpartum Support International (PSI)
PSI offers a range of support groups for moms, including those dealing with postpartum depression, anxiety, and other perinatal mood disorders. These groups, available both online and in-person, provide a supportive environment to share experiences and advice.
4. Anxiety & Health Tracking Apps
Why It’s Important: Real-Time monitoring of key health metrics can uncover stress trends and impacts to our overall health.
Top Recommendation: A Step Ahead
A Step Ahead is a mental health app offering real-time readings from your Apple watch to provide notifications before an anxiety-related event occurs. The readings take actual heart rate results and when a minimum threshold is reached, a proactive strategy is served via your Apple watch to help ward off an impending anxiety event. This app takes out the guesswork in reading how your body reacts to situations and serves relevant information in the moment to help you proactively manage your mental health.
5. Parenting Blogs and Communities
Why It’s Important: Access to practical advice and a community of supportive parents can make the challenges of motherhood more manageable.
Top Recommendation: Scary Mommy
Scary Mommy is a vibrant online community offering humor, honesty, and advice on motherhood. It features articles on mental health, parenting tips, and personal stories from other moms, providing a relatable and supportive environment.
6. Exercise and Fitness Programs
Why It’s Important: Physical activity is a proven way to reduce stress, boost mood, and improve overall mental health.
Top Recommendation: Fit4Mom
Fit4Mom offers fitness programs specifically designed for mothers at all stages of motherhood. From prenatal workouts to stroller fitness classes, it provides a community-focused approach to staying active and healthy, both physically and mentally. Find a village near you.