Being a mum can feel like holding a thousand things at once — juggling roles, responsibilities, and the endless needs of those around you. Even when you’re doing your best, it can be exhausting, and sometimes it feels like there’s hardly a moment to breathe.
Many mums share that they feel stretched, unseen, or emotionally drained, while still showing up for the people who need them most. There can be moments of irritability, numbness, or quiet overwhelm — and often, very little space to acknowledge how hard it all feels.
It’s common for thoughts like “I should be coping better” or “Why does this feel so difficult?” to creep in, especially when rest and support are scarce. These thoughts can whisper doubts and gently shape the way you relate to yourself — even though they often come from unrealistic expectations rather than the reality of how much you’re truly doing. Remember, feeling tired or frustrated doesn’t mean you’re failing — it means you’re human.
So many of these expectations are absorbed slowly over time — from family, culture, and unspoken pressures around what it means to be a “good mum.” Messages that tell you to keep going, to put yourself last, or to manage without help. It’s easy to feel guilty for needing a pause, for asking for support, or even for noticing your own tiredness. And yet, acknowledging these feelings doesn’t make you weak; it makes you aware and resilient, taking the first steps to care for yourself as well as others.
The feelings you’re carrying — the heaviness, the tiredness, the Mum guilt — are not a sign that something is wrong with you. More often, they are a sign that you’ve been carrying a lot for a long time and that your mind and body are asking you for a gentle moment of kindness.
Counselling offers a calm, compassionate space to pause, reflect, and gently explore what you’re experiencing — at your own pace, and without judgement. It’s a place to acknowledge the feelings you’ve been carrying, to release some of the pressure, and to reconnect with the parts of yourself that may have been quieted for too long.