A “Case Example”
Maybe you’re debating whether you have a “real” problem, or really need therapy. Maybe you’re feeling scared of the therapy process, especially if you haven’t done it before. Below is what we call a “case example” in the therapy-so basically I’m going to tell you a story about a mom that might help illustrate what therapy is like and how it’s helpful.
Natasha comes to therapy when she is 8 months postpartum. She talks about feeling more down and sad since stopping breastfeeding, and struggling with a lot of negative self-talk. As we explore more of her history, we learn that she has had depression in the past, and considers herself a “worrier”. She also notes that her mood changes started months ago, but she kept trying to “push-through” to see if things would get better. She also has a toddler, and is overwhelmed with parenting two kids. Natasha also notices she jumps to conclusions about others being upset or disappointed in her; for example, she worries her husband is mad at her when she takes time to herself, or that he thinks she is a “bad mom”. She too thinks she is a “bad mom” and this is why she is finding motherhood so hard.
Once Natasha decided to start therapy, we first talk about how stopping breastfeeding can impact mood, as your hormones change when you stop. Some women are more sensitive to this than others, but it can trigger depression. We also talked about how she likely developed postpartum depression rather early in her postpartum period, and like many women, didn’t talk with anyone about her feelings. Depression can change how we think; thus she is having more negative thoughts about herself and a lot of feelings of shame. We also talk about how some of her beliefs about motherhood may be unrealistic and her expectations of herself are unfair. Once she has a better understanding of what she is going through, we move to talking about coping skills and practical strategies to improve her situation.
For Natasha, this meant getting back to regular exercise, increasing her antidepressant dose, and working on her perfectionism. Perfectionism is based on a core belief in yourself that you are not “good enough” and need to “prove yourself” to be worthy. We also talked strategies to communicate more assertively with her husband, and make more time for their relationship. Some sessions Natasha would say she was feeling better, but other sessions she would talk about how hard things had been the past week. We would talk about how common this experience is in therapy-progress is not linear, but we want to be “trending” in the right direction overall. This was true for Natasha, as 3-4 months in she was scoring lower on the depression inventory. Natasha felt improved in about six months, though wanted to continue therapy to work on other relationship issues.
Therapy can be hard and challenging, but worth your investment in it and yourself. If you’re debating therapy, it’s likely a sign you need more support. Like anything new, once you get going you feel less scared and more confident. Schedule your consultation today!
