149: The Mother-Load: How to Carry Less & Enjoy Motherhood More with Erica Djossa from Momwell

Motherhood is, without a doubt, the best thing that has ever happened to me. It has molded me into a better, stronger, more loving, and compassionate person. I never knew how much my heart could love until I had children. Motherhood has also made me very tired, a bit more anxious, and even more of an over-thinker and worrier. If you're a mom reading this, I'm sure you might be able to relate to a few of these. While we want to do everything we can for our children and be a good mom, sometimes (or oftentimes) we over-extend ourselves because we want to show them (and maybe the world) how much we care. It comes from the very best of intentions, but it can lead us to take on too many responsibilities and commitments. The load that we carry as mothers is heavy. That's why we refer to it as "the mother load." And while, of course, we would do anything for our children, mothers need to remember this . . . all of those things were never meant for one person to carry. Our guest, Erica Djossa, knows all about the mother-load that she literally wrote the book. She talks to us in-depth about this topic and how mothers can make a change for the better. Who is Erica Djossa? Erica Djossa is a registered psychotherapist specializing in maternal mental health with over a decade of experience. She is the author of Releasing the Mother Load: How to Carry Less and Enjoy Motherhood More, CEO and founder of Momwell, and the host of the Momwell podcast. As a mother of three rambunctious young boys, Erica understands first-hand the challenges of motherhood. Perfectionism, pressure, and loss of identity fueled her battle with postpartum depression, and she realized how difficult it is to seek care. She founded Momwell to set a standard of care for providers and ensure mom-centered specialized mental health support at any stage of motherhood. Erica has been featured in media publications, including Time Magazine, USA Today, The Toronto Star, Breakfast Television, and Scary Mommy. What Did We Discuss? In this episode, we chat with Erica about the invisible “mother-load” all moms carry and how moms can learn to carry less and enjoy motherhood more. Here are several of the questions that we covered in our conversation: What are some of the most common mental health issues you see in mothers today? Where does this "invisible load" come from? How can we break away from it?  So many modern moms feel pressure to be the "perfect mom.” Why is this harmful, and how can we change it?  What are your thoughts on gender norms and how moms can end up carrying more of the load? How does this affect relationships?  How do you recommend moms communicate with their partners about how they are feeling and how they can help? What is your advice for the mom who always feels like she needs to do and be “more”? Go to the SHOW NOTES for more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices