We all have struggled emotionally.  I have.  You have.  Some of us talk about it and others do not.

If I had not talked about my divorce when I was going through it, I would have suffered a lot more.  If I had tried to deal with my parenting struggles alone, I would have felt isolated and confused.

My talking and reaching out to supportive people (family, friends and a great therapist) made all the difference.  Like many others, I had to overcome the embarrassment of admitting that I was struggling (and therefore sad, confused, hurt, and anxious).  

My wish is that you learn how to embrace your issues (your problems) too, because we all have them.

I see so many women and girls who have kept so much inside of them that they are about to explode (with anger, anxiety) or implode (through depression).  Keeping your emotions trapped is very emotionally damaging.  

Parent tip:  Demonstrate for your children that you have difficult and unpleasant emotions.  By demonstrate I mean let them see you sad, mad, or hurt.  These emotions are real.  You are real.  The trick here is to be able to talk about your emotions and show your children how to work through and mange those unpleasant feelings.  There is a difference between productive talking and letting loose (without control).  This gives your children permission to own their emotions without feeling broken or bad.

It’s time to start talking about what is hurting us!  

 

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Licensed counselor and founder of Girls Stand Strong Michelle Kelley, LCSW, helps girls and women of all ages develop and improve their self-image, self-esteem, relationship and communication skills, emotional understanding, coping skills, the ability to handle difficult situations and people, and resiliency to create a brighter, better and more successful tomorrow. For more information about Michelle’s coaching and counseling services, call (703) 505-2413 or email michelle@girlsstandstrong.com.