427: Breaking Down the Supermom Fallacy with Stacy McCann, LCSW

Mom and Mind

Have you felt the pressure to be a “supermom”? We are examining the supermom fallacy, which often accompanies thoughts like, “I’m a failure, I can’t keep up with this, and I’m a bad mom.” The problem with trying to be a supermom is the impact on mental health. This theme commonly comes up in therapy, and the idea that we have to do everything and do it well is too much pressure! Join us as we explore this topic, which will resonate with many people.

Stacy McCann is a licensed mental health therapist and the owner of Present Moment Counseling Services, specializing in motherhood, postpartum, and beyond. She works with mothers to help them cope with the challenges of motherhood, including burnout, overwhelm, overstimulation, self-advocacy, and an equitable mental and physical load at home. Stacy launched the Supermom Dropout Club, a virtual community for moms who want to take up space, use their voice, and leave their supermom capes behind. She is the mom of a sweet and spicy 5-year-old and lives in the St. Louis area, where she enjoys gardening, cooking, and traveling.

Show Highlights:

• Stacy’s path through social work, parent education, and her motherhood specialty today

• Common characteristics of maternal burnout: overwhelm, loss of identity, feeling invisible, and giving everything they have to others

• Trying to live up to the “ideal motherhood experience” is impossible!

• Solutions for moms: Prioritize your own needs and use the right words to talk about it

• Dealing with the workload at home from a logistics standpoint (How to handle this task with your partner through open communication about standards of care)

• We still need a shift to support working parents and postpartum mothers.

• Thoughts on men’s roles in the home, offering emotional support, and bonding more with their babies in the postpartum period

• The need for help in shifting societal expectations about what makes a good dad: What does it mean to lead and support your family?

• The influence of social media on parenting

• Stacy’s virtual community, The Supermom Dropout Club, and the support it offers

Resources:

Connect with Stacy McCann: Website and Instagram

Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit cdph.ca.gov

Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to be more supportive in offering services.

You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms

Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.

Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today!

If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me about openings for private pay clients!

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