The beautiful, nourishing desire for friendship and community grows right alongside our fears of rejection, inadequacy, and vulnerability. They're part of the same ecosystem. We can choose to avoid the whole path because we're afraid of the poison ivy – which means missing out on the beauty of the ferns. Or we can walk carefully, mindfully, knowing that both exist and we can navigate this terrain because it's what matters to us.

Here's my central point: If you know that your career is tied to money and earning (and let's be honest, for most of us it is), then you can't gain career clarity until you have financial clarity.

That can be a really confronting idea. It means facing numbers you might have been avoiding. It means having potentially uncomfortable conversations with yourself or your partner. It means questioning some of your spending habits and asking whether they truly align with what matters to you.

But if you approach this work with compassion, curiosity, a willingness to learn, and grace — by giving yourself room to lower your expectations of behaving perfectly around money — I think the process can be incredibly liberating.

Financial clarity doesn't mean becoming a perfect financial planner overnight. It doesn't mean never buying something just because it brings you joy. It means developing a relationship with your money that's based on awareness rather than avoidance, on curiosity rather than shame.

“For high-achieving women especially (even when we don’t feel like our achievements are ‘enough’), this distinction becomes increasingly blurry. We've built successful careers through disciplined thought, careful analysis, and meticulous planning. We've learned to trust our critical thinking above all else, which can disconnect us from the wisdom of our bodies.”

I think that in our careers, and in being moms, we make hugely courageous decisions to move forward in either space, and each of those decisions impacts the other on so many levels. But I think the real courage isn't necessarily in the leap, but in all of the intentional efforts, in sharing your dreams out loud, and in working every single day toward being present and trying to grow a little bit more.

Of course, courage looks different in work than it does in parenting. But the experience feels so real right now: it takes a lot to be courageous every day, especially when being courageous means going against what society tells you is good or valuable or important.

A few weeks ago, pop star Chappell Roan made waves when she said in an interview that "all [her] friends who have kids are in hell" and that she "doesn't know anyone who's happy with children at her age." She added that she hasn't met anyone with young kids "who has like light in their eyes, anyone who has slept."

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. We should be watching out for women's mental health, particularly between three to nine months postpartum.

And guess what? That's exactly when most of us go back to work after having our babies.

Have you ever felt lost in a sea of choices, overwhelmed by life's demands, and unsure which direction to take? You're not alone. While "values work" might sound like another vague self-help concept, I've witnessed its transformative power both as a therapist and in my clients' lives when they're navigating challenging times.

As a therapist, one of the most common concerns I hear when discussing acceptance is: "If I accept things as they are, aren't I just giving up?" This fear makes perfect sense (and I remember it well), especially for high-achieving women who've succeeded by pushing through challenges and refusing to settle. But I've witnessed countless times in my practice: acceptance isn't about resignation - it's actually the first step toward meaningful change.

Over the past five years, I’ve had the joy of working at the intersection of career and parenthood, and it’s a space I truly love. Yet, when I share what I do with others, there’s often this moment where people pause, trying to make sense of how these two worlds—career coaching and mental health—come together. It’s almost like they see them as two separate lanes: career in one, parenthood and mental health in the other.

It’s odd, I so rarely have to describe what burnout is when I talk to other mothers. I merely mention the word, and whether they are there now or was there a decade ago I almost can hear it strike a chord within their body. That knowing look they give me that says, “I know exactly what you are talking about” and “How do I get rid of it?”

As a therapist specializing in maternal mental health, I often hear variations of the same sentiment from working moms: "I know I should try to make mom friends, but I barely have time to shower." The desire for connection is there, but between career demands, family responsibilities, and basic self-care, nurturing new friendships often falls to the bottom of an already overwhelming to-do list.

As a therapist specializing in mental health at the intersection of parenthood and career, I've witnessed firsthand the incredible psychological demands placed on individuals throughout their journey to parenthood. My background in sports psychology initially seemed worlds apart from the realm of family life. However, after becoming a parent myself, I realized that the perinatal period - from pre-pregnancy through postpartum - is filled with moments that require the same level of mental fortitude and psychological performance as any athletic endeavor.

As a therapist specializing in supporting mental health at the intersection of career and motherhood, I've seen firsthand the struggles that working moms face daily. One of the most pervasive challenges? Mom guilt. It's a topic that comes up in nearly every session, a weight that so many of us carry silently. Today, let's shed some light on this complex emotion and explore ways to navigate it with grace and self-compassion.

In today’s world, parenting feels like a balancing act between being responsive to our children’s needs and making sure they hit all the right milestones. It’s no surprise—everywhere we look, there’s a benchmark to meet, whether it's developmental milestones, school readiness checklists, or competitive extracurriculars. And with so many visible standards, it can be hard not to get caught up in tracking our kids' progress against these measures both formal and informal from our everyday conversations at the playground. We end up feeling like we’re running on a hamster wheel of achievement, measuring success by what they accomplish (or what we help them accomplish?) rather than by who they are becoming.

It can be very exciting to build a business and work for yourself, but there’s a common misconception that success is solely driven by an awesome mindset and relentless hustle & drive. While these qualities are undoubtedly important, it’s just not that simple. There are so many aspects of running your own business that involve difficult emotions, difficult conversations, and difficult actions. Often, entrepreneurs and side hustlers, especially those working alone, overlook their needs for support.

As mothers, we often find ourselves balancing an intricate web of responsibilities, emotions, and expectations. The mental load and the strain of inequity in parenting can leave us feeling disconnected from our partners, making it challenging to maintain the closeness we once cherished. If you’re struggling with these issues, you might be wondering whether you need individual therapy or couples therapy. Let’s explore both options to help you decide what might be best for you.

Therapy during the perinatal period – which includes pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and postpartum – often carries a set of myths that can deter women from seeking the support they need. Here, I’ll debunk five common misconceptions about therapy during this critical time.

Between the demands of our jobs, the pressure to succeed, and volatility in the workforce, it’s easy to feel lost or burnt out. But what if you could gain clarity, set better boundaries, and even boost your financial wellbeing? Career support through coaching and assessment offers these benefits. Let’s explore the top five advantages of investing in your career growth through professional support.

Let's face it: life can feel like a three-ring circus sometimes. You're juggling work deadlines, family commitments, and personal goals, all while trying to keep your sanity intact. Sound familiar? If you're nodding your head.