ALIGN COUNSELING

For generations, women have been told what strength “should” look like—toughness, resilience, doing it all without breaking a sweat. But this outdated definition often leads to burnout, emotional suppression, and a disconnect from our authentic selves.

For many women, the connection between hormones and mood feels like a lived experience—but it’s not always well understood, even in medical settings. Hormonal shifts can have a powerful influence on mental health, affecting how you think, feel, and function day to day.

Motherhood is often described as beautiful, joyful, and life-changing—and while it can be all of those things, it can also be overwhelming, exhausting, and emotionally complex. What many don’t talk about enough is the toll motherhood can take on mental health—and how common, and treatable, those struggles really are.

Many women are familiar with a kind of stress that doesn’t show up on a to-do list, but weighs heavily every single day. It’s the kind that comes from remembering every appointment, anticipating everyone’s needs, making decisions for the household, and doing the behind-the-scenes thinking that keeps everything running. This is known as the mental load—and while it’s often invisible, its impact is very real.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges—and it doesn’t affect everyone the same way. For women, anxiety often shows up differently, is more frequently diagnosed, and is shaped by a unique set of biological, social, and cultural factors.