Tag: coping strategies
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What Self-Care Isn’t—and What Actually Builds Emotional Resilience for Moms
By Shereen | Thriving New Mama You’ve checked “self-care” off your to-do list. You’ve taken the day off to get your hair done and spend some time alone in the cafe. BUT you still feel tired, irritable and worse, GUILTY even after a break. The truth is, these aesthetic versions of self-care—while Instagram-worthy—don’t actually align…
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Top 10 ways for moms with young kids to practice self-care and have better mental health this CNY
Lunar New Year can be low-key stressful if you’re a mom with young kids. I can relate. There’s the invisible mental load You’re sourcing pretty red packets (ang bao packets), ensuring that you’ve got enough brand new $2 notes, looking at the bank new notes dispenser schedule, checking off the list of older relatives, aunties,…
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25 Days to Better Mental Health, More Resilience, Joy and Peace-filled Days (Foundation for your 2025 goals and the secret tips from a therapist)
If you’re looking to have better mental health, be more resilient, more joyful and peace-filled this 2025, start investing in your self-awareness. You can sign up for the TOTALLY FREE 25 days mindfulness challenge here. Remember, this is not your “sit down-breathe-meditate” kind of mindfulness. It’s helping you to get on top of the five…
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What REALLY contributes to better mental health? (From a trained counsellor)
What comes to mind when you hear the word “mindfulness?” For me, it never fails to conjure up an image of a person sitting very still, eyes closed and possibly repeating some mantra. I used to think it’s about focusing on my breathing. But the mindfulness or having “present moment awareness” that I’m going to…
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A therapist’s top five ways to prepare for your postpartum (that most people actually miss out)
Imagine you spent nine months preparing for your newborn’s arrival. You’ve asked around and researched for the best stroller, milk bottle, steriliser. You’ve figured out which one out of the ten types of crib mattress is going to reduce risks of SIDS and dust mites. You’ve rehearsed how you’re going to bathe and clothe your…
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I’m self-compassionate because I’m resilient – tips for mothers & children to building emotional resilience
Before we get into the WHAT and HOW to practice self-compassion, let’s start with the WHY. Why bother? Research shows that practicing self-compassion: Less stress, more social, having hope and joy for life – who doesn’t want that? It also contributes to better emotional regulation and resilience, which is exactly what we covered in the…
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What is counselling?
After 4 years undertaking my Masters of Arts in Counseling, my parents admitted over a family lunch, “Actually, I still don’t get it. What do you do?” Honestly, counselling sounded like fluff to me. I sit down, talk to a person for a couple of times and miraculously, my problems go away and I become…
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How busy moms stay sane and teach their kids emotional resilience (tips from a mental health counsellor)
Your body – specifically, your autonomic nervous system (ANS), is always giving you information. The ANS has trackers, called “neuroception,” that scans your external environment (i.e. what you can see, hear, smell, taste or touch) and internal environment (i.e. your stomach, your heart rate). It then comes up with quick decisions on whether you’re safe…
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Setting boundaries with parents and in laws – How to parent YOUR way
We don’t exist as individuals. Regardless of how close (or not) we feel to our communities, they influence how we communicate and resolve differences with others. These communities can be your family or the larger culture. Think of a family tree. An organizational chart. These are visual representations of human systems. What happens to others…
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Maternal Mental Health and Child’s Development: Research Says There’s a Direct Link
The World Health Organization defines maternal mental health as “a state of well-being in which a mother realizes her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to her community” (Herman, et al., 2006). Perinatal mental health issues are common 10…
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