How a mental health professional with two young children is coping with the quarantine…

We just moved back to the Bay Area from Bermuda, we just moved into a new home, and I just had my son, all before the quarantine. We just got back home, and now I feel like we are all alone again. I can't have my mom here. Sometimes, I go over to her house and say "hi" from a six feet distance, but it's not the same. I am missing the human connection. 

My husband is working from home, which has been difficult. His job is very demanding and I’m often tempted to ask him to help me with the kids. Sometimes, I have to keep them away from his office. The positive is that my husband and I are getting to witness many of our children’s milestones that he would have missed, together.

Prior to becoming a mom, I was a mental health professional for over 13 years. I haven’t been working full-time since I became a mom. However, the pandemic has influenced me to get going with my private practice. The mental health impact of this is calling a lot of mental health professionals to reconsider non-traditional methods of connecting with clients. 

At the end of this, I would also love to see people be okay with what they can handle. Juggling a million things doesn’t have to be the ultimate rite of passage or gold star for moms. I don’t have to be a superstar to everyone else, I just want to be enough for my family and do what fulfills me.

As told to us by Dr. Christine Coleman, LMFT

IG: @drchristinecoleman, @solsistersorg,