Therapy for Women

Women are under immense pressure in today’s society with huge expectations internally and externally. Mothers struggle with juggling jobs, managing children, being a ‘perfect’ parent, domestic chores and sustaining relationships. Women are inundated with messages from the media to look beautiful, be thin, be the right shape, be sexy and be fashionable. Alongside this, other messages about femininity suggest that women should be passive, sweet and nice and have the ability to laugh at insults and sexism. To dare to be assertive or angry could get you pigeonholed as difficult or a strident feminist and you may be encouraged to ‘lighten up’ or not be ‘so serious’!

So how are women dealing with these pressures? Within a recent report, (women like me: supporting wellbeing in girls and women.) It was discovered that a third of women over 18 have taken anti depressants and 20% of women suffer from a common mental disorder typically depression or anxiety. 25% of women in the UK will experience some form of domestic violence including physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Many women are seeking to cope with these issues through drinking too much, isolating themselves from friends or family and self-harm.