That image of a woman who flawlessly balances her career, family, and personal life? It’s not only exhausting—it’s damaging.

The idea that we can “do it all” is a tricky one. We can accomplish many things—often more than we dream of—but can we do them all at once? Do we want to?

The Journal of Women’s Health reveals that women’s mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, are frequently misunderstood and misdiagnosed. (This is, in large part, due to a historical focus on male experiences in research, to the exclusion of women.) According to the Pew Research Center, women now face unique stressors from juggling multiple their myriad roles, contributing to higher rates of anxiety and depression.

Bottom line: the pressures of modern life often erode our mental and emotional well-being.

And I see it—in my office, among friends, at the grocery store.

Here’s are some things women have shared with me recently:

“I feel like I’m just going through the motions. Is this normal? Am I normal?”
“My doctor said I’d ‘know’ if I had postpartum depression, but…would I?”
“My anxiety is so overwhelming that I struggle with even the smallest tasks.”
“Since having a baby, I can’t shake this constant worry. It’s like I’m always on edge.

It’s time we rethink what it means to be a modern woman. We need healthcare professionals who prioritize mental health and therapists who embrace holistic care. We need effective care — care that addresses our lived experiences, like anxiety, depression, relationship issues, work-life balance, and the unique challenges of motherhood and peripartum life. And we need to challenge the assumption that doing it all means doing it alone.

Reach out — to friends, community members, or a therapist. We were never meant to do this alone. And forget Superwoman; she was never real anyway 🙂.

As an LPC Associate, I’m dedicated to helping women live their fullest lives. In my practice, I support women navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship issues, and peripartum challenges. For more information or to book a free consultation, click here.