Transitioning Back to Work…Postpartum Edition

Being unprepared and overwhelmed with returning to work after maternity leave can increase your risk of having a postpartum mood and anxiety disorder or can exacerbate the symptoms you may already be experiencing. Here are 5 tips for having a smooth transition back to work for you or your postpartum employees.

1. Begin the transition to alternative childcare options at least a couple weeks prior to going to work. Putting your new baby in daycare can bring up a lot of emotions including anxiety, sadness, and the dreaded “mom guilt”. Taking your baby to daycare for at least a few hours a day while you are still on maternity leave is a good idea to help you and your baby learn to adjust to their new environment and schedule before being thrust back into the swing of work duties.

2. Minimize schedule/workload. Be sure to have a discussion with your boss about having a light schedule or even having remote working options if possible to help you ease back into working. It’s pretty drastic to go from not working at all to working a full 8 hour shift with just a few short breaks. I was grateful for my supervisor when I worked at a mental health clinic who only put 3-4 clients on my schedule per day for my first two weeks back to not overwhelm me with back to back appointments.

3. Increase self-care activities. Now more than ever you must prioritize self-care. Be sure to meet your basic needs daily: eating healthy meals regularly, staying hydrated, personal hygiene, good sleep quality and exercise. From there be sure to add on a few hours a week for personal “me time” to do things that bring you comfort, joy, and peace.

4. Ask for help from support system. You can’t do it all by yourself and do not make your self believe the false idea that you are supposed to be SUPERMOM/WIFE. Ask for what you need from your partner, doula, family, friends, neighbor, coworkers, supervisor, etc. A lifesaver for me was hiring a housekeeper. If it’s in your budget, it is highly recommended. Remember it takes a village!

5. Plan to succeed. Plan ahead your outfits, meals, deadlines, travel time to and from daycare and work and everything else by using a good time management tool in your phone or planner. I guarantee taking the time to get organized will help save you time and stress and will lessen the emotional load that you already carry being a new working mom.

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If you need more assistance with adjusting to becoming a working mom postpartum or if your company would like consulting services to help implement some strategies to make your work environment more conducive to working moms feel free to contact wellness@jlcounselingllc.com or call 318-759-7865.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a postpartum mood and anxiety disorder, CALL or TEXT the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS (1-833-943-5746). TTY users can use a preferred relay service or dial 711 and then 1-833-943-5746 to find support resources in your area.

If you are in suicidal crisis, please call or text The National Suicide Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

Tired of Politics???

This past week, and year, has been a whirlwind of political debates in the midst of a pandemic. All of this on top of regular daily stressors can contribute to the heavy emotions and stress you may have been feeling for the last several months, and especially in the days leading up to the United States Presidential Election, as well as, the days following in anticipation of who our next president would be. Regardless of your presidential pick, one thing many of us had in common was something called political fatigue. Political fatigue is the mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion associated with direct or indirect political involvement. Here are some tips for combatting this problem:

1. Unplug - It's important to remember that you do not have to watch and listen to media outlets. You can CHOOSE to unfollow, turn off, unplug, and unfriend any platform that may be too negative or overwhelming for you at this time. You aren't a bad person, mean, or childish for choosing to protect your peace during this time. Set a time limit for how long you watch tv or scroll social media.

2. Set boundaries - Don't engage in political debates or discussions with family, friends, or coworkers if you aren't feeling up to it. Even with those close to us, these conversations can be very draining and can stir you up unnecessarily. Don't know how to say no? Simply say, "I don't really have the energy to discuss this right now." If they continue to press the issue, you can disengage by physically leaving the situation or not responding.

3. Back to Basics - Make sure you are eating, staying hydrated, and getting at least 8 hours of sleep. If you were anything like me, you probably didn't sleep very well last week waking up every few hours checking your phone to see if anything changed in the presidential projection. Use this week to ensure that you are practicing good sleep hygiene and overall good self-care.

4. Distract yourself - Use positive ways to distract yourself if you are feeling too many unpleasant or overwhelming emotions. Engage in your favorite activity, listen to music, cook a new recipe, exercise, read a book, or watch a funny, lighthearted tv show. My husband and I love binge watching our favorite sitcoms on Netflix to distract ourselves and help time move quicker.

Lastly, remember to talk to your counselor if you feel like things are worsening. If you don't have a counselor I suggest you reach out to one TODAY to help process your feelings surrounding the election and more! If you are in Louisiana or Georgia, I would be a great counselor for you lol.

COVID-19 Counseling Procedures

Hello Everyone! I decided to briefly inform current clients and potential clients about what JL Counseling is doing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and also give my clients the peace of mind of knowing that their services do not have to be interrupted or postponed. This has been most recently updated September 5, 2020.

1. I will continue doing teletherapy sessions ONLY until further notice.

2. Upon returning to the office, a COVID-19 liability release must be signed by ALL clients opting for in-person sessions. Temperature checks and a health questionnaire will be required at the beginning of each session.

3. ALL face to face appointments will require therapist and clients and any family/friends/children attending therapy to wear a mask. NO EXCEPTIONS. If the client(s) does not have a mask your appointment will be rescheduled until you have one. If your family/friend/children do not have masks they will have to sit in the car, hallway, or if they are small children and an adult is not able to watch them your appointment will be rescheduled. JL COUNSELING WILL NOT PROVIDE MASKS.

4. If you or someone in your home has been sick or shown symptoms of sickness in the last week I ask that you reschedule your appointment.

5. I understand everyone cannot always get a childcare provider so please ensure your children have masks as well or schedule a teletherapy appointment if they don’t comply with keeping masks on.

6. ALL appointments including teletherapy will be 45-50 mins long to allow for time to sanitize in-between sessions.

7. There will be no changes in fees.

8. I have hired a cleaning service to ensure that my office is cleaned regularly.

I will continue to update this as new developments are presented. The best way to contact me is via telephone, email, or the patient portal. Stay safe, stay calm, stay healthy.