Being a single mom today can feel like carrying the weight of the world with no one to pass the load to. You’re the provider, the nurturer, the scheduler, the disciplinarian, the comforter, and the one who remembers to sign the field trip form and pick up the groceries—all while trying to hold yourself together.
And often, you’re doing it in a world that still judges, misunderstands, or flat-out ignores the emotional toll of doing it all alone.
It’s Not Just Exhausting—It’s Invisible
Modern single motherhood comes with expectations that are often unrealistic and unsustainable. You’re supposed to:
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Work like you don’t have kids
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Parent like you don’t have a job
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Date like you’re carefree
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And self-care like you have time
The emotional labor is constant. The mental load never shuts off. And while love fuels you, it doesn’t always fill the tank.
Single Motherhood in Therapy
Therapy spaces often reflect back how much you’re holding—but they also reveal something else: how little space you feel allowed to take.
Common themes that show up:
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Guilt for not “doing enough”
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Burnout from being the sole decision-maker
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Resentment for lack of support (from co-parents, family, or systems)
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Grief for the life you imagined
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Anxiety about money, stability, and the future
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Loneliness that’s hard to name without shame
Therapy isn’t about fixing these feelings—it’s about validating them, making space for them, and finding a way through them without sacrificing yourself in the process.
The Pressure to Be “Strong”
Let’s dismantle this myth: you don’t have to be strong all the time. You are already resilient just by showing up, by loving your child, and by trying again tomorrow.
But strength doesn’t mean ignoring your own needs. It means honoring them. It means asking for help without shame. And it means recognizing that being everything for everyone is not sustainable—or required.
Self-Care That’s Actually Realistic
No, you don’t need a spa day (though you deserve one). Realistic self-care for single moms looks like:
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Saying “no” without over-explaining
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Letting go of guilt when the screen time stretches longer
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Accepting help—even if it feels awkward
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Going to bed instead of doing one more chore
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Crying in the shower and still showing up in the morning
Self-care isn’t indulgence. It’s preservation.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Alone in This
If you’re a single mom reading this, know this: You’re not failing. You’re surviving. And that is sacred.
This is hard. You’re doing hard things every day, often without acknowledgment. Therapy can be a place where you don’t have to explain, justify, or perform. You can just be—a mom, a person, a human being doing her best.
You don’t have to carry it all alone. And you never should have had to in the first place.
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