Episode #8: Come As You Are - An Interview on Emotional and Relational Wellness with Emily Pardy of Ready Nest Counseling

The Whole Mama - A Podcast with Jenna Gibbons

"Parenthood starts when you are ready to invest in something greater than yourself...your family."
Join me for this episode as I chat with Emily Pardy, Founder and Counselor, of Ready Nest Counseling in Nashville, Tennessee, as we talk about Ready Nest Counseling's incredible services for families, entrepreneurship, mental wellness, and embracing the beautiful mess of motherhood!
All milestones of motherhood are stressful for different reasons. Our culture today often promotes the fact that maternal instincts are natural, so we often have very high expectations for ourselves. Reality might not always match these expectations, and we are left feeling broken and while everyone else appears to have it together. This is extremely isolating.
When we do feel alone, we also often can't admit that we ARE struggling.
Emily shares that 20% of new moms struggle with post-partum depression. This percentage is likely higher as many who struggle with depression won't share that openly or in a study. The astonishing fact is that only 15% of that 20% will seek treatment! This is a huge gap!
As a reminder, if you are wondering if you ARE struggling with something more than general stress as a mama, Emily reminds us to let the counselors do the job of assessing and evaluating. Often, a mama is actually doing great and doesn't know it!
So, never have the fear to ask for and get the necessary help to connect the dots.
Emily also shares that when a couple is starting or continuing their family, it's important for them to look at their values, support system, reactions to current situations, and decisions when navigating through big events.
She reminds us that we should never let fear make the decision for us. We should empower ourselves, own the decision, and then get the tools to cope with any consequences.
When I ask her for tips and tricks to calm our mind to fully serve our family, she reminds us to look for pebbles not just mountains. Mountains are things like yoga classes, a peaceful walk, or that glass of wine. These DO make us happy, but sometimes, we can't always wait for that next yoga class to not have stress.
Sometimes, it more practical to collect "pebbles" or little moments along the way instead. For example, she shares her pebble moment after getting her four kids in the car. Her "eight second vacation" outside of the car includes high fives and deep breaths with her husband. It's sometimes the "little things" that keep us going!
She also reminds us to reach our goals and get the support we truly need.
"Whether you are contemplating parenthood, hoping to conceive, just found out you are expecting, suffered a loss,

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