Shopping for Mother's Day cards used to trigger me.
The happy memories and proud moments with promises of unconditional love and support never quite mirrored my reality.
So, I would stand in the aisle, looking through card after card, trying to find just one that felt like the right amount of warm and fuzzy...but also true.
I don't remember thinking so hard about it as a child. I somehow aligned my childhood memories with the bright, shiny stories in the store-bought cards (and usually, I aligned the characters' hair and skintones once I got home to my markers or colored pencils).
It wasn't until later I realized our bond was nuanced, reflecting unacknowledged struggles and expectations.
Have you felt the weight of needing to impress, only to be met with silence or conditional approval? These mother-daughter dynamics often leave us searching for validation in other relationships, tethering us to patterns that don't serve us.
Perhaps, like me, you’ve spent too long proving your love and loyalty, bending over backwards to be the 'perfect' daughter, partner, friend, or employee—only to find that true acknowledgment still eludes you.
What if you just stopped seeking approval from others?
What if you shifted your focus inward, to the quiet voice of your inner child?
She deserves to be heard, to reveal the insights she’s kept hidden. Together, we can listen and understand—breaking free from cycles of relationship imbalances.
Are you ready to explore this transformative journey?
Schedule a free consultation with me, and we’ll navigate this work together, acknowledging what feels right and empowering for you.
And if you're already feeling guilty just for reading this far down the webpage...
This work is not about placing blame. Chances are, your mother inherited her own wounds along her journey, impacting her ability to show up for you.
As you find compassion and healing for yourself, maybe you'll also find compassion for her and for the ancestral mothers who came before. Maybe your healing will prevent the transmission of this wounding for generations to come.
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If you are a Black woman needing financial assistance to pay for therapy, I'd be honored to accept The Loveland Foundation's therapy vouchers.
Apply here: https://thelovelandfoundation.org/therapy-fund/
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Shameka L. Mitchell, LCSW/LICSW
Licensed (Independent) Clinical Social Worker