Welcome, Mama!

I'm so excited to have you joining Mindfully Mama to learn about ways to connect with your body and reduce stress and negative self-talk. While I wish this course could be so comprehensive and cover everything, we're limited by time and resources so we're going to get right to the nitty gritty! At the end of this section, you'll even find your first assignment and there's a video about your instructor! In the future, I will offer other courses on related topics, but let's start with being a mindful mama!

What is a Mindful Mama?

• Whatever the heck you define that to be as long as you're aware!

Okay, so that might seem like an easy out, but it's actually true. Mindfulness is simply the concept of being aware, and being a mother who is aware can look different for everyone. In further sections, we will explore what mindfulness is and how to utilize it in your daily life.

What Can I Expect From This Course?

• Understand the physical responses in your body to stress and anxiety.
• Practice new stress reduction techniques at home.
• Improve your self-image by challenging negative self-talk.
• Meeting yourself where you're at in your motherhood journey without judgment.
• Joining a community of women who are struggling with similar feelings.

What Can I Not Expect From This Course?

• A quick fix to all emotional pains.
• A substitute for therapy or medication management.
• A way to avoid feeling difficult emotions.
• Information on everything about anxiety and stress that I may ever need to know--one stop shop!

This course will also offer a comprehensive list of resources and study material throughout that you can utilize at home at your own pace to continue working on becoming more mindful and more loving toward yourself.

At the end of the course, you will be given the option to join a private Facebook group with other students from this course. This community can be a great way of bonding with other mothers struggling with similar feelings, as well as utilizing as a sounding board for questions you might have from this course. It can also be a great way to hold each other accountable for implementing mindful practices into your life.

If at any point you have questions or feedback throughout this course, please feel free to email me directly at [email protected]. And, of course, please share with your mom friends if you enjoy it!

Your First Assignment:

• Take a selfie right now.
• Write down the following: today's date, your current mood, 3 ways you cope with stress, and how you feel you're doing as a mother.
• Save it for later! You'll see why when you're done with the course.

Good luck! I can't wait to see your journey unfold!

Grateful,

Sarah Nealy, MA (Forensic Psychology), MA (Clinical Mental Health Counseling), NCC, Resident in Counseling (VA)

Mental Health Therapist

Email: m[email protected]

Supervised by Dr. Tracy Bushkoff (Lic# 0701001581)