A Strong Back 2: Part 1
For a new mother whose body has weakened from pregnancy and giving birth, strength is almost non-negotiable and therefore inevitable, no matter how long it takes.
A Strong Back 2 is dedicated to those that are intimately acquainted with early motherhood. This is a personal story, not medical, counseling, or parenting advice. See full disclaimer below.
“Do a body scan… What stands out in your body?” The therapist opened with a usual request.
Facing me from her laptop, the therapist sat in her home in Southern California, her radiant pink and purple hair beaming through the screen. Her two pups were barking and racing outside the closed door, so loud that my mind’s eye could see them rummaging through the house for their mama (but also so endearing that I would give them plenty of belly rubs). “Sorry about that… Can you hear me okay?” Her voice softened with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“Yes, no worries. My son might need me if he wakes up from a short nap, so I might have to step away for a bit. His naps are still inconsistent, since we gave up on sleep training.” I explained to the therapist, a mother herself. She understood and nodded.
At the time, she was a student trainee working towards gaining her practicum hours and completing her master’s degree, so she could start her internship years as an associate therapist. With a long and formidable journey ahead before she could practice independently as a licensed therapist, she had endless paperwork, thousands of hours of clinical and continuous education experience, and several exams awaiting her in the next few years.