By Katie Bailey, MA, LPC
Meet Sarah. She has three perfectly behaved children. Her husband adores her and they have a stellar marriage. She runs her own business and takes care of the children full time. She also runs every morning, never ever eats a bite of sugar, and can host an awesome party on a moments notice. Her house is sparkling clean and organized at all times. Her family has all the money they need, can take a vacation at any time, and never has a care in the world. Everyone LOVES Sarah.
Sarah is fake. She is a lie. She simply does not exist.
We tend to assume everyone but us has it all together. Social media only supports this lie in our head – everyone’s posted pictures show a perfect, ideal life. But that’s just not the full story.
We all (even therapists!) have issues and challenges. My kids have had some serious tantrums in the grocery store. Remember Monica on Friends? She was a clean freak, but remember how Chandler discovered her junk closet?? We all have our own version of the junk closet.
Maybe it’s your laundry that never gets folded or your family ate cereal for dinner again last night. Perhaps you have an anger problem and keep blowing up at your kids and spouse. Or it could be work – maybe you get so nervous at presentations or meetings you throw up in the bathroom beforehand. Could be you feel a sense of overwhelming panic at random times that makes you freeze and you don’t know why.
Whatever your challenge is, please rest assured, no one has it all together. Not you, not me, not your neighbor with the perfect yard (they probably pay a landscaper!), not all the other moms in the car line. If whatever you’re facing is affecting your daily life, it’s time to ask for help. Call me and let’s chat to see if I am the right fit for you. If not, I will point you to someone who can help. Lime Tree Counseling offers anxiety counseling as well as many other helpful services. From one person who doesn’t have it all together to another: we all need help sometimes.