Surviving the Final Summer Stretch: Support for Working Moms from a Postpartum Depression Therapist in Houston, TX
If you're like me, you've been enjoying the lazier days of summer, but being out of our usual routine has left me feeling scatter-brained, overstimulated, and second-guessing myself every other hour. I’ve had more “what day is it again?” moments than I care to admit. And while I love a pool and popsicle day as much as the next mom, I’ve also found myself clinging to the edge of sanity while juggling work, motherhood, and the great abyss that is “summer childcare.”
If you're a working mom, especially one navigating postpartum or early motherhood, you’re likely crawling toward the end of summer with equal parts exhaustion and guilt. Guilt for wishing it away. Exhaustion from carrying the mental load without a break. Maybe you're even wondering why you feel so out of sorts when everyone else seems to be soaking up the summer bliss.
Here’s the truth: this time of year is uniquely hard for working moms. The novelty of June has worn off, the childcare puzzle pieces have shifted for the hundredth time, and you’re trying to keep everything afloat—without losing yourself in the process. As a postpartum depression therapist in Houston, TX, I hear it from my clients constantly: “Why am I so frazzled?”
The good news? You’re not alone—and there are ways to feel more grounded, more confident, and more like yourself again.
This post is inspired by the brilliant Dr. Emily McMason and her podcast The Mom Room. Her episode “Frazzled, Unorganized, and Needing a Confidence Boost” offers some incredibly practical tools that I often echo in my work with new and postpartum moms. Below, I’ve expanded on her insights with a therapeutic lens to help you finish this summer stretch feeling less frazzled and more supported.
1. Reframe the Frazzle
It’s easy to blame yourself when you feel frazzled: I should have planned better. I should be more organized. I should be enjoying this more. But feeling frazzled is not a personal failure—it’s often a sign that your brain is overloaded.
Summer disrupts the natural rhythm of motherhood. Childcare changes, routines collapse, and you’re operating without many of the supports that hold you together during the school year.
Start by normalizing the frazzle. Try saying: “It makes sense that I’m feeling this way. This season is hard.” You don’t need to fix the feeling—you just need to acknowledge it.
2. Create Micro-Moments of Control
If everything feels chaotic, find one or two small things you can actually control. Not your toddler’s mood. Not your partner’s work schedule. But maybe:
You drink your coffee before it gets cold.
You put on real clothes before 9am.
You light a candle while you clean the kitchen.
These micro-moments can build a sense of agency, which is a powerful antidote to that overwhelmed, unorganized spiral. You don’t need a full plan—just a foothold.
3. Name the Narrative in Your Head
A lot of moms I work with aren’t just struggling with logistics—they’re struggling with self-doubt. If you’ve found yourself thinking, I’m not doing enough. I’m messing this up. Everyone else has it together, pause and ask: Is that true? Or is that just my inner critic being loud today?
The stories we tell ourselves shape how we feel. When you’re already sleep-deprived and overstimulated, those critical thoughts can feel like facts.
Take a page from Dr. McMason’s playbook: Name the story. Say, “This is the story my brain is telling me today.” You don’t have to believe it. Just noticing it creates space to choose something different.
4. Celebrate the “Half Wins”
Maybe you didn’t make it to the big summer festival you promised. But you did make it through the week with only one meltdown (yours or theirs—no judgment). Maybe you haven’t cleaned out the toy bins, but you made sandwiches and laughed with your kid at lunch.
Celebrate the “half wins.” These small victories are often the real work of motherhood. And they matter more than any Pinterest-worthy summer bucket list.
In therapy, I call this shifting the bar. Not lowering expectations because you’re failing, but adjusting them to match reality. This is especially crucial for postpartum moms, who are often still healing physically, mentally, and emotionally.
5. Connect, Don’t Compare
Social media will tell you that other moms are thriving—traveling, crafting, momming at 110%. But what it won’t show you is the crying in the bathroom, the late-night Google searches, or the whispered “I can’t do this” moments.
Instead of comparing, try connecting. Text a friend and say, “This week is rough. You too?” Join a support group. Work with a therapist who gets what it’s like to mother in this weird, pressure-filled culture.
Real connection will soothe your nervous system. Comparison just spikes your anxiety.
You Deserve Support—Not Just Survival
If this summer has left you feeling like a shaken soda can—ready to explode or completely drained—you don’t have to wait for the school year to start to get relief.
As a holistic therapist for mothers in Houston, I specialize in postpartum counseling that honors the complexity of your life. Whether you’re dealing with PPD, anxiety, burnout, or just feeling lost in motherhood, therapy can help you find your footing again.
Ready to feel more like yourself again?
Let’s talk. Whether you’re a new mom, a solo parent, or just hanging on by a thread this August, support is available.
1. Name What Matters (And Let the Rest Go)
Right now, everything can feel urgent. Planning for fall schedules, keeping the fridge stocked, finding time to answer work emails, and also trying to soak up "precious summer memories" like Instagram tells us to. Here's your permission slip to name what matters most—and let go of the rest.
This might mean deciding that family dinners take priority over organized outings. Or that screen time goes up this month so you can finish that project at work without screaming. Naming what matters brings clarity. You don’t need to “do it all”—just do what matters to you.
2. Transition with Intention
The end of summer is full of transitions, and transitions are hard on our nervous systems—especially if you're navigating postpartum hormones or the mental load of motherhood. Instead of letting life drag you forward, take a moment to transition intentionally.
Create a ritual or small moment to acknowledge the shift: a “back to school” breakfast, a quiet walk reflecting on the summer, or even a journal check-in. Doing this helps your brain (and body) process change in a more grounded way.
3. Reset the Rhythm
By August, most of our routines are out the window. That’s okay. You don’t need to overhaul your whole life—just reset the rhythm.
This might be as simple as:
Bringing back consistent bedtimes (for you and the kids).
Planning three predictable meals a week.
Creating a 10-minute morning anchor (a stretch, a coffee in silence, a quick meditation).
Rhythms aren’t strict schedules—they’re touchpoints that help regulate your nervous system and reduce decision fatigue. And that’s gold during a season when everything feels a little off-kilter.
4. Get Playful with Planning
I know “planning” might not sound fun—but hear me out. Dr. McMason reframes planning as a playful practice. Think of it as designing your day or week in a way that honors your bandwidth and your family’s needs.
Instead of rigid schedules, try flexible themes: Mondays are “water play” days, Wednesdays are “movie afternoons,” Fridays are “takeout and early bedtime.” Planning in this way creates some structure without pressure—and gives you an easy way to say “yes” or “no” to things.
5. Normalize the Messy Middle
There’s nothing wrong with you if this time of year feels hard. It’s not that you're not doing enough—it’s that you’re doing a lot. Many of us are parenting without the village we need, and even more of us are carrying mental loads that are invisible to others.
If you find yourself more irritable, weepy, or just over it, know this: those are valid postpartum and parenting experiences. They don’t mean you’re failing. They mean you’re human. And maybe it’s time for more support.
When to Seek Therapy
If this final stretch of summer has tipped you into feeling overwhelmed most days—or you’re noticing signs of postpartum depression, anxiety, or rage that aren’t letting up—it might be time to connect with a therapist who understands this specific season of motherhood.
As a holistic therapist for mothers in Houston, I work with new moms, working moms, and solo moms to process their experience, reconnect with themselves, and navigate motherhood in a way that feels sustainable. You deserve support that honors your whole self—not just the mom part.
You Don’t Have to Wait for School to Start to Feel Better
August doesn’t have to break you. With a few mindset shifts, some gentler expectations, and maybe a nap or two, you can make it through this final summer stretch with a little more grace.
And if not? If it all still feels too heavy or too lonely? That’s not a failure. It’s a cue. Reach out. You were never meant to do this alone.
Looking for postpartum counseling in Houston, TX?
I specialize in therapy for working moms, postpartum depression, and maternal mental health. Whether you're in the thick of newborn life or navigating toddler tantrums while working full time, I'm here to help you feel more like yourself again.
