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Meet Rose from Seattle!

Follow Rose on Instagram!
Check out her Youtube channel!

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Everyone welcome to Rose! Hi mama, how are you today?

I’m feeling ok but still dealing with a lot of panic attacks as I’m in a multiple months-long recovery from an illness.

How many children do you have?

I’ve got a 5-year-old son though you’d be forgiven for mistaking him as a feral ferret at times.

What first comes to mind when you think of mental health?

How undervalued it is in our country. There’s so much shame wrapped around taking time to care and tend to our mental health.

Do you suffer from any mental illnesses yourself?

I’ve developed a panic disorder from a traumatic complication from the flu last year and it’s been the first time in my life where I’ve felt as though I was going crazy with panic attack after panic attack.

How was your mental health before you became a mama? How has motherhood changed or improved your mental health?

I did not spend enough time on my mental wellbeing before becoming a mama. Pre-motherhood I just kind of plowed through and tried to get on with it. Now, after tending to the mental and emotional wellbeing of my son I see how important it is to care and tend to ourselves as well. I think being a mother has made me much more aware of how delicate our emotional state is.

How do you self care?

For me, self-care starts with caring for my body by working out and not eating all the cheesecake I can find (only some of it). Once I know I’ve got my body tended to I need downtime to rest and recharge my mind. When I can’t find downtime for just me, which is often, I’ll do a spa night with my son where we sit around and put silly face masks on and watch a cartoon or do a dance party. It is calming and doesn’t force me to find a baby sitter just to do self-care.

Any advice for other mamas?

If you’re suffering through panic attacks trying to just push trough is not going to help. I found a lot of comfort in podcasts on anxiety that have helped me be present when I’m panicking and allow my body to breath through it without worsening the panic attacks. It doesn’t make you weak to ask for help or say you need extra people around when you’re going through hard moments. The need for emotional support when you’re dealing with mental health concerns is valid and important.

What’s the scoop on Izzy?

What’s your drink of choice?

I love pomegranate juice mixed with sparkling water and a dash of fresh lime juice.

Do you have a favorite book?

As a romance author myself I love reading the genre. As far as mental health goes, reading is a huge thing in my life to calm me down and help me sleep better.

What’s the cutest thing your kid has done?

My son always makes me laugh. He loves to put on big shows with scary ghost stories but he pronounces them as ‘pooky hos’. So I end up having to watch a lot of pooky hos.

Sweet or salty?

Sweet. All the dang chocolate, all the day long.

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Interested in being interviewed for Mothers & Mental Health?

Your voice and your story matter. Send me an email at tianiangelax@gmail.com with the subject INTERVIEW and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

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As always, thanks so much for reading! Questions, comments, and feedback are always welcome. If you enjoyed this post, please comment, like and share! Make sure to check out my Instagram; @T_scorner 💋