Supporting Mothers Through Matrescence and Patriarchal Motherhood: A Call to Action for Professionals

This is HOW we expand the conversation on Maternal Mental Health.

First and foremost - this blog is NOT clinical advice nor is it intended to minimize PMADS or maternal mental health. In fact, it is to strengthen this conversation, expand it and bring more attention to it, from all disciplines and providers who work with Mothers.

A Crucial Shift in Perspective

As professionals who support mothers, whether clinically or in other capacities, I’ve come to believe that we cannot truly offer meaningful help without expanding our perspective. If I’m being entirely honest, I think that without this expanded view, we are inadvertently reinforcing the very systems and norms we are trying to help mothers break free from. It’s a bit twisted, isn’t it? But that’s the insidious, hidden nature of patriarchy, especially as it’s embedded in the medical and traditional models of care.

This work—supporting mothers and helping them navigate the complexities of matrescence and Motherhood—isn’t just about offering tools for well-being. It's anti-oppression work. It’s liberation work. It’s part of a larger movement.

You’re likely here because, at some point, you felt it in your body. Something didn’t sit right. Perhaps it was the over-pathologizing of mothers, the lack of systemic support, or the child-centered frameworks that require mothers to lose themselves entirely in motherhood.

This is the first stage of the cycle of liberation, as Harro describes it—the “waking up.” It’s the moment when you stop and begin to ask why. Why is it so hard? Why isn’t motherhood what you imagined it would be? Why do you feel disconnected or unable to enjoy it as you thought you would? This is the awakening that leads to a quest—not just to rediscover who you are as a person (or to help your client rediscover themselves), but also to understand why it happened in the first place. And, ultimately, it’s about becoming empowered to create change—both personally and collectively.

As I’ve delved deeper into this work, especially at the intersection of matrescence (the process of becoming a mother) and patriarchal motherhood, I’ve seen how these two concepts are intrinsically linked. They’re part of the same larger puzzle.

The Power of Matrescence

Matrescence is the process of coming into or coming back into being. It’s about fully embodying everything that you are—as both a woman and a mother. It’s an evolution of consciousness that, when supported and unrestrained, opens the door to personal empowerment. Matrescence invites women to step into their power, reclaim their identities, and embrace the expansive potential of motherhood.

Yet, this journey is not without its barriers. In the context of patriarchal motherhood, matrescence is often stifled. Patriarchal systems confine women, define them, and limit their ability to embody their full selves as mothers. These systems shut them down, minimize their power, and tell them what motherhood should look like, rather than allowing them to define it for themselves.

Supporting Mothers in Resistance

To truly support a mother in embodying her matrescence, we must support her in resisting the confines of patriarchal motherhood. The two cannot exist in isolation. They are inherently intertwined. In fact, as a woman steps into her matrescence, there’s often an accompanying activation of advocacy, creation, and social justice. The very act of embracing matrescence can be a transformative experience—a resistance to the oppressive systems that limit her.

This process of awakening is vital. Whatever "wakes her up," we must support her in listening. This is in-powerment in practice. That small moment of “wake up” is the door to transformation—and, ultimately, to liberation.

Your "Wake Up" Moment

I want to ask you: What was your "wake up" moment? The one that made you stop and question the systems around you, the ones that made you rethink the way you view motherhood, support, and the world?

Now, the real question is: Will you open that door and, with courage and conviction, walk through it? Will you continue on this journey of in-powerment, for both yourself and the mothers you support?

This work is not just about them—it’s about us too. We are here, waiting for you to join us in this collective quest for liberation, for creating a world that truly supports mothers, in all their complexity and power.

The Call to Action

We cannot truly support mothers without challenging the systems that oppress them. To do so is to be part of something bigger: a movement that’s about in-powerment, social justice, and the collective liberation of all mothers. If we are to support mothers in their transformation, we must also commit to our own.

So, I ask again: Will you open the door and step into this work of liberation? We’re waiting, together, for this transformative shift.

Learn More and Get Involved

Professionally: The Matricentric Way is leading this paradigm shift - it truly is expanding the conversation on maternal mental health. If you are a professional that supports Mothers, I invite you to enroll in The Matricentric Way, either LIVE or self-paced. Join this movement today so that we can transform not only the lives of the individual Mothers we support, but the greater collective of Mothers.

Personally: The Becoming Mama course is available self-paced for any Mother within her first 7 or so years postpartum, interested in learning more about her matrescence AND the impact of Patriarchal Motherhood on her experience of being a Mother. (NOTE: this is NOT a substitute for clinical therapy NOR is it recommended to treat maternal mental health challenges. Consult your therapist for any mental health concerns.)