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Thanksgiving is all about gratitude, right? But sometimes, moms have a hard time feeling grateful, even if they lead seemingly rewarding lives. I wrote this piece last Thanksgiving in an effort to free moms from the pressure to be grateful. I think this message is even more relevant this year, given what’s been happening in our country. It can be…
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I had my first son in April, and by June, I was already thinking about Halloween. I loved Halloween as a kid (that’s me and my best friend Annie in the picture, in homemade “wrapped present” costumes). Once my son was born, I could not wait to expose him to the joy that only a night of costumes and free…
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It’s summer! Time for barbecues! And swim parties! And lazy afternoons spent basking in the sun! Summertime is fun time! Right. Right? Here’s the thing about the summer, though. Routines get upended. Kids aren’t in school and may be away from home for several weeks (or even several months). Work schedules become lighter or more flexible. Families often go away…
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Here’s my most recent piece for Scary Mommy, about how I made a conscious choice not to care so much on the day of my nephew’s bar mitzvah. What I’ve learned–and what I share with my patients–is that we parents often find ourselves in situations in which we simply cannot have control (like, for example, a bar mitzvah on a…
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I’d like to start out this post about overcoming holiday loneliness by sharing a snippet of a conversation I heard this morning at my local grocery store: Mom 1: You know that movie A Christmas Story? At least two channels play it on loop from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day. Mom 2: Looks like we’ll be going to my uncle’s…
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Here’s a piece I wrote for Scary Mommy, about coping with the pressure to be grateful at Thanksgiving: It’s November, that time of year when the gratitude-industrial complex once again launches its campaign to educate us about the endless benefits of gratitude. When everyone from NPR to Oprah urges us to be thankful for what we have. And who has…
Mom Brain Book

Proven Strategies to Fight the Anxiety, Guilt, and Overwhelming Emotions of Motherhood—and Relax into Your New Self
About Me

I’m Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco, Ph.D., aka DrCBTMom. DrCBTMom.com combines the expert advice of a self-help book with the warmth and readability of a mommy blog.
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