MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Nowadays, parenthood can feel like a lot. It comes with ups, downs, joys and stresses.
Data in the Parents Under Pressure study from the U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents showed almost half of parents said their stress was overwhelming most days, nearly double that of a childless adult.
But one Mid-South organization has turned into a resource for single moms to address their mental health.
As a single mother for more than 24 years, Margaret Cowan understood the struggles of motherhood, and while she had a support system, but Cowan saw a harsh truth when she came to the Mid-South.
“When I moved to Memphis, I realized that that wasn’t everyone’s story,” said Cowan.
With encouragement from her own mother, Cowan founded the non-profit 'I Am My Sister's Keeper' in 2018. The organization grew into a place single mother's like Cowan could turn to when they needed it most.
The subject of mental health continues to be an issue more an more people attempt to address. An article from Howard University stated the pandemic, ongoing racial trauma, and the fight for social justice brought mental well-being into the forefront of many conversations.
According to data from the National Library of Medicine, the pandemic alone increased interpersonal conflict for parents, and added additional responsibilities as well as economic struggles, which had a negative impact on a parents mental health.
“In our community mental healthcare was not a thing until recent," said Cowan. "So some women are still not sure how they feel about it… This is a safe space for women to say 'I love my kids, but I don’t like them today.'”
Eventually the success and support of the non-profit made it possible for mothers to gather annually for a Mothers Mental Health Retreat. Now in its third year, 30 mothers will come together Oct. 5th to listen to speakers, learn parenting tools, and have a place to be heard.
“The mental health retreat allowed me to unpack a lot of childhood trauma, and taught me new ways of parenting as it pertains to my own children,” said Lanikia Williams, who attended the retreat in the past.
“There’s a safe space for that, and I think to hear that, triggers something in them that ‘I’m not a bad mom because I feel like this, I’m not alone in my feelings like this.’ And so then they realize that this is a place that they can come and be themselves, and women understands what that means,” said Cowan.
While registration is closed for the retreat this year, you can still apply to join "I Am My Sister's Keeper" using THIS LINK.