Holding Hope in Uncertain Times

“Paralysis. Uncertainty. Powerlessness. Fear. Anxiety. Grief. Sadness. Heaviness. Anger. Unsafety. Confusion.”

These are some of the feelings we’ve been hearing lately in our therapy rooms and in conversations with mothers in our community. These emotions are not unfamiliar in seasons of reproductive transition – pregnancy, postpartum, parenting, and identity shifts often bring vulnerability and questioning, however, many of these feelings seem to presently carry a different weight. One that feels heavier, more constant and harder to ignore.

Women have felt the burden of the world and caring for their unborn and earthside children for generations. Yet today, with images and stories of pain, injustice, and suffering within reach, many women are questioning the world their children are growing up in, wondering whether or not to expand their families, and grappling with how to raise the next generation with the values they hold close.

We are navigating the demands of caregiving and the emotional labor of making sense of uncertainty, while trying to create safety and stability at home. Parenting through uncertainty is hard. Doing it with care and connection means you are already doing something right.

We are not naïve enough to believe we have answers for the complex realities unfolding around us. We sit with this tension daily, alongside the mothers we support: how can we hold the desire  to protect, to help, to make things better, while also making space for the limitations of what any one person can control.

While we cannot change the larger systemic stressors shaping our lives, we can shift how we relate to them. Much of our work, both personally and professionally, is about grounding our hearts and minds from the chaos and uncertainty just enough to continue to show up for ourselves and our families, without becoming consumed by the chaos around us.

Below are a few reflections that we have found helpful, both in our own lives and in our work with clients to find ground when everything feels uncertain:

• Separate values from news cycles. Politics and headlines change quickly and our values endure. When conversations feel overwhelming, return to what matters most to you. Kindness. Fairness. Empathy. Standing up for others. Curiosity. Critical thinking. These are the foundations children carry forward, regardless of the moment we are living in.
• Choose where your energy goes. Not every problem requires your immediate attention or action. Some questions to gently consider: Is there an action, big or small, that aligns with my values right now? Is this something I can realistically influence (even if only slightly)? What would it look like to contribute without depleting myself?
• Honor your emotional response. Fear, anger, grief, and anxiety are appropriate responses to uncertainty and our ever-changing landscape. Acknowledging what you feel, without immediately needing to fix it, can create more space, steadiness and permission to care for the self.
• Build your community. Connection is one of our most protective factors. When we feel isolated, everything feels scarier. Being with people who share our values, listen without judgment, and allow space for both worry and hope can help regulate our nervous systems and remind us that we are not carrying this alone.
• Expand the good. Connection at the dinner table. Repair after conflict. Showing your child how to care for others. These small, consistent acts of humanity matter more than we often realize and help us see what is going well.

Hope, in times like these, is not about denying difficulty. It is about continuing to choose connection, care, and presence even when things feel uncertain.