Ep. 46 Complex Trauma, Motherhood and The Empty Nest (Ranyah Sabry)
- Neil Parekh
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 20 hours ago
Women who have endured complex trauma often pour themselves deeply into motherhood. Parenting becomes more than a role—it becomes a purpose, a place of safety, and sometimes a way to rewrite the past. The well-being of their children becomes the center of their world. Their needs come second, sometimes disappearing altogether, because they see themselves first and foremost as caregivers.
But eventually, children grow up.
And when they do, a very unsettling feeling can emerge. The role that once defined everything begins to shift. Children begin to build their own lives, make their own decisions, and create their own independence. While this is healthy and necessary, it can leave mothers who have centered their identity around parenting asking difficult questions:
Who am I if I am not needed in the same way anymore?
What do I do with the energy I once poured into my children?
How do I begin to focus on myself after so many years of putting my needs aside?
Ranyah Sabry is our guest for Ep. 46 of Shining Light on Shadows: A Candid Conversation About Mental Health, “Complex Trauma, Motherhood and The Empty Nest” Thursday, March 19 at 7pm ET / 6pm CT / 4pm PT.
Watch the recording here or watch and comment on social media: Facebook* | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram**
*Facebook will delete the video in about 30 days (approx. April 18).
**We won't know the exact urls for Twitter or Instagram until we go live on Thursday.
For now, these links go to Neil's main pages.
I first met Ranyah when I lived in Egypt more than 20 years ago. We reconnected recently after she moved to Northern Virginia.
She and Dawn both have a lot to say on this subject of finding an identity beyond motherhood.
Read their blog posts:
Ranyah Sabry, “If My Daughters Don’t Need Me Like They Once Did, Who Am I Now?”
Dawn Neuburg, “Rediscovering Oneself, Finding an Identity Beyond Motherhood”
Programming Notes
On March 5, Alejandra Anastas joined us for Ep. 45, “The Mental Health Impact of Living in Fear of ICE.” It was another eye-opening episode. If you missed it, I encourage you to watch and/or read her blog post.
Background
Dawn and I launched this twice a month show (usually the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month) in order to help reduce the stigma associated with mental health. Thank you for being part of our community.
We are proud to be in Year 3 of the show. If you are interested in being a guest on the show or know someone who might be interested, please let us know. We’re looking for people who would be willing to share their story, advocates and people who work in the field of mental health.
We hope you can watch the show and share your own thoughts in the comments.
Resources / Relevant Links
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline
800-950-6264 Or text "HelpLine" to 6264; nami.org
Mental Health America Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org; mhanational.org Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) National Sexual Assault Hotline 800-656-HOPE (4673); rainn.org
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