Women can face a broad range of difficulties throughout their lives. There are ongoing social and cultural pressures as to how women ‘should’ behave, and breaking out of this mould often results in negative judgement or criticism. 

The decision to have children, or not. The feedback from others about this issue. 

Trying to have children, but experiencing fertility issues or loss- it’s heartbreaking. 

There are workplace inequalities (such as the pay gap), and mothers can be locked out of employment due to limited part-time or casual roles available to balance with child-rearing commitments. Less time in the full-time workforce throughout a woman’s working life also poses difficulty for retirement and superannuation. When women become mothers, they are often the primary or solitary caregiver and shoulder the ‘mental load’ of motherhood: the endless to-do list and organisation or coordination of what needs to be done when, and for whom. This usually sits on top of the fact that women do the bulk of the housework, even when they work the same amount as their partner. It’s exhausting.

One in three women will experience some form of gender-based violence, such as sexual or physical assault. These types of trauma pose a higher risk for traumatisation, and women have higher rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety than men. Women are at higher risk for mental health issues than men, which is thought to be the result of multiple contributors (such as the factors outlined above). Times of key hormonal change (such as puberty, pregnancy and postpartum, and perimenopause/menopause), women are at higher risk again of developing a mental health issue. 

Of course, this summary does not cover all the issues that affect women- but it demonstrates some of the difficulties specific to women, as well as the strain of these. If you would like to obtain support from a psychologist who understands your burden and is passionate about supporting women, then contact for an appointment today.