Understanding Motherhood: Through a Woman’s Personal Myth

Abstract

Is motherhood a well-kept secret? This heuristic research explores how the lived experience of motherhood involves emotional landscapes that catch women unaware. This body of work involves the personal stories of 11 women. Personal images, expectations, and perceptions of what a mother is are embedded in ideologies that communicate powerful messages. These ideologies contribute to fictionalizations of motherhood that lead to a depth of feeling and ambivalence for mothers, with profound implications for the woman, child, family, community, and most importantly, the soul. Depth psychology utilizes mythology to bring awareness to the influences that shape our lives. Exploring our emotional experiences reveals the meaning we assign to images, ideas, and beliefs. It is the aim of this research to provide value to women, and to the professionals who work with women, as they contemplate, navigate, and reflect on motherhood as a way of attending to and caring for the soul.