You Are Not Broken: How Understanding Identity Can Build Resilience for Moms in Austin, TX
Do you ever feel like something is wrong with you? Like you’re supposed to be able to keep it all together—but somehow, you just can’t? Many moms in Austin, TX wrestle with thoughts like I’m not good enough or I’m just so broken. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone—and more importantly, you are not broken. At Barton Creek Counseling, we help women reconnect with the deeper truth of who they are: whole, valuable, and wise.
WHY SELF-DOUBT AND SHAME FEEL SO FAMILIAR
So many of us carry self-critical thoughts that began years ago. Our sense of self—how we describe, evaluate, and relate to ourselves—gets shaped by our experiences, roles, and expectations. Psychologists call this our self-concept.
But when our self-concept is based mostly on comparison, perfectionism, or unmet expectations, we end up feeling like we’re not measuring up. We believe we’re flawed. This impacts our:
Self-esteem (how much we like ourselves)
Self-image (how we view our appearance, roles, and behaviors)
Ideal self (who we think we should be)
The greater the gap between your current self and your ideal self, the harder it is to feel at peace.
Rediscovering Self-Worth and Identity
While self-concept is important, it’s also unstable. It changes based on our mood, feedback from others, and daily events. That’s why we also need to know and stay connected to our essential self.
Your essential self is the deep, unchanging truth about who you are. It’s the part of you that was there when you were born—whole, worthy, and full of wisdom. No mistake, emotion, or comparison can touch it.
This understanding becomes a powerful tool for:
Healing from self-criticism
Regulating emotions
Building long-term resilience
When moms reconnect to this core self, they show up more grounded, confident, and compassionate—with themselves and their families.
WHO THIS IS FOR
This concept is especially important for moms who:
Struggle with self-esteem or shame
Feel defined by their mistakes or perceived failures
Want to model healthy identity for their kids
Are healing from trauma, comparison, or perfectionism
You deserve to feel safe inside your own mind. You deserve to know that your worth isn’t conditional.
A SIMPLE EXERCISE TO RECONNECT WITH YOURSELF
1. Write your current self-concept. List how you see yourself today—your roles, traits, emotions, habits, appearance, or struggles. Be honest.
2. Add the deeper truth. Now add this statement: And I am whole, valuable, and wise.
3. Try it with your child. List your child’s age, behaviors, and personality traits. Then add: And they are whole, valuable, and wise.
This practice helps you hold both realities: the changing nature of behavior and emotion, and the solid, unshakable truth of worth.
WHY THIS APPROACH WORKS
At Barton Creek Counseling in Austin, we use identity-based approaches that blend psychology with compassion. Tools from self-compassion theory, cognitive behavioral therapy, and ACT help moms understand the difference between the thoughts they have and the truth of who they are.
This shift helps you:
Regulate your emotions more effectively
Interrupt shame spirals
Parent from a place of connection, not fear
When you stop trying to "fix" yourself and start reconnecting to your core, healing becomes possible.
YOU ARE NOT BROKEN—AND YOU NEVER WERE
You were born with value. That has never changed.
If you’re a mom in Austin, TX, or anywhere, struggling with self-worth, guilt, or emotional overwhelm, you don’t have to stay stuck. Therapy can help you find your way back to the person you’ve always been underneath it all.
Schedule a session at Barton Creek Counseling today and take the next step toward reconnecting with your essential self—so you can live and lead from a place of calm, confidence, and clarity.