While women are not a monolith, many experience social pressure and cultural expectations (such as being told what not to wear by a controlling partner, or the pressure to have children).

These questions are often asked in a safe space such as a therapist’s office. Of course, these issues vary by age, race, religion, and socioeconomic status. But I feel like I see a lot of it, and a lot of similar themes come up a lot in relationships.

Many of these questions can be overwhelming at times, but it’s helpful to know that you’re not the only one experiencing them. Below, experts share common problems women face during treatment, as well as some suggestions on how to deal with them.

Life transitions

Life changes are the reason many people seek treatment.

Becoming a parent, getting divorced, empty nest syndrome, or menopause.These transitions can bring a range of emotions and challenges, and therapy can provide support and guidance during these times.

Any major life adjustment can bring up unresolved issues from the past, whether it’s feelings of loneliness from losing a loved one as a child when you moved to a new state, or depression when your child was born. Moving out can remind you of the depression you experienced in college.

Becoming more self-aware is one way to help you through life transitions. This can help people understand why they are going through such difficult times and what they can do to feel better.

An inability to define themselves outside of motherhood, marriage or a career

Many women struggle with who they are—”Who am I outside of being a mother, wife, or girlfriend?” The same goes for people outside of their careers.

This might look like, “I recently became a mother and I feel like I don’t have any friends,” or “I feel like I don’t connect with people like I used to.” For those of you who are transitioning into a new career or don’t really know this can also happen to people who want to do something, but know that what they are doing now does not work for them.

People enter therapy to address this issue while still maintaining relationships with their children, partners, or fulfilling daily work responsibilities.

To help people in this situation, people should identify who they are at that time and their ideal self. What do we need to do to get you across that bridge to your ideal self? What needs of yours are not being met? What goals and desires do you have that you would like to achieve but haven’t yet?

Once you identify your goals and desires, you can prioritize those that make you feel fulfilled and take steps to achieve that goal.

Stress about motherhood, like not wanting kids or wanting kids but struggling to get pregnant

I think the whole umbrella of reproduction and fertility is also intertwined with a lot of treatment issues for women.

Whether it’s about not wanting a baby, the stress of pregnancy, infertility, the stress of uncertainty about reproductive rights in the United States, or questions about balancing kids and career, many baby-related issues are at the center of therapy.

There are beliefs and social expectations that need to be addressed. Many ideas about pregnancy and motherhood are ingrained in our culture. You can decide to adopt when you’re 45, you can get pregnant years later than your friends, or you can decide not to have children at all, and that’s okay.

While these topics can be difficult to deal with, it’s important to normalize conversations with women around you and not make people feel judged.

It’s so important to talk to other women and realize that being a woman is not one-dimensional. There are a million different images of women in America today. We are hard enough on ourselves, the last thing we need to do is question the choices women make, but be more curious and open about their experiences.

Self-esteem and self-worth

Some common issues people have are self-esteem and self-worth, how people feel about themselves.

Work on developing self-confidence so that people can be who they want to be in their own lives without too much social pressure and body image issues or even past trauma or past relationships. Maybe something was done to lower their self-worth and sense of themselves.

This lack of self-esteem also manifests itself in self-comparison and negative self-talk.

It’s never too late to start improving your relationship with yourself. Getting to know yourself better and understanding your limiting beliefs can ultimately help you break this harmful cycle. Journaling, support groups, and therapy are all ways to learn more about yourself.

The pressure of having to do it all

There is a deep-rooted belief that women need to do it all—work, clean, cook, raise children—without any help. Many women struggle with the idea that they should be superwomen. They should have it all figured out, and not only that, they should do it with a smile.

Some women feel that society places high demands on them, and it can be difficult to know where to start, especially if some of the pressure is not something they willingly endure.

If you’re always trying, working, doing all these things to please other people, how are you going to please yourself, right? How do you develop that relationship with yourself, right? You don’t feel like you have to prove yourself to anyone.

Anxiety

Women may experience higher levels of stress and anxiety due to a variety of factors, including work pressure, family responsibilities, social expectations, and personal goals.

Anxiety is also associated with overthinking, which can manifest as self-doubt—such as overanalyzing your own behavior in past situations. For example, think back to a time when you overanalyzed something you said at a party. You may be thinking “Why did I say that?” or “Why am I an idiot?” In fact, no one is likely to have thought of the so-called mistake you’re struggling with.

To combat this, To pay attention to rational versus irrational thought patterns in your life. Is it possible that someone might say something as “stupid” as you did at the party? Probably not. Additionally, you can consider what thoughts are keeping you stuck in past behaviors and what you can change in that thought process to move forward.

Seeking help to deal with all of this is important

If this is happening to you, know that you are not alone and you don’t have to deal with it alone. The always-on culture demands a lot from people, so it’s no wonder you feel overwhelmed.

There are fewer and fewer safe spaces for women, leaving many feeling like they just have to “get it right” the first time. Think about it: if a woman is older and hasn’t settled down yet, she gets blamed. But if she were a single mother, she’d be blamed for it, too. This is very unfair.

There’s a lot of double standards that play into how women have this superhero, superwoman complex.

It’s important for women to find a community to lean on during difficult times.We shouldn’t handle things alone. We are social creatures.I think it’s important for women to lean on other women.

You can seek support from friends or family, or you can seek help through therapy, which can help you deal with any of the above (and more).