Helping Working Mothers Face the Challenges of an Intensive Mothering Culture

Abstract

Approximately one third of women in the U.S. workforce have children 18 years of age or younger. In addition to the typical career development challenges faced by women, which include pay inequity, lower levels of education, and low career self-efficacy, working mothers do a disproportionate amount of unpaid household tasks and childcare, are seen as less competent and dedicated to their work, and face deeply entrenched cultural ideals of the best ways to be a mother. Counselors can help working mothers by being aware of their own personal bias when counseling, validating the experience of working mothers, and utilizing appropriate and supportive interventions. It is recommended that counselors also help clients, their partners, and their families develop strategies to reduce the impact of the intensive mothering culture at work and home.