Unburdening Motherhood - by Angele Close (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Practical tools to help mothers heal so they can approach motherhood with more self-trust, compassion, and joy.

When clinical psychologist and mindfulness meditation teacher Dr. Angele Close started a family, she assumed she would have the skills, maturity, and all the love to create a harmonious, joy-filled home. But past trauma and the heavy weight of cultural myths about what makes "a good mother" turned parenting into a minefield of triggers. To truly break the cycle of generational pain, she realized she still had inner work to do while also navigating the relentless demands of modern-day motherhood.

Close's experience is all too familiar to many mothers. A recent US Surgeon General advisory confirmed that 33% of parents experience high levels of stress, with nearly half feeling overwhelmed. Studies show that mothers, more than fathers, find parenting stressful and feel judged, often leading to isolating, burnout, and depression. Add to that, many feel the burden of cultural myths like:

• A good mom loves all aspects of motherhood.
• A good mom sacrifices her needs for her family.
• A good mom raises "good" kids.

The pressure to be the perfect mom often leads to guilt, shame, and silence--creating unnecessary pain that affects both mothers and their children. But instead of ignoring her mounting triggers, Close turned them into profound opportunities for healing which she shares in Unburdening Motherhood.

Unburdening Motherhood explores "matrescence," the profound and often unspoken identity transformation women undergo when they become mothers. Matrescence encapsulates how cultural expectations, internalized beliefs, and resurfaced childhood wounds collide during this transition. These can send already stressed moms spiraling into feelings of shame, unprocessed grief, and often isolation and self-blame. Drawing on the tenets of Internal Family Systems, an evidence-based model for trauma healing, Close offers mothers a hopeful path to understand their inner "parts" so they can heal and thrive in motherhood.

Mothers want to enjoy mothering but feel weighed down by these unrealistic expectations. They worry about passing on their wounds to their children, but therapy often feels inaccessible. This is where Unburdening Motherhood steps in--teaching mothers how to address their inner struggles, transforming confusion into clarity, and becoming the mothers they aspire to be.

Review Quotes

"Unburdening Motherhood invites mothers into a tender journey of compassion, courage, self-acceptance, and, ultimately, joy. Through the illuminating lens of Internal Family Systems, Dr. Close serves as both guide and companion, helping readers untangle the inherited expectations and unseen pressures that shape a mother's inner world. For every mother longing to feel whole, seen, and understood, this book is an essential, comforting friend."

--Frances D. Booth LICSW, IFS clinical consultant and lead trainer

"No matter how long I've been doing this work--personally or professionally--it is always so validating to know I am not alone. Close is brave and courageous, sharing so vulnerably and with such authenticity, clearly walking the talk. She gives readers not just validation for their experiences, but context and a clear map forward. IFS, one of my favorite clinical approaches, is distilled here in a way that is accessible, relatable, and immediately useful. This book is a gift for anyone navigating the complexities of self, relationships, and growth in motherhood."

--Chelsea Robinson, motherhood therapist and matrescence educator

"Unburdening Motherhood is exactly what we need in order to identify and shed limiting beliefs regarding what it means to be a mother in our current society. Close unveils how our internal world has taken on roles that no longer serve mothers in their process of being loving and present for their children. She shares many ideas and exercises that will help mothers be the mothers they want to be. Read this book on your journey to break old cycles and plant a new garden of motherhood."

--Seth Kopald, PhD, certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) practitioner and presenter, author of Self-Led: Living a Connected Life with Yourself and With Others

"Unburdening Motherhood offers mothers the gift that they desperately need: permission to be human. Dr. Close compassionately guides readers through the Internal Family Systems approach, helping them recognize that the critical voices and overwhelming feelings that arise in parenting are not character flaws but protective parts that can be understood and healed. This is a practical road map for mothers ready to break free from shame, honor their own needs, and parent from a place of greater wholeness."

--Jenna Riemersma, LPC, certified IFS Therapist and IFS clinical consultant, bestselling author of Altogether You and IFS Integration

"Unburdening Motherhood is the compassionate permission slip I didn't know I needed. Dr. Close offers both a mirror and a map--one that gently reflects the truth of our pain while guiding us toward healing and self-trust. As a mom of older kids, I find comfort in knowing that no window has closed on my capacity to love or repair. The book's blend of structure and grace--clinical insight delivered in plain, caring language--makes it uniquely accessible. I'm grateful for this hopeful reminder that even in the hardest moments and seasons, there is still a way back to peace."

--Sarah Cassidy, author of Swaddled: Sage Stories to Wrap Mothers in Love

"Becoming a mom is one of life's most beautiful experiences--but no one prepares you for the emotional, physical, and mental toll modern motherhood can take. Unburdening Motherhood is the book every mom needs to better understand herself and break free from the trauma, triggers, and burnout that come with intensive parenting. Dr. Angele Close offers an easy-to-follow, compassionate pathway to healing and wholeness."

--Darlynn Childress, life and parent coach and host of the "Become A Calm Mama" podcast

"Becoming a mother both cracked opened my heart and gave me a portal to my own painful, childhood memories. I wish I'd had Dr. Angele Close's gentle and wise book when embarking on my own healing work. She names and normalizes the inner struggles we face as mothers and offers a road map to enter a new, more-nurturing relationship with ourselves and with our children."

--Sacha Mardou, author of Past Tense: Facing Family Secrets and Finding Myself in Therapy

"In Unburdening Motherhood, Angele Close offers mothers something rare--permission to be fully human. Through courageous self-revelation and the lens of Internal Family Systems, she shows how the messy, painful moments of parenting--anger, shame, exhaustion, self-doubt--can become gateways to healing and self-compassion. Her voice is down-to-earth, warm, and real--like a trusted friend who walks beside you and tells you the truth. This is not another book that tells mothers to be perfect; it's an invitation to remember that every moment of imperfection can open the heart."

--Anne Cushman, author of The Mama Sutra: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Path of Motherhood

"IFS therapy has transformed my mothering, and here in your hands is the definitive guide toward shedding our false skins and finding a safe home inside ourselves. As a mom with a very hard parenting road, I feel seen, I feel celebrated, I feel hopeful that motherhood doesn't have to slowly destroy me. IFS gives us to tools to feel it all, and Dr. Close gives us the wisdom to find our own freedom. This is a gentle guide to true liberation for mothers of all kinds."

--Amanda Diekman, author of Low Demand Parenting: Dropping Demands, Restoring Calm, and Finding Connection with Your Uniquely Wired Child

"Reading Angele's book feels like walking through the dark forest of motherhood with a wise, funny friend who's been there. She gets the guilt, the mess, and the beauty, and offers IFS as a gentle map home to becoming the Self-led moms we were meant to be.?She reminds us that motherhood can be a powerful path to healing our deepest wounds.?

--Tammy Sollenberger, LCMHC, author of?The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self

About the Author

Dr. Angele Close is a clinical psychologist, motherhood coach, and certified mindfulness teacher who helps mothers navigate the challenges of matrescence and parenting.

With nearly twenty years of experience working with adults and couples, she shifted her focus to maternal mental health after her own motherhood journey revealed the urgent need for more support, education, and healing resources for moms.

After experiencing profound personal healing through Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, Dr. Close pursued extensive clinical training and is on track toward certification as an IFS Therapist and Consultant. She now blends her personal experience and professional expertise to guide mothers in healing intergenerational wounds, breaking unhealthy patterns, and feeling more compassion, confidence, and joy in motherhood.

Dr. Close offers one-on-one psychotherapy and coaching, as well as workshops, courses, and group sessions, both online and in-person in Lake Forest, IL, where she lives with her husband, three children, and their Goldendoodle, Fozzy Bear.