Angela interviews Jaymina Patel, a clinical director and therapist in Arizona, about balancing motherhood and career. Jaymina emphasizes the importance of community, self-care, and flexibility in leadership. She discusses the challenges of motherhood, including the need for self-compassion and realistic expectations. Jaymina highlights the shift from a rigid leadership style to one that values human connection and empathy. She advises aspiring leaders to seek mentorship and prioritize authenticity and connection. Both agree on the value of setting intentions over goals to navigate the complexities of motherhood and professional life.

"After becoming a mom, I realized there's really no black and white way to do it. There's a lot of gray area in life and the struggles that we go through as human beings, as moms, it's very gray. It's extremely gray. There's no right or wrong answer. Every child is different. The solution to the problem is different for each child."

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Balancing Motherhood and Career

• Jaymina discusses the concept of balance, emphasizing the importance of community and leaning into a support system.

• Angela and Jaymina agree on the necessity of time management and boundaries to balance multiple roles.

• Jaymina stresses the importance of self-care, including physical and mental health, to be the best parent and professional.

Evolution of Identity Post-Motherhood

• Angela asks Jaymina about her identity before and after becoming a mother.

• Jaymina reflects on how motherhood changes a person, making them more organized and responsible.

• Angela shares her own experience of becoming more planned and structured as a mother.

• Jaymina talks about the challenge of redefining her identity and balancing old and new aspects of herself.

Prioritizing Connection and Self-Care

• Jaymina expresses her goal to slow down, connect with her community, and cultivate hobbies in 2025.

• Jaymina enjoys running and walking her dog, and she aims to include her children in her self-care activities.

• Angela shares her experience of hiking with her children and the benefits of spending time in nature.

• Both agree on the importance of nature for mental and physical well-being.

Leadership and Vulnerability

• Angela asks Jaymina about the impact of motherhood on her leadership style.

• Jaymina explains how motherhood has made her more flexible and understanding, recognizing the gray areas in life.

• Jaymina shares an example of supporting a team member through personal challenges, emphasizing the importance of validation and empathy.

• Angela relates this to the importance of validating children's emotions and being present for them.

Mentorship and Professional Growth

• Jaymina advises aspiring leaders to be realistic about their goals and seek mentorship and support.

• Angela shares experiences of women stepping back from leadership roles due to the demands of motherhood.

• Jaymina emphasizes the importance of having a support system, including mentors and role models.

• Both discuss the value of continuous learning and growth in their professions.

Navigating Challenges and Setting Intentions

• Jaymina reflects on the challenges of motherhood and the importance of self-compassion.

• Angela and Jaymina discuss the importance of setting intentions rather than goals to manage expectations.

• Jaymina shares her mantra of taking things one day at a time.

 

About the Guest:

Jaymina Patel was born in Chicago Illinois and grew a love for learning about what makes people tick, what motivates them and what we can do when we are stuck. As a Psychology Major at the University of Illinois at Chicago, she completed research with tenured professors including Susan Goldman and later in graduate school, she pursued more research and assistance on Roberto Swazo’s The Bilingual Counselor’s Guide to Spanish. During her graduate years pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Psychology at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Jaymina spent time in Guatemala providing service learnings to various populations and psychoeducation in schools around Antigua, Guatemala. 

Jaymina had worked as a family therapist in Georgia, providing community mental health services to the Spanish speaking population and later grew to work with children facing adversity and taking on further leadership roles supervising new graduates. During her time in Arizona, Jaymina has worked predominantly in private practice for the past four years, helping children and their families work through anxiety, depression, blended family adjustments, life transitions, trauma and adverse childhood experiences. Currently Jaymina runs her own private practice online where she assists clients overcome stressors via teletherapy and provides consulting for Wellness Homes of Arizona, a Residential Behavioral Health Facility in which clients are recovering from chronic mental health issues and addictions. 

Jaymina’s therapeutic approaches consist of culturally sensitive, trauma informed care in which she provides Narrative therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral therapy to allow clients to become more mindful of their strengths and build a toolbox of coping skills they can access during times of distress. These tools are bound to lead us to a victor mindset over a victim mindset.

 

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