Celebrating every stage of motherhood and mental health awareness
Central Florida licensed marriage and family therapist Cherlette McCullough discusses the layers of motherhood, from joy to grief, and ways to prioritize women’s well-being
OKAY, LISTEN, GIFTS ARE GREAT. QUALITY TIME WITH LOVED ONES. WELL THAT’S FANTASTIC, BUT SELF CARE, THAT JUST MIGHT BE PRICELESS. MOTHER’S DAY IS ABOUT CELEBRATING EVERY STAGE OF THE JOURNEY AND LIFELONG RESPONSIBILITY, SACRIFICE, AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE INVOLVED WITH RAISING A CHILD. WOMEN GROW, GIVE AND NURTURE LIFE. IT’S AN INCREDIBLE GIFT TO HONOR AND TRULY A RESPONSIBILITY. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE CAN’T POUR INTO OTHERS FROM AN EMPTY CUP RIGHT NOW. JOINING ME NOW WITH WAYS TO LIFT UP THE IMPORTANT WOMEN IN OUR LIVES WHILE PUTTING MENTAL HEALTH FIRST, IS LICENSED THERAPIST CHARLOTTE MCCULLOUGH. CHARLOTTE. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY. THANK YOU. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO YOU. CHARLOTTE. MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND. RIGHT? RIGHT. OKAY. THIS IS SUCH A GREAT WEEKEND. I FEEL LIKE THERE’S SO MANY TOPICS, BUT LET’S, LET’S KIND OF JUST START OFF WITH, WE WERE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, AN EMPTY CUP FOR ALL THE MOMS OUT THERE. SUNDAY IS YOUR DAY. WHY IS IT THAT THEY DO TEND TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DO LOVE THE GIFTS, BUT MAYBE I JUST NEED A DAY TO REST. I THINK THAT’S A REALLY GOOD POINT BECAUSE SOMETIMES MOMS ARE THE ONES THAT TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. MOMS ARE THE BRAINS OF THE OPERATION, RIGHT? I MEAN, THE MOM MOMS DO EVERYTHING. AND I THINK ON MOTHER’S DAY, IT’S IMPORTANT TO JUST CHECK IN WITH OUR MOMS AND ASK THEM WHAT THEY NEED. NOT PAYING SO MUCH ATTENTION TO THEIR CALENDARS, BUT PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR LOADS. WHAT IS IT THAT THEY WANT? I’M SURE THERE’S A NUMBER OF MOMS OUT THERE THAT WOULD JUST LOVE A DAY WHERE THEY DON’T HAVE TO THINK. THEY DON’T HAVE TO PLAN ANYTHING. THEY CAN JUST SHOW UP. I KNOW THAT THERE’S NO COOKING AND CLEANING ON MY LIST OF MOTHER’S DAY AT ALL. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, HOPEFULLY THOSE ARE OFF THE LIST, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU DESERVE THAT REST. YES, YOU DESERVE IT. YES. CHARLOTTE. I FEEL LIKE THE HOLIDAY CAN BE BITTERSWEET, THOUGH, FOR EXPECTING MOMS. YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU’VE GOT THAT ANXIOUSNESS, THE UNEXPECTED, RIGHT? YES. FOR MOMS THAT HAVE LOST A CHILD. OR IF YOU’VE LOST YOUR OWN MOTHER. ABSOLUTELY. SO THIS IS A DAY THAT CAN BRING OUT SO MANY EMOTIONS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. ABSOLUTELY. THIS COULD BE A BITTERSWEET TYPE HOLIDAY FOR A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE MOMS WHO HAVE LOST BABIES, WHO’VE HAD MISCARRIAGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. MOTHER’S DAY IS NOT A ONE THING FOR EVERY MOM. YOU KNOW, MOMS HAVE DIFFERENT SEASONS AND THERE ARE OLDER MOMS, RIGHT, WHO MAY BE GOING THROUGH DIFFERENT THINGS AND MAY NOT NEED A BRUNCH, MAY NOT NEED A DINNER, BUT SHE MAY JUST NEED SOME TIME ALONE WITH HER CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THERE ARE MOMS, LIKE YOU SAID, WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THOSE GRIEVING SEASONS RIGHT NOW, AND THEY MAY NOT FEEL UP TO GOING TO A BRUNCH OR DOING SOMETHING WHERE THEY HAVE TO SHOW JOY. AND IT FEELS SO PERFORMATIVE, RIGHT? BUT HONORING WHERE THEY ARE IN THIS SEASON. AND I THINK THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH, ALLOWING MOMS TO BE WHO THEY ARE IN THIS SEASON. EXACTLY. AND JUST OUR HEART GOES OUT TO ALL THOSE MOMS GOING THROUGH THOSE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU’VE LOST A CHILD OR YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR MOM FOR THIS MOTHER’S DAY, TAKE ME THROUGH JUST THE MENTAL HEALTH FOR MOTHERS. AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT’S, IT’S WIDE LOAD. IT’S THE CALENDAR, IT’S THE, IT’S THE ALL, ALL, ALL KIND OF STUFF, BUT ALSO NAVIGATING JUST THOSE, THOSE EMOTIONS THAT WE HAVE EVERY DAY AND THE LOSS OF HOW LIFE GOES UP, THE UPS AND THE DOWNS. ABSOLUTELY. RIGHT NOW, WHAT I’M SEEING A LOT IN MY PRACTICE IS THERE ARE A LOT OF MOMS WHO ARE JUST BUSY, SO THEY DON’T HAVE THE TIME TO REALLY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, AND I HOPE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MOMS THAT ARE WATCHING THIS TODAY AND FEEL OKAY TAKING A REST, TAKING A PAUSE, AND TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES, GOING INWARD. THIS MOTHER’S DAY IN CHARLOTTE. LASTLY TO I FEEL IT’S JUST A REMINDER FOR MOMS THAT IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY. RIGHT? AND TO, AND TO HAVE THOSE DIFFERENT SEASONS OF LIFE. YES. AND IT’S OKAY TO REACH OUT FOR HELP. I THINK SOMETIMES IT’S SO HARD FOR MOMS TO REACH OUT FOR HELP BECAUSE THEY’RE THE ONES THAT ARE GIVING THE HELP ALL THE TIME. SO LETTING MOMS KNOW IT’S OKAY TO REACH OUT FOR HELP, IT’S OKAY TO TAKE A PAUSE. IT’S OKAY TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF AND JUST SAY, I NEED A DAY WHERE I’M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING HONORING YOUR LIMITS. EXCELLENT. ALL RIGHT. LAST, LAST MESSAGE FOR MOMS, IF THEY WANT TO REACH YOU OR CONNECT WITH YOU, THAT THAT KIND OF THING, WHAT CAN THEY DO? THEY CAN ALWAYS REACH ME ON MY WEBSITE, W W W CENTERPIECE THERAPY.ORG, OR THEY CAN CALL THE OFFICE AT (407) 230-4582. OKAY, EXCELLENT. ANY BIG PLANS FOR MOTHER’S DAY? NOTHING BUT BRUNCH. OH, THAT SOUNDS GOOD. THAT’LL BE NICE, RIGHT? I’M EXCITED ABOUT IT. THAT’S GR
Celebrating every stage of motherhood and mental health awareness
Central Florida licensed marriage and family therapist Cherlette McCullough discusses the layers of motherhood, from joy to grief, and ways to prioritize women’s well-being
Updated: 10:00 AM EDT May 8, 2026
Central Florida licensed marriage and family therapist Cherlette McCullough discusses the array of motherhood, from joy to grief, and ways to prioritize women’s well-being during Mental Health Awareness Month.>> Watch the full interview in the video player above.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Central Florida licensed marriage and family therapist Cherlette McCullough discusses the array of motherhood, from joy to grief, and ways to prioritize women’s well-being during Mental Health Awareness Month.
>> Watch the full interview in the video player above.