Navigating Transitional Depression: Finding Your Footing When Everything Shifts
I love the fall season! The leaves changing colors, the crisp air, the smell of pumpkin spice and chai all around, and most of all—the fashion! But on the flip side, I often find it harder to motivate myself to get up early and workout or be productive on the weekends. With fewer hours of sunlight, I just want to cozy up on the couch with either a good book and a nice cup of chai tea or watch one of my favorite movies.
Why do we go through these motions?
You're probably familiar with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)—a type of depression that occurs regularly during certain seasons of the year, typically in the fall and winter months. And here's something that might not surprise you: according to the American Psychiatric Association, women are four times more likely to be diagnosed with SAD than men. In fact, four out of five people experiencing seasonal depression are women.
For working mothers specifically, the winter mood decline hits even harder. Research shows that 44% of mothers report their mood declines in winter (compared to 31% of fathers), and 37% of mothers feel depressed during winter months (versus 25% of adults overall). Overall, 41% of women report declining winter mood compared to 34% of men.
But What About Life's Other Seasons?
Here's what I really want to talk about: Transitional Depression—those similar feelings we experience not just when seasons change, but when life's seasons shift.
Career changes. Family dynamics in flux. Financial uncertainty. Relationship transitions. The death of a loved one. Moving to a new city. These moments of uncertainty freeze us in our tracks. The momentum we had leading up to the transition disappears, and we start falling into the motion of losing ourselves in the change instead of taking control and working with the change.
And let me tell you—these transitions can lead straight to burnout.
The statistics are sobering, but probably not surprising to many of you reading this: 93% of working mothers report feeling burned out, with 38% saying they're completely burned out. Overall, 65% of working parents experience burnout, but here's the kicker—working mothers are 28% more likely to experience burnout than fathers. We're talking about roughly 9.8 million working mothers in the U.S. currently suffering from workplace burnout.
Why such high rates? Because 79% of working moms report extreme anxiety about the expectations they're trying to live up to. And here's the invisible weight so many of us carry: 74% of working mothers say they carry the mental load for parenting, compared to just 48% of working dads.
For women of color, the challenges compound. Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and other women of color face particular vulnerabilities when it comes to accessing mental health care—and women of color make up less than 5% of psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers available to treat patients. Among behavioral health professionals who are women of color, 55% report feeling their opportunities for advancement are limited, and 28% have experienced or witnessed workplace discrimination, especially in advancement and promotion.
The impact on our careers is real: moms are twice as likely as dads to turn down promotions, cut back hours, or consider leaving their jobs altogether because of family obligations.
Maybe these statistics alarm you. Maybe they don't surprise you at all—especially if you're a woman reading this. Even without a professional diagnosis (and here's an important note: 50% of mothers are never diagnosed by a healthcare professional, and 75% of women never get the treatment they need), we know this feeling. And too often, this feeling becomes our norm.
But Here's the Part I Want You to Say Out Loud:
"I HAVE CONTROL OVER THIS CHANGE IN MY LIFE."
Say it again. Mean it.
Now, let's dig into your toolbox. I call it the Five-Level Pyramid, and it's your roadmap for checking all the necessary self-care boxes—especially during transitions.
Level 5 - Foundation: Physical Health
What are your non-negotiables for your body? For me, it's 7 hours of sleep and morning movement, even if it's just 10 minutes.
Level 4: Mental Wellness
How are you protecting your mind? I journal for 5 minutes each morning. No exceptions.
Level 3: Emotional Connection
Who are your people? I check in with my core circle weekly, even when I'm "too busy."
Level 2: Professional Growth
What keeps you sharp? I block 30 minutes daily for learning, even during chaos.
Level 1 - Peak: Purpose & Contribution
What's your why? I review my impact quarterly to stay grounded in meaning.
Here's what I want you to do: Write down what you're currently doing for yourself at each level. If you have a level that's blank, that becomes your priority. These levels will have you tackling life's transitions with clarity and intention. You will feel in control because you will be in control.
The Roadblock Truth
We often go back to putting ourselves last when we're going through a transition, but that's the last thing we should be doing. We are no good to others if we're not feeling good ourselves.
Put your oxygen mask on first.
Don't lose the healthy habits you've been building just because you've hit a life roadblock. These healthy habits are your seatbelt in life—so secure yourself and buckle up for the speed bumps that are inevitable. Because here's the truth: transitions are coming whether we're ready or not.
But with your pyramid in place, with your non-negotiables secured, you won't just survive the transition.
You'll thrive through it.
What's your ONE non-negotiable habit? I'd love to hear what keeps you grounded during life's transitions. Share in the comments below.
Sources
Seasonal Affective Disorder Statistics:
American Psychiatric Association - Seasonal Affective Disorder data
Burnout & Mental Health Statistics:
UNLEASH & Motherly. (2022). "93% of working mothers are burnt out." Retrieved from https://www.unleash.ai/diversity-equity-inclusion/93-of-working-mothers-are-burnt-out/
ScienceDirect. (2024). "Burnout and Mental Health in Working Parents: Risk Factors and Practice Implications." Journal of Pediatric Health Care, Volume 39, Issue 1.
CNBC. (2020). "9.8 million working mothers in the U.S. are suffering from burnout." Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/03/millions-of-working-mothers-in-the-us-are-suffering-from-burnout.html
Talkspace. (2024). "The Mental Health Crisis Among Working Mothers." Retrieved from https://business.talkspace.com/articles/mental-health-of-working-mothers
Parenting & Mental Load:
HR Grapevine USA. (2025). "Major study reveals working mothers pushed to breaking point." Retrieved from https://www.hrgrapevine.com/content/article/major-study-reveals-working-mothers-pushed-to-breaking-point-bright-horizons
Motherly. (2024). "Burnout in working moms: How mental load impacts their well-being." Retrieved from https://www.mother.ly/health-wellness/burnout-of-being-a-working-mom/
Women of Color & Mental Health Access:
Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health & Milken Institute School of Public Health. (2025). "Maternal Mental Health Fact Sheet." Retrieved from https://policycentermmh.org/maternal-mental-health-fact-sheet/
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2024). "Mental Health Among African American Women." Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-among-african-american-women
NASHP. (2025). "State Strategies to Increase Diversity in the Behavioral Health Workforce." Retrieved from https://nashp.org/state-strategies-to-increase-diversity-in-the-behavioral-health-workforce/
