Stepping away from work for parental leave can bring a mix of relief, anxiety, guilt, and unexpected emotion. Even when you've been looking forward to it, the transition can feel disorienting. The structure of your days changes, your professional identity shifts to the background, and you may find yourself managing a new role that comes with very little instruction and a lot of pressure.
Working with a therapist during this period can help you find your footing. That might mean processing the emotional complexity of the transition, working through tension with a partner about roles and responsibilities at home, managing anxiety about returning to work, or making sense of feelings that surprised you. However the leave is going, having a place to talk through it can make the whole experience feel less isolating.