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Celebrating the Many Hats of Womanhood: Strength in Every Role

Celebrating the Many Hats of Womanhood: Strength in Every Role

Celebrating the Many Hats of Womanhood: Strength in Every Role
Written by Zahra Moola. Occupational therapist of Mondia Health Umhlanga and Melissa Schoeman, Occupational therapist of Mondia Health Corporate Care.
Issued: 4 August 2025

A woman’s life is a rich tapestry woven with multiple roles: wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, leader, and caregiver, often all at once. She moves between these roles with grace, holding together the emotional, moral, and practical foundations of her household and community.

As we celebrate Women’s Month, it’s the perfect time to recognise the strength, resilience, and heart that women pour into each of these roles. Often, they do so without applause, but always with purpose. While we honour their impact, we must also consider the challenges these many responsibilities bring. A study of South African women found that 46.2% reported significant psychological distress, largely due to the combined demands of caregiving, household responsibilities, and other roles (Pillay & Nene, 2022).

Here are just some of the roles women often juggle:

As a Wife

A woman is more than a partner in marriage; she is a helper, a confidant, and often a co-leader in the home. Her contribution goes far beyond daily tasks. She nurtures emotional stability, encourages shared goals, and supports her family’s growth while pursuing her own. In many families, her moral compass and emotional intelligence set the tone for the household (Bernard, 1981).

As a Mother

Motherhood is one of the most intense and formative roles in a woman’s life. From the physical demands of caregiving to the lifelong emotional investment, it is both a gift and a challenge. Mothers shape a child’s values, including kindness, honesty, empathy, and discipline (Belsky, 1984). Her love often forms the foundation of emotional intelligence and future relationships. In South Africa, between 32% and 47% of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics screen positive for depressive symptoms. This highlights the significant mental health burden many mothers carry while also managing multiple demanding roles such as caring for children, maintaining a household, and navigating social expectations (Chibanda et al., 2021).

As a Daughter

Daughters bring warmth, joy, and emotional connection to family life. While sons and daughters are equally cherished, daughters often take on quiet roles of emotional caregiving and are key supporters of ageing parents (Silverstein & Bengtson, 1997).

As a Sister

Sisters are often our first best friends: trusted companions through childhood and beyond. An older sister may play a nurturing role, while a younger sister brings energy, humour, and mischief. These relationships create bonds that support and uplift families through life’s transitions.

As a Daughter-in-Law
Becoming a daughter-in-law often comes with high expectations: to adapt, integrate, and care within a new family structure. A woman’s ability to embrace this role with patience and emotional intelligence reflects her deep capacity for connection. When family dynamics are respectful and inclusive, they greatly impact her well-being (Sethi & Singh, 2007).

As a Friend
Friendship is one of the most emotionally enriching roles a woman holds. She offers loyalty, insight, empathy, and humour, a safe space in moments of both joy and hardship. These friendships act as emotional buffers, promoting resilience and overall wellbeing (Antonucci & Akiyama, 1987).

As a Grandmother
Grandmothers are a source of wisdom, affection, and tradition. They often serve as gentle mediators, trusted mentors, and safe havens. Their role strengthens family bonds across generations and brings continuity and love to the lives of grandchildren (King & Elder, 1995).

While this article reflects just a few roles, women embody many more: mentor, teacher, healer, professional, volunteer, and countless others. A woman is never just one thing. She is a multi-dimensional force who shifts between roles with heart, strength, and grace.

Women often take deep pride in the many roles they fulfill. For many, neglecting one role to meet the demands of another doesn’t feel like an option and delegating rarely feels natural or easy. Yet behind their strength and care lies a quiet need for support.

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology (Daminger, 2019) explores the psychological impact of the “mental load”:  the invisible, ongoing labour of planning, organising, and managing home and caregiving tasks. The research shows that role overload, not necessarily the number of roles, is one of the main drivers of burnout in women. The emotional and cognitive management of others’ needs often comes at the cost of their own mental health.

How can you support the mental health of women in your life?

  1. Respect their time and boundaries
    Recognise when they needs personal time to recharge, reflect, or simply rest.
  2. Celebrate and acknowledge their roles
    Express appreciation for the different hats they wear and honour their efforts consistently.
  3. Encourage self-care and personal growth
    Support them in making time for what brings them joy and renewal: whether hobbies, rest, or learning.
  4. Offer practical help without being asked
    Pay attention and step in when they are overwhelmed. Small acts like preparing a meal or handling an errand can make a big difference.
  5. Encourage social connections
    Support them in maintaining friendships and community ties that offer emotional support and joy.

Let us take this month to truly honour the women around us : not just for what they do, but for how they do it: with patience, purpose, strength, and deep inner wisdom.

Here are 5 warning signs the women in your life might be experiencing burnout, especially from juggling multiple roles:

  1. Emotional withdrawal
    They may seem distant, irritable, or unusually quiet. If they’re no longer engaging the way they used to, with family, friends, or even themselves, it could be a sign of emotional exhaustion.
  2. Constant fatigue
    Even after rest, they still feel drained. Persistent tiredness that doesn’t improve with sleep or downtime is a common indicator of burnout.
  3. Loss of joy in things they once enjoyed
    If they no longer find joy in things they used to love, such as hobbies, family rituals, or social connections, it may point to emotional overload.
  4. Overwhelmed from small tasks
    Simple everyday activities, like responding to messages, preparing meals, or managing routines, may suddenly feel too heavy or stressful to handle.
  5. Physical Symptoms
    Recurring headaches, body aches, sleep disturbances, or digestive issues can all be signs that their mental and emotional load is affecting their physical health.

If you notice any of these signs, check in with compassion. Ask how they’re really doing, offer support without being asked, and remind them they don’t have to carry it all alone. You can also suggest that they visit their family doctor or contact the local Mondia Health branch to explore available treatment options.   More information on Mondia Health is available at www.mondiahealth.co.za

References

  • Antonucci, T. C., & Akiyama, H. (1987).Social networks in adult life and a preliminary examination of the convoy model. Journal of Gerontology.
  • Belsky, J. (1984).The determinants of parenting: A process model. Child Development.
  • Bernard, J. (1981).The good-provider role: Its rise and fall. American Psychologist.
  • Chibanda, D., et al. (2021).Prevalence and determinants of antenatal depression in South Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 21, 1224.
  • Daminger, A. (2019).The cognitive dimension of household labor. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2188. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02188
  • King, V., & Elder, G. H. (1995).American children view their grandparents: Links between generation and family structure. Journal of Marriage and the Family.
  • Pillay, S., & Nene, S. (2022).Psychological distress among South African women caregivers: The impact of caregiving burden and role overload. Heliyon, 8(6), e09718.
  • Sethi, R., & Singh, S. (2007).Marital adjustment and mental health among working women. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology.
  • Silverstein, M., & Bengtson, V. L. (1997).Intergenerational solidarity and the structure of adult child–parent relationships in American families. American Journal of Sociology.
Celebrating the Many Hats of Womanhood: Strength in Every Role

How Employee Wellbeing Impacts Productivity and Company Culture

How Employee Wellbeing Impacts Productivity and Company Culture

Written by Melissa Schoeman, Occupational Therapist

Mondia Corporate Care

July is Corporate Wellness Month — a great time to refocus on employee wellbeing and its impact on your business.

Employee wellbeing is no longer just a ‘nice to have’ for HR. It’s a key driver of business performance and culture. More companies are recognising that when people feel healthy, supported, and motivated — they bring their best to the workplace.

In South Africa, workplace stress is a growing concern. According to the 2023 South African Employee Wellness Survey, 68% of employees report feeling stressed at work. Left unchecked, this can lead to burnout, absenteeism, and turnover.

The Institute for Work and Health found that employees experiencing burnout are up to 3.5 times more likely to miss work and are around 20% less productive.

But the ripple effect goes beyond individuals. In a study of over 2,000 workers, team members who sat near a colleague with disruptive behaviour (who was eventually dismissed) experienced a 30% drop in their own performance.

Negative energy spreads. And so does a healthy, positive culture.

So what’s the solution? Wellbeing webinars alone won’t cut it. A 2023 YuLife and Ipsos study found that while 85% of South African employees feel stressed, only 39% believe their employer’s wellness programmes are effective. One-third say they don’t help at all.

This points to a gap between what’s offered and what’s truly needed.

At Mondia Corporate Care, we approach wellbeing through a broader lens. Our programmes are built around the **Eight Dimensions of Wellness** and focus on practical, personal accountability.

Instead of trying to eliminate all external stressors, we help individuals strengthen what they *can* control — their mindset, choices, and emotional regulation. This mindset shift empowers sustainable change.

When companies invest in genuine wellbeing strategies, they don’t just improve productivity — they build a stronger, more connected culture. Employees feel seen, supported, and valued. They collaborate better, innovate more, and stay longer.

On the other hand, ignoring wellbeing leads to burnout, low morale, and costly staff turnover.

Think of it like a crack in a wall. It might seem small today, but if ignored, it grows — leading to deeper damage. It’s the same with stress and disengagement.

Proactive care now means fewer crises later.

Supporting employee wellbeing isn’t just a compassionate choice — it’s a strategic one. Healthy employees perform better, work smarter together, and help the company thrive.

When your team knows you care, they bring their best to work. And that benefits everyone.

Contact Us

For more information about Employee Wellness Surveys, Wellbeing Interventions, or Leadership Development, reach out to Mondia Corporate Care:

Melissa Schoeman – melissas@mondiahealth.co.za | 083 406 9765
Elizta du Plessis – eliztadp@mondiahealth.co.za | 063 685 5365

References

South African Employee Wellness Survey, 2023 – Findings indicate that 68% of employees in South Africa report feeling stressed at work.
Institute for Work and Health – Research highlights that burned-out employees are 3.5x more likely to miss work and 20% less efficient.
YuLife and Ipsos Workplace Wellness Survey, 2023 – 85% of employees feel stressed; only 39% find current wellness programmes effective.
Source: https://www.yulife.com/blog/yulife-ipsos-wellbeing-survey-2023
Source: https://www.iwh.on.ca/media-room/news-releases

What is grief and how to cope with it

What is grief and how to cope with it

Written by Liza Linde, Clinical Psychologist
Mondia Health Woodlands, Bloemfontein
3 December 2024

Grief is defined as a natural and deeply personal response to loss.  It is the experience of coping with a loss, and the absorption, adjustment, acceptance and endurance of it.

The death of a loved one, loss of a job, end of a relationship, loss of health or even loss of identity all form part of the experience of grief.

Grief is unique to each person, as unique as our personality and our relationship with the person or situation was.  The task of grief is not to finish and move on but rather an element of yourself, an alternation of your being and a new way of seeing yourself.

The complexity of grief is often overlooked and seen as hanging onto the loss rather than the multifaceted nature of it.  Grief manifests itself emotionally, mentally and physically. Getting to know your grief and not fearing it is important. Grieve in whatever way feels right for you.  Meet yourself right where you are every single day.  Don’t allow the world around you to demand you to meet them where they need and want you to be. The more aware you are of your grief process the more equipped you will feel to create movement during a challenging time.

Grief awareness involves recognising that this emotional experience is normal and crucial for individuals, families and communities to normalise grief.   This will allow for open conversations about loss to take place and stigmatisation and isolation not to interfere with the process.  The more acknowledgement there is about grief, the less misunderstandings there will be and unrealistic expectations of how one must grieve.  Having an idea of what normal grief looks like helps in creating awareness.

It’s normal to:

  • Feel great one minute and feel you’re falling to pieces the next minute.
  • Avoid things and people that remind you of your loss.
  • You move in and out of acceptance, denial, bargaining, anger and depression, have been termed the five stages of grief. The five stages of grief model marks universal stages in learning to accept loss.  These stages are not linear in nature and rather emphasises the importance of flexibility in what you experience. (Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, 1969)
  • Not be interested in activities and a desire to be alone.
  • Feel like no one else can understand the magnitude of your loss and feel the pressure to get over it quickly.

When there is a lack of awareness and openness about grief, a lot of things are not talked about.  Secondary losses such as loss of support system, loss of financial security, loss of confidence, loss of faith, loss of dreams for the future are overlooked.

You might lose weight, you might put on weight, you might not sleep, you might sleep constantly, and you might notice you get ill more often.

You might have a delayed experience of grief.  Your grief might be complicated by other comorbid conditions such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse.  Grief (trauma) brain lasts for a long period and is often associated with brain fog and short term memory impairment.

People think that grief slowly gets smaller with time, however, grief stays the same size, but slowly life begins to grow bigger around it.

During the grief process when happiness is experienced, it is often accompanied by guilt. Being aware of the duality of grief helps to make space for all emotions to be experienced.  Even a sense of relief.

Grief burnout especially during the holidays is when a series of triggers, special days or anniversaries pile up on one another.

Grief awareness is about understanding that grieving is a unique, complex and ongoing process.  It’s vital to recognise that grief does not follow a fixed timeline and healing happens in its own time.  With empathy, acknowledgement and patience, individuals can better cope with grief, The goal being to form new connections with their life and their surroundings.

Here are some ways you can hold space for yourself during the grief process:

  • I allow myself to feel my grief and then let it go. Give space to feel my feelings.
  • My life continues and I am worthy of living to the fullest.
  • I find strength in reaching out for help as it’s okay that I need time to grieve.
  • Journaling about my grief to help me be aware of the hardest parts of my day and what my triggers are.

If you are feeling your grief process is too much and you don’t feel emotionally safe to cope with your day to day, please seek professional support.  Therapy, counselling and support groups are available.  Remember you are not alone and sharing your experience can reduce the intensity of your feelings. Validate what you are going through and reach out for help! 

For help or more information, contact any Mondia Health facility near you.  Visit www.mondiahealth.co.za or call the 24-hour helpline at 076 509 4011

Enneagram Briefly Explained

Enneagram Briefly Explained

What is the Enneagram?

The Enneagram (Ennea=9, Gram=Diagram) is simply a map (GPS) for self-discovery and
personal growth based on 9 basic personality types. The Enneagram accurately and clearly
describes why you think, feel and behave in particular ways based upon your core motivations,
including your core fears and core desires.

The power of the Enneagram is in its ability to harness and transform self-limiting behaviours
into life-enhancing personal empowerment. The gift of the Enneagram is that through
self-discovery, one can create and sustain meaningful and lasting relationships with others,
their Spiritual beliefs and themselves.

What is the Enneagram?

According to the Enneagram, each of the nine personality types is defined by a particular core belief about how the world works. This core belief drives your deepest motivations and fears — and fundamentally shapes a person’s worldview and the perspective through which they see the world and the people around them.

Our core beliefs are not necessarily incorrect, but they can be limiting and operate as “blind spots” for people. Understanding our Enneagram type and how it colours our perceptions can help us to broaden our perspective and approach situations more effectively. Understanding a person’s Enneagram type helps us to see why they behave the way they do. Each Enneagram type has a set of core beliefs that will consistently motivate them to take particular actions and guide them to make certain decisions. Behaviour that may seem confusing or contradictory can often be explained when we understand a person’s Enneagram type.

The Enneagram also helps us understand how people react to stress. By describing how each Enneatype adapts and responds to both stressful and supportive situations, the Enneagram shows opportunities for personal development and provides a foundation for the understanding of others.

The Enneagram is therefore a model focused on motive and not character traits. Our part is to help you explore your correct type with our engagements and holistic information shared during individual and group sessions.

Most importantly, the purpose is to enjoy this journey of becoming more self-aware, forgiving and optimistic towards yourself and your team members!

The 5 Dysfunction of a Team

The 5 Dysfunction of a Team

The 5 Dysfunction of a Team

Introduction

The Workplace is made up by a group of imperfect human beings. This inevitably leads to the notion that all teams are potentially dysfunctional, affecting productivity and psychological wellbeing. Luckily, dysfunction can be overcome by creating functional, strong and cohesive teams, it just often requires some level of guidance, courage and discipline.

Having a functional team is especially critical at the top of an organisation as the executive and managing team will set the atmosphere for how employees will work with one another. Some other benefits that also come into play when a team is functional, is solid teams can discuss topics openly and with less judgement, which leads to problems being addressed and resolved. Functional teams make better decisions with less mistakes, have stronger relationships that boosts productivity and minimises distraction and frustration. Functional teams retains high quality employees as a unified workplace creates a foundation for creativity, resilience and perseverance.

Mondia Corporate Care uses the “5 Dysfunctions of a Team”, a well-known model developed by Patrick Lencioni. Many leaders refer to this model to obtain results within their organisation. Mondia Corporate Care follows a researched theoretical framework, but most importantly, it is combined with the power of experiential learning (applying the theory practically to ensure skills development)

Overview of the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team:

This model identifies 5 levels of dysfunction, and they follow on each other, and like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, each level needs to be addressed before moving on to the next problematic level.

  1. Absence of Trust: Trust is based on the idea that people who aren’t afraid to admit the truth about themselves are not going to engage in the kind of political behavior that wastes time and energy, and more important, makes the accomplishment of results an unlikely scenario.
  2. Fear of conflict: Team members do not feel safe expressing their opinions and ideas, leading to a lack of healthy debate and decision-making. The full value of a carefully appointed employee is not fully extracted.
  3. Lack of commitment: Team members are not fully invested in the team’s decisions, leading to passivity and a lack of follow-through on action items.
  4. Avoidance of accountability: Team members are not held responsible for their actions and do not hold each other accountable for their commitments. This may transform the company into a work culture of idleness.
  5. Inattention to results: The team is more focused on personal success, status and comfort than the team’s success as a whole.

These dysfunctions are replaced by the following goals:

  1. Absence of trust – trust is built, the main building block of the pyramid, as trust is the foundation of teamwork and investment beyond your own self-preservation.
  2. Fear of conflict – engage in unfiltered, constructive conflict to extract ideas that contribute towards company success.
  3. Lack of commitment – commit to action by achieving clarity and action orientated buy-in
  4. Avoidance of accountability – hold each other accountable to deliver on plans and maintain behavioural norms.
  5. Inattention to results – focus on achieving collective team results
Affirmations: The power of thinking positively

Affirmations: The power of thinking positively

You’ll be forgiven for the eye-roll that title just caused you to have. If there is one thing that has become a f-letter expression in the modern world, it is the “positive thinking” admonition. It is especially grating to people dealing with extreme stress, depression, anxiety … and every other mental health challenge where at-will control does not have a default setting. There has, in recent times, even been talk of the “cult of toxic positivity” and we may speak on that a bit later.

This is not that kind of positive thinking we’re talking about. This is not the power of positive thinking; this is the power of thinking positively. And there is a difference, and not just in the semantics. Positive thinking is held forth as a passive shield against difficult times. Thinking positively, however, is an action you can consciously take to shift your mind towards your strengths – the strengths you already have and the ones you are actively working on developing.

Despite what many unqualified life coaches and other assorted spiritual gurus may have told you, affirmations are not magic bullets. They will not, in and of themselves, lead to instant success and/or healing. This does not mean they are without value.

To understand how and why affirmations work, we must look at how the brain adapts to different inputs and circumstances. The brain sometimes mixes up reality and imagination, and the surprising clue to why and how affirmations work lies in this surprisingly useful confusion. The brain’s ability to adapt throughout life is called neuroplasticity, and it offers the inroad into how to use affirmations effectively.

Precisely because the brain sometimes confuses reality and imagination, we can affect the adaptations the brain makes to inputs through its plasticity by consciously “telling” it what we want to be manifestly true. We can do this by creating a mental image of ourselves successfully conquering something like a life challenge or a fear. This mental image activates many of the same brain areas that the reality of the situation would activate. This in essence “tricks” the brain into believing it has already conquered the challenge, slowly building a resilience against the challenge as the more and more conquests the brain experiences – through regular repetition of the exercise – the better prepared it is to deal with each new occurrence of the challenge.

For example, by replacing a negative self-belief such as “I am terrible at job interview, I am probably not even good enough to get this job!” with a positive affirmation, such as “I am perfectly suited to this job, and have all the necessary skills and experience to be an ideal candidate,” can help you feel more relaxed before the actual interview, and supporting the affirmation by making sure you are fully prepared can also prevent self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviours which could affect the success of the interview.

It is imperative to keep in mind that the onus of control lies in the action. Affirmations are actions when seen as steps towards the positive change you wish to achieve, but steps on their own ends up as a walk to nowhere. Affirmations needs to be partnered with actionable tactics on how to deal with situations as they present themselves. Worried about losing your temper? Learn tactics to remain calm and in control until you can remove yourself from the stressful situation.

Affirmations can be made more effective by personalising them to your circumstances and they should always be set in the present. This is where affirmations differ from goals: goals are things you must work toward in the future, but an affirmation is a reminder of what you can do in the present. Affirmations cannot work if you focus your statement something that you cannot accept as possibly true. It is also crucial to keep affirmations based in reality. An affirmation such as “I will get my dream job today” is great unless your dream job is as an astronaut and you haven’t even passed the academy training!

If you are facing specific challenges and are working with a qualified therapist to deal with these issues, speak to them about incorporating personalised affirmations into your daily routine in support of your therapy. They will be able to help you formulate more effective affirmations to help you reach your goals.

Remember, in the end, the affirmation does not make the change. You do.