Nadia (a pseudonym) is a 38-year-old married woman with one daughter and two sons. She has a high school education and is a full-time homemaker living with her husband’s extended family; she is considered the wife of the family’s eldest son.
Nadia is the very embodiment of generosity; she is a selfless person who loves doing good and never stops working. She is skilled at everything and capable of performing any task asked of her. The only word others associate with her is “yes,” and the only thing they expect from her is meticulous work. For the past 17 years, since the beginning of her marriage, she has been in this situation, and her service never stops. Over time, this has caused her to lose interest in herself and her children. She has forgotten about herself because she is so busy with the never-ending chores around the house. “I find myself at 11 p.m. when I’ve finished all the tasks that have become obligations after once having been sacrifices. I’m truly exhausted; I no longer get to rest or sit with my little family (my husband and children). Even when I feel tired, I can’t stop working because I’m simply told, ‘Who will take over your role?’ as if I were the only one living in the house. I feel burned out every time I see my shelves empty and the entire burden on me. Over time, I realized that I played a major role in how things turned out. A few weeks before coming to the center, I happened to overhear my sister-in-law talking about the center and its excellent services, and how she had changed a lot after visiting it—her life had become better than before. I liked the idea and thought, “I’ll give it a try; maybe I’ll find the help I need.” And indeed, I came to the center, and thank God.
Nadia came to the center, and the assessment revealed that she had low self-confidence and self-esteem. Treatment began with the Self-Confidence Program, starting with relaxation techniques, communication skills, and addressing the cognitive distortions that were causing her lack of self-confidence. Improvement was evident as she reduced her accumulated workload and began doing what was appropriate for her without neglecting her care for herself, her family, and her personal life.
Emphasis was also placed on her return to social and personal activities, the most important of which was self-care. In addition, the self-esteem program played a major role in enabling her to feel gratitude toward herself, in raising her self-esteem, and in helping her recognize the value of that and love herself.
After several sessions, Nadia improved and became able not only to cope with her stress but also to manage her time in a way that brings her joy and supports her, She was able to spend quality time with her children and husband, take care of herself, and engage in enjoyable activities—the most important of which was joining a sports club to learn how to swim and participate in other sports. In her own words “It was a heavy burden I carried for 17 years, and I expected to live with it for the rest of my life, but thanks to you, I was able to rediscover myself.”