Fredericksburg Parent

14 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • September 2021 14 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • September 2021 INTERVIEWED BY BRANDY CENTOLANZA Fathers discuss prioritizing their mental, physical and emotional health Take Care, Dad "It's in your family's best interest to have you at your best." Between work, family and other daily obligations, it can be difficult for parents, especially fathers, to find the time for self-care. While dads may be more prone to ignore the signs that they need a break or may avoid expressing that need, it's important for men to speak up when they need to recharge, and then actually take the time to look after themselves. "Dads often feel like they have a lot of roles they are trying to fill and are not quite sure how to get it done," says Brian W. Towers, a licensed marriage and family therapist with the Center for Family Counseling. "A pitcher can't keep dumping out, a car has got to stop for gas. Pay attention to your gas tank. If it's getting anywhere near empty, prioritize your self-care. It's in your family's best interest to have you at your best." The COVID-19 pandemic has also posed new challenges for fathers as they juggle work and family life while remaining at home. Trying to balance home and work can be just as stressful for dads as it is for moms, and dads may also feel guilty or like they aren't giving enough to either. Towers often sees patients who struggle with the feeling of being pulled in multiple directions. "COVID made that even worse with work-from-home blurring lines even further," Towers says. "Self-care suffers, relationships suffer and vocations suffer."

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