Surrendering my old identity — and finding myself, by Catherine Reitman
Oct 22, 2024
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Catherine Reitman, actor and creator of the sitcom "Working Moms," shares her struggle to balance motherhood with her career. She opens up about navigating her identity amid typecasting and rejection, revealing the emotional complexities of being a new mom. Catherine discusses how writing became a healing tool, helping her confront inner critics and embrace vulnerability. Her journey to self-discovery highlights the transformative power of sharing personal experiences, reminding us that it’s okay to feel lost while finding our way.
Catherine Reitman shares her journey of grappling with motherhood and career aspirations, highlighting the emotional conflict between personal ambition and familial responsibilities.
Through writing and the creation of 'Working Moms', Catherine explores vulnerability and authentic storytelling as tools for self-acceptance and connection with others.
Deep dives
The Journey of Sacrifice and Identity
Catherine Reitman reflects on the profound sacrifices made by her mother, an actress who chose family over career to provide her children with experiences she never had. This choice generated substantial emotional weight, as Catherine grapples with feelings of gratitude and guilt for the life her mother created for her. As she transitions into motherhood herself, she faces her own conflict between family obligations and her career aspirations in acting, especially during a challenging moment when she feels disappointed in her own identity. This tension highlights the struggle many face in balancing personal ambition with familial responsibilities, underscoring the significance of supportive relationships in navigating these complexities.
Emerging Through Adversity
After the birth of her first son, Catherine's experience on a film set mirrors the chaos of becoming a new mother, leading to feelings of inadequacy and postpartum depression. The pressure of expectations from her career collides with the reality of motherhood, culminating in a moment of vulnerability during a challenging Mother's Day on set. These experiences of grief and self-doubt motivate her to write about her struggles, ultimately leading to the realization that she must embrace her evolving identity. The act of writing becomes a therapeutic tool for her, allowing her to connect her past and present while serving as a pivotal moment in her journey toward self-acceptance.
Creating Opportunities from Personal Truths
Catherine's journey culminates in the creation of her show 'Working Moms', which becomes a platform to share her and other women's experiences of motherhood and identity. By assembling an all-female writer’s room, she exposes her truths and vulnerabilities, challenging industry norms and stereotypes while fostering genuine connections with her collaborators. The show's authenticity resonates with audiences, allowing her to navigate her insecurities and uncertainties while in a demanding role. Ultimately, Catherine's story illustrates the power of vulnerability and honest storytelling, empowering others to embrace their struggles and find their own path.
As an actor and a new mom, Catherine Reitman felt pulled between two competing identities. To capture her frustration, her sadness, her truth, she wrote it all down. In sharing her darkness, she found a way to turn a light on for someone else.
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Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story: meditativestory.com