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Letters to the EditorFull Access

Home vs. Work Struggle

Published Online:19 Sep 2008https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.43.18.0027

This letter is in response to Dr. Nada Stotland's column in the July 4 issue titled “The More Things Change ... Or Do They?”

I am a mother of a 4-year-old and have just started a psychosomatic fellowship at Mt. Sinai Hospital. It is a great place to work and learn but very hectic and entails a long commute for me. In spite of having a very supportive spouse, it was difficult to make a choice that puts career ahead of family at this point in my life. So it was very heartening to read Dr. Stotland's article. Times can change and decrease some struggles, but fundamental human struggles of balancing family and work can never change. In spite of the pain involved in making these decisions, I am thankful for these struggles. I think they enrich my growth as an individual and as a psychiatrist because life is about choices at each point.

The feminist in me identifies the home-versus-work issue as a female one, but the observer in me knows it is not. Each struggle I go through is shared by my husband and vice versa.

I found all of Dr. Stotland's advice to be very practical, useful, and supportive. I wish we had more such articles in our journals.

Thank you, Dr. Stotland.

New York, N.Y.

Dr. Stotland's responds: I wish to thank you for your comments, but I want to assure you that you have not placed your work ahead of your family. Remember the admonition about not feeling guilty. It is good for your child to see that the mother who loves him or her so much is learning, helping other people, and doing something fulfilling.