WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Millions of women stopped working during the pandemic, and now, as things are returning back to normal, many say they are reluctant to go back.
What You Need To Know
Four times as many women than men left the workforce in September 2020
Women are reluctant to return to work because of childcare and housework
Behavioral therapist, Mindy France, says it's important for women to seek help from their support system
"She wakes up with a smile and that's just the most warming thing to me," emphasized Mindy France, mother and behavioral therapist at Novant Health.
France had her daughter Gemma in March and absolutely loves being a mother, but she says it was scary being pregnant for the first time during the pandemic.
"Being afraid of getting COVID and being a huge risk to the baby. That was a big fear of mine," France said.
France was extra fearful because she works as a behavioral therapist in the emergency department, and she continues to work there while her little one stays home with grandma.
Other women are not as fortunate because as companies demand employees to return back to the office, parents have to figure out child care and housework.
This is a concern France is seeing with a lot of her patients.
"There was a lot of adjustment of trying to balance things at home, and now, the kids are still at home for school and you have parents that have to go back into work and find childcare, so there's a lot of transition going on right now," France explained.
In September 2020, 865,000 women left their jobs, which is a drastic difference from the 216,000 men who also left their jobs, according to a National Women's Law Center analysis.
France tells her female patients who are trying to get back to work to seek the help they need.
"Pull from your supports. I know a lot of time for we as women it's hard for us to ask for help, and I think sometimes you just have to do that," France said.
Even though this has been an extremely difficult time for France too, both as a mother and therapist, she says it's that much more gratifying helping patients get passed their anxiety and learn coping skills.