Motherhood doesn’t end when children reach adulthood, and for those with “difficult” adult children facing mental illness, substance use, or chronic unemployment, the challenges can be overwhelming. In this insightful session, Dr. Judith R. Smith, LCSW, PhD, explores how a child’s struggles impact a mother’s sense of self, how to navigate ambivalent feelings, and how to cultivate self-compassion. She’ll address key questions, including when mothering truly ends, how to balance support with independence, and why this stage of parenting is often overlooked. Drawing from her research and book, Difficult: Mothering Challenging Adult Children through Conflict and Change, Dr. Smith offers understanding, tools, and community for mothers facing these complexities.
Our Guest Speaker, Dr. Judith R. Smith
Dr. Judith R. Smith, LCSW, PhD, is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and associate professor emerita. Her area of specialization is the mother/child relationship. Most recently, she shifted her research lens away from parenting in the first three years of life to understanding older mothers and their “difficult” adult children. This research has been published in professional journals, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and most recently in a book for clinicians and a general audience, entitled Difficult: Mothering Challenging Adult Children through Conflict and Change, Rowman & Littlefield, 2022. Currently, she facilitates support groups for mothers with adult children who have serious mental illness and/or substance use disorder, or prolonged unemployment. Website • LinkedIn
