THE INFLUENCE OF INFLUENCERS ON #MOTHERHOOD

Abstract

While working with mothers, counsellors face a difficult task of unravelling preconceived mothering ideals alongside clients. Social media can play a significant role in a mother’s development. Influencers present an image of what one may come to view as ideal motherhood. Similarly, counsellors hold a high degree of influential capacity that must be carefully understood to avoid unintentional perpetuation of harmful societal expectations. This discourse analysis examines and brings to academic awareness mothering discourses by analyzing Instagram posts by motherhood bloggers. Fifty Instagram posts about motherhood were analyzed. Results of this analysis found prevailing motherhood narratives are repeated frequently across Instagram, and many mothers experience negative effects from internalizing these discourses. Sources of these dominant discourses were linked to influences within the spheres of religion, society, and psychology. Implications for counselling therapists are discussed.