Parent & Family Counseling
Parent Counseling

Parenthood. Much has been said and written about this part of life, yet none fully capture what it feels like for each parent.

Parents often feel that they are carrying the whole world on their shoulders, and can therefore make no mistakes. They can feel that anything and everything is expected of them, or that they should instinctively know everything there is to know about parenting. It is a space where ambivalent feelings form an intricate union, each day experienced different than the last.

The uniqueness of each parent’s experience is even more evident in two-parent households, where multiple new paths of life must be navigated, with no guarantees that those two people will enter the same, or similar, paths. In fact, research has shown that for parents transitioning to parenthood, approximately 70% experienced a drop in relationship satisfaction in the first year since the birth of their first child. This may pit the odds against a couple’s favor, yet it is through this research that valuable information has been provided regarding some of the factors that can be protective against this drop in satisfaction, and that can maintain and even strengthen the relationship between two parents.

Parent counseling is a space where the spotlight turns to each individual navigating this part of life, and through which a space for belongingness and community can begin to form. It involves the exchange of knowledge, the offering of emotional support, as well as more practical guidance on what may be right for each parent and each child.

Whether you are on the way to becoming a parent, have recently become a parent, or have been struggling within the parenting role, I can help you navigate these waters. 

I can help with:

  • Understanding child development

  • Connecting with the parenting role and increasing autonomy

  • Navigating stresses within the parenting role

  • Managing conflict related to parenting

  • Life changes and transitions

  • Understanding and regulating own emotions as a parent

  • Providing emotional support and emotion coaching

  • Setting limits

  • Supporting children’s social and emotional intelligence development

  • Responding to children’s emotions

  • Strengthening family connections

  • Managing co-parenting demands

  • Parenting fatigue

It is okay if you don’t feel ready to take this step. Sometimes, therapy can feel like an added task on the never-ending list of the multiple roles one undertakes as a parent. I strive to make this work accessible through the convenience of your home.

Check back for future resources, articles, workshops, and courses, available in-person or online. 

Family Therapy

Behind every conflict, there is a wish waiting to be realized. This is certainly true in a family, that can at times be one of the greatest sources of support, yet at others, one of the greatest stressors. A family is not just the product of its individual members, it is made up of complex connections between systems, and its definition varies between families, sometimes even between family members. Every family is linked in some way, and this means that the problems or difficulties experienced by one member will inevitably affect the rest. Even positive changes can affect the system.

Family does not always equal a sense of belongingness. Values may clash, negative comparisons may be made, and we may find ourselves increasingly lonely in a house filled with people. We may seek connection, yet find that conflict pervades and overtakes us. Trauma and pain may have altered the family system, making it difficult to pick up the pieces and put the system back together.

Every member has a voice that needs to be heard. In family therapy, we can explore the hidden needs and wishes behind conflict. We can begin to use conflict to gain deeper understanding and insight of each other, and we can build upon the strengths of the family, in order to move more easily from gridlock to connection. 

I can help with:

  • Managing and using conflict to improve interactions and relationships

  • Grief and loss

  • Navigating life changes and transitions

  • Making repairs

  • Processing trauma and its effects on the family unit

  • Improving family dynamics

  • Understanding and addressing the impact of mental health conditions

  • Strengthening family connections

  • Bridging the gap between different family cultures and values

Ready to take the next step?

Contact me for a free consultation.

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