Parent Coaching and Family Support
Do you second-guess yourself, overreact, or go back on your decision? Do you struggle with the expectations of being the "best" parent? Do you have a bunch of "how to parent effectively" books, but they are still unchecked? You may benefit from parent coaching.
Parent coaching is a form of skill-building where one or both parents meet with a therapist to achieve specific parenting goals. It can help parents improve family functioning and communication. Parent coaching and family support can focus on specific life issues and transitions, and it can also help you find alternatives to punishment, be less reactive to your child's behaviors or emotions, problem-solve in an effective way, and feel more attuned and empathetic towards your child.
Parent coaching is directive and brief, with mutually agreed upon goals. In some cases I connect the family to community supports and provide other resources.
Parent coaching can help with:
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Transition issues (marriage, divorced parents, relocation to a new city or school)
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General behavioral issues
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Learning issues, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
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Oppositional Defiant Disorder and conduct problems
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Facilitation of difficult conversations with your child, like sex, bullying, etc.
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New parents.
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Screen time issues
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Adolescent substance abuse
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LGBTQ support
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Trauma, survivors of abuse/domestic violence
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Acculturation stress
Family Support
Family therapy is a type of psychotherapy that helps family members better understand each other, support one another, and work through difficult situations. It can also treat specific mental health or behavioral conditions for one person within the family unit that is affecting the well being of the entire unit. Family therapy can involve any combination of family members.
Family therapy can help with situations such as:
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Adjusting to life changes, like moving or starting a new school.
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Separated or divorced parents.
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Death and grief.
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Relationship conflicts, such as parents-child conflict or sibling conflict.
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School avoidance or school refusal.
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Developmental and mental health issues.
When necessary, I recommend additional individual and community supports, including psychiatry, additional assessments, rehabilitation therapies (Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy), and skill-building groups and programs.
