Is parenting the most wonderful experience?

Not always and not for everyone.

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They say that it takes a village to raise a child, however in today’s society, villages are few and it is common to have to look after your child without the support of others.

Parenting therapy acts as an objective support system that helps relieve some of the burden of taking care of your child alone, and it helps establish a healthy relationship and bond between you and your child/children.

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Today’s society has exceptionally high expectations for parents. Between the numerous books being released weekly on the new best theory on how to raise a child, or the mums and dads on social media and blogs who are able to do it all, it’s impossible to feel adequate when parenting your own child. Parenting therapy is here to help you manage these expectations and the overwhelming sense of inadequacy and stress that can develop when you have a child.

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In therapy, you will work to create strategies tailored to yourself and your child specifically, as every parent and child is an individual and each relationship has its own personal challenges. Therapy will remind you that your child, despite being a product of yourself, has its own personality, and as a result, parent-child conflict, to a degree, is expected. How to deal with this conflict will be addressed in therapy. The therapeutic space and process isn’t a place of judgement or critique of your parenting style. It’s safe to share your fears of conflict and failure, feelings of hopelessness, stress, anxiety, irritability, and other fears that can plague the relationship between you and your loved ones.

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ISSUES DISCUSSED IN PARENTING:

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• Adopting a foster child

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• Helping your child overcome hardships faced at school, handle relocation from school or home

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• Dealing with addiction, that of a family member, or your own

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• Dealing with chronic stress or worry, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, depression, and uncontrolled anger that have been caused or heightened by parenting

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• Managing menopause and parenting

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• Managing "empty nest syndrome", when your child/ children leave home

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• Dealing with a child with a developmental, physical, or learning disability

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• Learning how to transition to parenting adult children

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• Learning to balance work and parenting

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• Dealing with family trauma/ abuse

 

Parenting issues can lead to stress. This stress may manifest through worry, depression, irritability, or anger. Some situations can also cause grief, depression, or post-traumatic stress. These usually involve the loss of a child or partner. When these conditions go untreated, other children's well-being may be affected. Therapy can help address and treat these issues.

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• One-to-one therapy. Parents may seek out a therapist that specialises in child development or behavioural health. An individual therapist may encourage parents to make time for themselves and help parents to maintain a self-care routine.

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• Family therapy. A family therapist can address issues that affect the whole family. Each member of the family can bring up their own concerns. These concerns often unbalance the family dynamic. Parents can become aware of issues that need to be resolved.

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• Couples counselling. Some parents may find couples counselling can strengthen their parenting skills by strengthening their partnership. It can also help couples resolve disagreements about child-education or family life.