There’s an old saying that “parents are only as happy as their least happy child”. I help children and teens learn new ways to handle their stress and feel better. They don’t have to wait until they’re in crisis to start counselling. In fact, it’s usually parents that are very much in tune with their kids who reach out to start counselling. It can be reassuring to trust that another person cares for your child, has their back, and is part of your family’s team.
Parents often reach out because they see their child’s big worries (anxieties) starting to get in the way and are stopping them from doing what they want. Your child might seem more edgy, irritable, or easily annoyed than usual. They might be isolating themselves in their room or be glued to their phone for hours at a time. The over-thinking is beginning to interfere and your child’s confidence is beginning to take a hit. They might be convinced that trying something new can only end badly, so they stop themselves before even starting. When they predict things will definitely go wrong, it’s not just a little bit wrong, they’re convinced it will go catastrophically wrong. Just telling them to not worry doesn’t seem to work and it can leave parents feeling helpless and very concerned. Counselling can uncover the unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and big worries. Your child can learn healthy and effective ways to recognize, and then challenge, these worries and anxiety thought patterns. Parents can feel more connected to their child and have a deeper understanding of what’s really going on.
You can feel confident in knowing how to help your child get back to being themselves again.
There are times when parents feel they could benefit from some extra support. Parenting can be incredibly rewarding but let’s be honest, it can also be stressful. You want to raise healthy and happy kids with more support than you had growing up, but sometimes you fear you may not have those tools. Parent support looks different for every family, but could include support to effectively handle your child’s challenging behaviours or reactions, learning to model healthy emotional communication, learning new ways of nurturing positive relationships and connections with your child, or becoming even more informed about what is reasonable to expect from your child at different ages.