What Is Parenting Counselling?
Parenting Counselling supports you to parent in a way that meets the specific needs of your children. I use a combination of tools to do this, for example, Therapeutic Parenting (TP). TP is often spoken about in the context of trauma and attachment, as a child’s needs can be very different if they have experienced trauma and difficulties in attaching to care-givers whilst they were young. However, with increasing knowledge in the areas of mental health and child development, parents are becoming increasingly aware that they may need to know more in order to help their children - TP meets your parenting needs.
In our own experiences of being parented, we develop an understanding and appreciation for parenting concepts such as boundaries and taking responsibility; however, if a child has experienced trauma and attachment issues, or they have developed some unhealthy processes such as a need to get things perfect, their ability to respond well to 'general parenting' can be impaired. TP facilitates your understanding of your child’s trauma, attachment style & behaviours, helps you understand your own motivations when it comes to supporting your child and equips you with the knowledge and skill to parent in the way your child needs in order to heal, attach and learn new ways of being themselves.
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It is not about being a perfect parent, it is not about holding shame or guilt for not being ‘a natural parent’; being a Therapeutic Parent is being aware and OK with your limited capacity to know and do what your child needs, and making the commitment to learn and develop with your child.
I also use my training in neuro-diversity - a child’s neuro-type can also influence how they attach in relationships, their needs and how they behave. Again, general parenting benefits from an injection of education and exploration into children’s specific needs.
Sometimes, we want to parent in a different way to how we were parented, parenting counselling offers this support. It allows you to understand the impact of your parenting experiences, to understand the negative impact it may be having on your parenting and the strengths you have gained from them too.
There are lots of reasons people access parenting counselling, it’s my job to support you with your own reasons, so you are both informed and confident, so you can enjoy your own parenting experience.
What is a Parenting Consultation?
A parenting consultation is where it all starts, it’s the initial meeting where you share what it is that you would like to receive by working with me in this context. Some people just book the consultation and that’s enough for some it’s part of a longer journey.
What kind of things can we work on in Parent Counselling?
That’s up to you. It can be directly about your child or children, or it can be about how you feel about being a parent. Here are some examples of why people work with me in this way:
Have a safe space to feel how you feel
Develop your knowledge and understanding of your child’s emotional and biological development & needs
Address the challenges you have with parenting the way you want, to improve your relationship with your children through an understanding of attachment & your own experiences of being a child
Develop your understanding of mental health, self-esteem and emotional literacy
Increase your confidence in supporting your children
Develop resources tailored to yours & your children's needs
Reduce the need for external services
As a psychotherapist with over 15 years of working therapeutically with children and their parents, parenting counselling has become a thread within me. I want to share as much information with you as possible, so that you can be better informed and more confident in your parenting role. If this speaks to you, why not come join my newsletter subscribers, when you join, you will automatically be eligible for the FREE Pay it Forward Parenting Consultation offered each month! Click here to read more about the Pay it Forward Parenting Consultation.
Other Useful Blogs:
What to Expect when you Book a Therapeutic Parenting Intensive.
Why being Real is Important when you're a Parent.
8 Strategies for Helping your Anxious Child
Day-to-Day Strategies to Positively Impact your Children's Anxiety.