There are many reasons why families bring kids to my office, but what they all have in common is that the parent wants their child to thrive. Your child may be struggling in their relationships; making friends or getting along with others may not come easily to them. Your child may seem withdrawn or fearful and perhaps doesn’t want to try new things. Your child may seem angry, reacting strongly to seemingly minor frustrations. Your child may have experienced a stressor or loss and is figuring out how to understand that experience.

Whichever reason brings your family to my office, the first step will be to partner together to map an effective path forward. With young children, the parents will likely participate in session regularly, or the family may opt for parent consultation (see below). At that young age, my hope is to help the parent be their child’s own coach. For an older child, there may be a combination of the parent involvement in sessions and some individual time in sessions with your child.

The teen years are a time of significant change and exploration in a person’s life. Many teens are experiencing a tremendous amount of pressure in their day to day life. Some teens may experience constant “what ifs” or self-critical thoughts. Teens may be looking around at others who seemingly have things figured out and are thinking “how do i fit in?” Maybe they are withdrawn and don’t have energy to engage. Your teen may be lashing out at you or others. Some teens have experienced a traumatic event, or extremely stressful situation that they are trying to navigate.

Therapy for teens is a safe space for them to process their own needs, thoughts and feelings. The process is guided by the teen’s goals and is a collaboration between the teen and the therapist. A therapist who the teen believes is a “good fit” and understands them is of utmost importance for therapy to be successful. Therapy with the teen and the parent together can also be an excellent way to build understanding and trust between parent and child if both parent and teen are open to this process.

Parenting is hard. There is no one-size-fits-all guidebook. Most parents who come to my office have already tried multiple parenting approaches and are doing all the “right things,” but they are still having daily struggles with their child. Maybe your child’s anxiety is impacting everyone in the home. Maybe you’re missing time just enjoying your child because you have to spend all your time correcting behavior or saying “no.” Maybe you’re the parent who wants to connect with your child and build a different kind of relationship than you knew growing up. Maybe your family is going through a hard time and you want to know what to do to support your child.

Whatever brings you in, you are not alone. Parent consultation is a judgment-free zone where you get to talk through your unique circumstance and collaborate together to find approaches that work, are sustainable and create better connections in your family. Parent consultation is not therapy for the parent, rather it is centered around strategies to support your child, and the family as a whole.

Different phases of adulthood bring unique challenges. The transition from the teen years to adulthood has various new opportunities and can also create feelings of uncertainty, pressure and insecurity. Becoming a parent opens up a whole new world to a person and can make you reflect on how you were parented and how you now want to parent.  In addition to these life transitions, some adults have past experiences - maybe stemming all the way from childhood- that are impacting them in the here and now. 

Whether you are a young adult navigating the challenges of this life stage, or someone who is facing the difficulties of past or current life experiences, therapy will be focused on creating a safe and nurturing space to explore and process without judgment.