Being a parent can be difficult. No one prepares for you for the obstacles you face as a parent – and no one holds all the answers. However when faced with a difficult dilemma or behavioural concern, seeking the support of a psychologist can provide the support needed to enjoy being a parent. It is not uncommon for parents to face parenting difficulties at some stage, anytime from infancy, all the way through to turmoil between child and parent that can arise during adolescence.
As a parent, it’s difficult to strike a balance between wanting to be their friend, and needing to assert your authority as a parent. It is not uncommon for the dynamics between children and their parents to change – particularly as children mature and find their independence. Even subtle tension between parents and their children can be upsetting – both for other siblings and extended family such as grandparents.
Whether you’re a single parent, or balancing a chaotic family dynamic, our trained psychologists can work with you individually, or as a family, to understand what works best when managing your family. This may not directly be about yourself, but may be about managing the emotions of watching someone in your family struggle with the challenges of parenting. There can also be disagreements about the major decisions that impact on your child’s life or the way that the responsibilities are shared.
Our practitioners can help you identify, cope with, and overcome these parenting challenges, so that you can regain your positive and loving relationship whilst coping with the challenges of raising a child. Our practitioners can work with you in one-to-one sessions or in a group setting. Some people may prefer the group setting, as it is a means of finding support from others facing similar difficulties. Everyone has a child who won’t sleep, or a teenager who seems to have changed overnight. Everyone argues at times with their loved ones and everyone can relate to feeling like there is no me-time. The group setting can also take place within your own family – and bringing everyone together in a calm and supportive environment can be really beneficial in working through shared difficulties.
Some of the ways a practitioner could support you either individually or as a family include:
We can’t promise all the answers, but we can help you, or a loved one, carve a pathway to happy parenting. At VCPS our work aims to assist parents be more effective in tuning into their own emotions and needs, the needs of their family, and to understand what their child requires at different stages of development. Our staff also assist families to support each other more effectively, create positive connections between themselves and their children. This creates room for bonding, observation and reflection.
Let us help you provide some structure to the happy chaos that we call family.