Therapy for Parents & Families

What are some challenges parents face?

Parenting is one of life’s greatest joys, but along with the enrichment it brings you, comes its own challenges. Along with tending to yourself, you now also have the responsibility of tending to the needs of another. You wish to tend to their emotional and physical needs, but also teach them social skills, life skills and set them up for personal fulfillment and success.

Parents come to our practice for therapy for parents in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut with a wide array of challenges that they might want support around, such as:

• Learning how to parent a child that has their own mental health struggles 

• Dealing with bullying at school

• Navigating issues related to the use of alcohol and other drugs

• Learning how to parent a differently-abled child

• Having conversations around sex, sexuality, and identity

• Dealing with co-parenting and divorce

• Navigating household chores, and homework

• Making decisions about school and college placement

• Navigating different parenting styles

• Overcoming personal traumas to be a better parent

• Navigating grief and loss in the family

• Learning to parent a new-born

How Can Therapy for Parents in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York at Repose Help You?

Therapy for parents is an effective way of resolving your child’s problem behavior and emotional issues. It is our tendency to view the “other” as possessing the problem. A problem to be fixed on their own. As parents, it is important to remember that our child's problem behaviors are most often signal-flares for a larger issue. As parents, you have tremendous influence over your child's well-being. Just by fine-tuning your parenting a little bit, you can bring about significant improvement in your child’s life. At Repose Therapy, we allow you to zoom out, and look at all the variables influencing your child’s well-being.

We equip you with the tools, and skills to help you support your child, and you, in creating a life of fulfillment.

Suspect your teen is struggling with their mental health?:
How to Talk About Mental Health with your Child

Just like teens fear approaching their parents about going to therapy for teens, parents may have similar fears too. If you need help starting a conversation with your child about mental health and beginning therapy for teens, try leading with these questions. Make sure you take a non-judgmental stance and lead with curiosity:

• Can you tell me more about what is happening? How are you feeling?

• You’ve been seeming low lately. What’s been going on?

• Have you had feelings like this in the past?

• We all need someone to talk to sometimes. I'm here to listen. How can I help you feel better?

• Do you feel like you want to talk to someone else about your problem?

Your Key to Communication

• Communicate in a straightforward manner.

• Provide some education or self-disclosure around what mental health problems look like for either yourself or in a more global sense.

• Provide some education around what therapy is, and try to normalize this experience.

• Do not make assumptions about what is going on.

• Discuss the topic when your child feels safe and comfortable.

• Watch for reactions during the discussion and slow down or back up if your child becomes confused or looks upset.

• Listen openly and let your child tell you about their feelings and worries.

Types of Parenting Problems

EMDR for Performance Anxiety & Stress

Does your child deal with test anxiety? performance anxiety? sports performance issues? If the answer is yes, there is help! One of the most interesting and innovative uses of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy has been in performance enhancement by reducing feelings of stress, fear and anxiety. In addition to treating trauma symptoms, it is effective in disordered thinking, both of which interrupt and inhibit performance. It also helps to equip people with the confidence to take on, and see tasks through by installing positive self-beliefs. This is often done by having a person imagine themselves doing the thing that makes them nervous whilst engaging in bilateral stimulation (rapid eye movements). This has the effect of simultaneously decreasing the anxiety and fear associated with the task and inadvertently boosting self-confidence. This allows you to be able to, once again, regain control over your emotional state. Want to know more about how EMDR works? Click here. Want to know about Repose’s EMDR offering? Click here.

Why Begin Therapy for Parents with Us?

At Repose Therapy, we have online therapists and clinicians that specialize in working with parents, children, and families. Our therapists are trained in a variety of modalities to help create a therapeutic journey that can match your needs.

Our Online therapists work with parents through a systems approach and strive to create safety and comfort within the therapeutic space.

If you are ready to take the first step towards being a better version of yourself for you and your family, schedule a 15-minute consultation with our client concierge to explore your options and be matched with a therapist that is right for you.