As Marriage and Family Therapists we are specially trained to help families move through difficulties and establish strong, healthy, close connections with one another.
Parenting is hard work, and we parents often get little coaching on how to do it well. Even more so, what was previously understood as best ways to parent are now often disputed by current research and trends. It is difficult to know what is best. There is help! With the right support and guidance you can absolutely help your child and ease the stress your family is experiencing. Please contact us for a consultation.
Children’s off-track behaviors often show up in a few ways, described below. While these behaviors are all common to most children in moderation or in brief phases of development, if your child frequently displays one or more of these groups of behaviors and is stuck in a pattern, they may benefit from extra support. We are here to help you figure it out and develop a plan to address your concerns.
Aggression and Defiance
Anxiety, Rigid Behaviors, and Avoidance
Withdrawal
High-Energy and High-Activity
What To Expect
Aggression and Defiance
Some children’s hurts manifest in aggressive and defiant behaviors. We might see these children tantruming, hitting, biting, destroying beloved toys/items, yelling, name calling, threatening, fighting with siblings or peers, and the like. There is no mistaking that these children are not feeling well and need our guidance and support. In fact, children who show their troubles through aggression and defiance are doing a good job at sending a clear signal to their parents: “I’m not okay. Help me.” We can assist you in learning how to respond to your angry child so their behaviors shift and their underlying needs get addressed.
Anxiety, Rigid Behaviors, and Avoidance.
Some children’s hurts show up as worry, anxiety, or fear. When children are anxious, much of their attention is preoccupied with managing their worry/fear. They become rigid in their ability to approach day to day life and they begin to avoid things that increase their anxiety. If you parent an anxious child, you may feel you are always trying to avoid a meltdown or ease the way to help your child try something scary. You may generally avoid activities because your child can’t enjoy them. Life is less fun for you and your child. There is help. We will assist you to find ways to increase your child’s confidence, flexibility, and love for learning and exploring. It won’t happen overnight, but with your help, your child can reclaim their zest for exploration.
Withdrawal
Some kids withdraw inward when they are in distress. It may be harder to notice that these kids are hurting and in need of our help because their behavior may not initially be problematic for us as parents. However, these young ones are, in fact, in need of support. Kids who withdraw may stop engaging in activities they once enjoyed, spend greater time alone in their room, engage less with friends or in sports or clubs they once enjoyed, or may seem vacant or as though they are daydreaming often. Some teens turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with their pain. If you are concerned that your child might be withdrawing, trust your gut and gather more information. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for support; we’re happy to consult with you and provide professional guidance as you figure out what your child is communicating and what they need.
High-Energy and High-Activity
Some children need support to manage their energy and harness it into fun, safe, healthy activities. It is hard to parent a high-energy child. Some children seek a lot of sensory stimulation and need a plan so they can meet their sensory needs on a daily basis. Sometimes our child needs significant guidance to manage their responsibilities, and we ourselves need and want a break from being manager. We want to help our child internalize the ability to self-manage their energy and zest for life so we can be freed up to engage with them in new and less managerial ways that are more fun!. We help parents and kids solve these challenges and find ways to live together more enjoyably. Please give us a call.
What To Expect
If you are interested in consulting with us about your child(ren), please email or call us. We will set up an initial phone call to discuss your needs and schedule an initial parent-therapist appointment. We meet with parents initially to gather information and to fully understand your concerns, circumstances, needs, and goals. At that point we will develop a plan for addressing your family’s needs. That plan can include many components ranging from parent coaching, family therapy, referrals to complementary services, tools/skills to use at home with your child, bibliotherapy, and more.
There is support here waiting for you. It is very challenging to watch the young ones we love struggle. You are the best person to help your child, and you don’t need to go it alone. We’re happy to hear from you and support you as you navigate your family through these challenges.