Parenting counseling is a form of psychotherapy that specifically targets parenting styles and attachments in order to improve family dynamics. Parenting therapists at Thriveworks in Cherry Hill, NJ work to help parents understand their parenting approach, gain insight into what personal feelings and issues might be driving it, and learn to adjust their approach in order to heal family relationships.
Parenting counseling takes a look at parents as individuals, working to make connections between certain aspects of their parent styles and past events or influences. By gaining this knowledge about themselves, parents can learn to shift their perspectives and adjust their parenting to better suit their children, spouse, or situation.
Thriveworks parenting counseling in Cherry Hill, NJ can take anywhere from a few months to many years depending on the client and situations needing to be addressed. Simpler goals like how to effectively deal with a teenage child can commonly take under six sessions, but guiding parents through more complex concerns like abuse or trauma can be a much longer process.
Raising a child can be difficult for many reasons and it is one of the most stressful challenges people are faced with because it is life-altering. Though becoming a parent can be a complexed learning stage, it can also provide a sense of purpose and bring joy to life.
“Children are great imitators, so give them something great to imitate”
– Author Unknown
Parents are the greatest influence in a child’s life. Growing in their parents’ environment year after year, a child adapts to their parents’ biased such as traditions, morals, values and belief system. Children also learn attitudes of acceptance in which their viewpoints allow them to explore new experiences and become their own identity. Parenting styles can influence how children decipher information and communicate. Though there are external sources that impact how a child may perceive their worldview such as media, school, friends, and church, a parent has the biggest impression because they are the most consistent figure in their life.
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development states parents are generally responsible for the following:
- Keeping children safe
- Listening to children and spending time with them
- Providing affection, order and consistency
- Setting and enforcing limits
- Monitoring their children’s friendships
- Seeking help for any medical or behavioral concerns
“It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings”
– Ann Landers
In the mist of physical, emotional and spiritual growth, children try to take on the role of independency even when they are not exactly ready. Challenges that parents often face the most is communication with their children. Its important for parents to consider the developmental stage and maturity level when interacting with them. This is how a parent can properly teach their children in a mindset that the child can comprehend and understand. When children have a hard time understanding what their parent is trying to convey, they may feel frustrated and annoyed, which can lead to thoughts that they are disappointing when they prefer their parent’s approval. Circumstances such as this can negatively impact their self-esteem which could be harbored into adulthood. For new parents, it may be hard to know the effective ways to communicate or even how to discipline a child. It can be confusing, but that is why we are here! We have professionals that have worked with clients who struggled in this area or who has even experienced similar issues their self and learned what it takes to make it work!
Common challenges parents face are:
- Providing consistent care
- Attending to the needs of an infant or toddler
- Maintaining adult relationships
- Financial difficulties
- Feeling rushed or out of time
- Scheduling and planning children’s days
- Lack of sleep
Working with our professionals can help you prepare for the tough obstacles that child rearing brings. They can emphasis with the areas you may feel that you are struggling with. Even if it is a teenager, and you feel that all hope is lost – we can help you rebuild that relationship and learn what methods work (gaining respect back from your child, breaking through behavioral problems, etc) and reduce conflict. Contact Thriveworks Cherry Hill Parenting Counseling today at 856-208-4396!
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