Family Conflict

You are worn out by trying to be the best parent. You're just TIRED. Parenting is hard work! It takes a lot of consistency and grace for you, your kids, and your partner. You've read books and listened to podcasts, and you've tried everything but nothing seems to be working! At the beginning of therapy, parents often agree with the sentiment:

"I love my kid; I just don't like him/her sometimes."

You want to get help NOW so that this behavior doesn't continue into your child's adolescent or adult life. It feels like your family life is out of control and the tantrums are getting worse and more often.

You are looking for more positive behaviors, more consistency in parenting. You want better tactics for handling those stressful moments. More control over yourself so you can model appropriate behavior.

Your kids want calmer parents, more predictable discipline, and to feel like they have some control over their own lives too.

If takes a village to raise a child, and yet maybe you're feeling like you're all alone. Your partner is checked out, or just not on the same page. You need them to hear from someone besides you about what's researched to work with your parenting!

Whether it is attention-seeking behaviors, or aggression and destructive behavior, I can teach you tools for how to best respond in a predictable way.

Your child might be a little person, but he or she has BIG feelings. And maybe you do too! Emotional sensitivity is a genetic trait that some people are just born with. You and/ or your child may be more sensitive to things that others don't even seem to be bothered by. You have feelings way more often than other people you know.

When you feel sad, it's not just a little blue; it's a deep sadness and grief. When you get scared, it's not just a little nail-biting nervousness; you're terrified. It can take longer than average for your to return to a baseline of emotional calmness. You are ready to have a calmer household, but maybe you find yourself sometimes saying things like this?

"Quit your crying!"

"Oh stop, it's not that big of a deal."

"Here we go again!"

"I'm sure you'll be okay; just look at this [insert positive thing here]."

Dr. John Gottman says every emotion is ok, but not every behavior is okay.

I'll teach you how to respond to those big emotions your kid has in a way that actually helps you grow closer, have a stronger bond, and earn respect with your child. I believe in giving you the skills to be a therapeutic and healing presence in your child's life, because your relationship with your child should last longer than any therapist's relationship with your child.

If you are beginning to think that responsive, empathetic parenting is perhaps just too hard, we can work together to break things down into achievable steps that help you see how awesome of a parent you really are.