Parent Counseling

Parent Counseling and Consultations

It is often said that parenting is the hardest job in the world...

...and for many parents that proves to be true. For most parents their children are the source of both their greatest joys and greatest frustrations. Parenting has never been easy, but in recent years the support systems that had traditionally assisted and supported parents (extended family, neighborhoods, close friends) have become less available for most people.

More than ever, parents are on their own to do their best by using what they know from their own parents and a trial and error approach to raising their children. Added to this is the fact that parents in the 21st century face considerations and decisions that were simply unknown as little as ten or fifteen years ago (texting, internet, video games).

So it's no surprise that parents often find themselves making parenting decisions "on the fly" and then hoping they made good choices.

Fortunately, basic guiding principles and specific techniques for parenting can be learned in order to reduce tension in the family and increase your effectiveness as a parent. I began working with parents and children at the start of my career in 1974 and since then I have known several hundreds of families.

In my counseling, I am a strong advocate of proactive parenting. I will help you to plan ahead and be prepared to respond to your children in a deliberate manner. This will help you to be more confident in your choices and more effective with day to day behavior management, while also building a solid foundation for your child's ongoing mental health and preparation for adulthood.

Call to schedule a free introductory appointment. (828) 686-9601

Counseling Links

"Each day of our lives
we make deposits
in the memory banks
of our children."
Charles R. Swindoll

"Although there are many
trial marriages.... there is no such thing as a trial child."
Gail Sheehy

	<<< use these links to navigate the counseling section
	Working with parents
	Sometimes it is most beneficial to work with just the parents, even when there are behavioral difficulties with the children. I offer two different services for working with parents. Please see the descriptions below for more complete information on each service. For information on counseling directly with children or families, please review the Child and Family page Parent Counseling is the most common approach when working with parents only. It's probably the best choice if you are currently having significant difficulties with your children or your role as a parent is causing you distress. It is also suitable when the adults in the family have a lot of conflict about how best to deal with the children. In parent counseling the adults are the primary clients and our work together will likely include exploring how your own beliefs, reactions, and emotions may be influencing what you do as a parent. Of course, parent counseling does sometimes lead into child and/or family counseling. Parent Consultation is a less intensive process and does not involve formal counseling. Parent consultation is appropriate when parents are seeking to increase their understanding of effective parenting, child development, or family dynamics in order to be more effective and to prevent potential future problems. When using parent consultation there usually are no major current problems. With parent consultations the emphasis is on education, guidance, planning, and support. Parent consultations may be done in individual sessions or small groups. The approach we use will largely depend on your goals for our work together along with consideration of the severity, depth, and urgency of the issues of concern to you.
	The first session: what to expect
	Once you have taken the step to begin counseling, you'll probably be eager to get right into the issues that have been on your mind. As a therapist, I share that desire. However, there are a few things that will need to be completed at the beginning of our work together. Please follow the link below to get some information about what to expect at your initial session.
	More Information about Your First Session