Parenting Therapy in Sandy Springs, GA

You knew parenting would be a bit of rollercoaster. That you’d have weeks with incredible highs and days with deep lows.

But now that you’re in the thick of parenting your child, you’re starting to feel like it’s the other way around, that the low points are outlasting the good.

You truly want to make life with your child better and you’ve tried every parenting approach you know, but no matter what you do, nothing seems to be working.

When you first imagined parenting a growing child you thought of the potential dilemmas he would face. The school struggles and the arguments with friends. But whenever you imagined these scenarios, you thought of yourself as the hero of the story. The person your child needed to talk to and confide in and the person with all the right answers.

You ran through potential scenarios in your head trying to plan out how you would help her with her first failing grade and her first heartbreak. You practiced comforting phrases and empathetic expressions and felt like you could help her tackle any challenge that came her way. And when the days came for you to be your child’s confidant, you put on your game face. You’d put a lot of effort and energy into learning how to be a better parent and you’d prepped for every circumstance.

But here you are, just trying to keep up with the fast-paced, high-pressured world your child is living in. 

Every day feels like a bit of a haze. Your advice doesn’t reach as far as you thought it would, you’re wasting your breath trying to get your point across, and your child doesn’t listen to a thing you say. It feels like everything you envisioned about your role as a parent was a lie.

That’s not to say you thought parenting would be easy. Raising a child today is a huge commitment and requires more from parents than it did when you were young. But you never wanted a mediocre life. In fact, you want the opposite. You know there will be days that are more difficult than others, but you’ve worked hard for the lifestyle you have, and you want to pass on your values and achievements to your child.
What you didn’t expect was how stressful
parenting a teen, tween, or young adult would be. You never predicted how many time constraints you’d have to deal with. You had no idea how difficult it would be for you and your child to live up to today’s high standards. And you certainly didn’t expect to have a child who feels lost and lonely.

So here you are

The worried parent, the stressed-out parent, the failing parent

It hit you the other night…

You hadn’t seen your child since she beelined to her room after dinner. You normally like to give her a bit of space, but the two of you hadn’t had a decent conversation in weeks and you were hoping to connect a bit before bed. You practiced what you wanted to say while you loaded the dishwasher and wiped down the counters.

You needed a little more time to work up your nerve, so you headed to your room to get ready for bed. Once you’d washed your face and brushed your teeth you finally decided to just wing it. But when you knocked on her bedroom door she didn’t answer. Not ready to invade her privacy you waited a moment, but something told you to open the door. When you walked in you found an empty room. Your stomach dropped as you realized you had no idea where your child was or who she was with.

Immediately you felt horrified and heartbroken.
In that moment you knew in your gut it was time to take control of the chaos in your and your child’s life. You knew you couldn’t keep going on this path or you would start to feel more out of touch with your child’s world and the things he is struggling with. But you admitted you didn’t have any idea
how to be a better parent since everything you’ve already tried hasn’t worked.

You told yourself:

“I can’t believe I’ve lost sight of my child’s behaviors.”

“I’m supposed to know my child better than anyone else, I should be able to keep her from sneaking around.”

“I thought I was being an active and available parent, but clearly I’m wrong.”

“I’m useless since I can’t seem to make my family happy.”

But when you thought about it rationally, when your shock faded away, you realized:

“I need some parenting help so I can figure out how to be a more supportive parent.”

You’ve made every effort to be a good parent, but when you think about it

You’re at a loss for how to help your child thrive.

It doesn’t matter how prepared you were, you did not expect to flounder when the time came to finally be supportive. You truly thought you’d sail through parenting, but you’re sure now that you need some help understanding your role and your influence in your child’s life.

It’s hard to admit that you’re struggling to be the type of parent you want to be. But all the techniques you thought you’d mastered aren’t putting a dent in the type of pressures your child is facing.

Reality is, a lot of parents have trouble helping their children navigate life. Seeking out parenting help doesn’t mean you don’t know what you’re doing. You are not the only parent to feel useless when it comes to supporting and encouraging their child. We see this every day in our parenting counseling sessions. Being a good parent may require more than you’re currently capable of providing, but that’s OK. You simply need to learn the skills and tools that work for children in today’s environment.

You’re ready to not feel so burdened by parenthood and you’re ready for help defining what a happy and healthy home life looks like. 

The sign of great parenting is not the child’s behavior. The sign of truly great parenting is the parent’s behavior.

-Andy Smithson

When You Seek Parenting Therapy with Sunshine Child and Family Counseling of ​Sandy Springs, GA

You will feel more confident when it comes to parenting a difficult child or teen 

You will have the tools and skills to parent effectively so your no longer angry or upset with yourself or your child/teen 

You will be empowered with knowledge of your child/teen’s development and gain an understanding of what is “normal” behavior

You will be able to communicate better with your child/teen and set clearer, more define boundaries 

You will believe in your ability to parent and your children’s ability to thrive  

How We Provide Parenting Help Through Counseling in Sandy Springs

Parenting counseling in Sandy Springs is intended to help adults with children of all ages find the support they need to manage the difficulties that can come with modern parenting. Together, we will identify the reasons behind the behaviors that are impacting your family’s functioning and give you practical techniques to reach your child so that you feel inspired, competent, and confident enough to move forward in your parenting relationship.

We’ll meet together on an as-needed basis to determine the level of support you need to help your child navigate his current struggles.

First, you will schedule a Free initial phone consultation where we will discuss your unique family structure and the individual struggles you are facing. From there we will outline an approach to parenting counseling that meets your needs including number of sessions and time frame.

 

Here’s what to expect:

WEEK ONE: Initial Consultation

During this initial parenting therapy session, we define the coaching relationship and discuss the details of the parent support contract. I gather information about you, your family, and your child’s biological history and how this is currently impacting your family. We also discuss the goals you have for your parenting relationship going forward.

WEEK TWO and Beyond: Parent Support

Together, in each subsequent session, we will explore practical parenting strategies and share parenting advice that will help you understand your child from her unique perspective.

Each session is designed on an individual basis to meet your parenting needs and match your parenting style. Together we will discuss the current state of your family relationships and set goals that set the stage for effective parenting.

We will examine your child’s past experiences and how they continue to impact his life daily. We will also identify your child’s triggers and develop appropriate responses to help you parent effectively.

Getting Parenting Help From Sunshine Child and Family Counseling

As As mental health professionals in ​​Sandy Springs, we help parents help their children become the best version of themselves. Experience truly matters when working with parents, and as seasoned clinicians, we combine three decades worth of experience in child-centered services to make sure adults can understand children and adolescents from a young person’s point of view.

It is our passion to work with parents in a relationship-focused way. Each therapist may use a different therapeutic approach, but everyone at Sunshine Child and Family Counseling emphasizes the relationship between client and counselor and aims to help every child, teen, and parent thrive.

Sunshine Child and Family Counseling of Sandy Springs is the place for people who are looking for an authentic, casual, laid back, and fun approach to therapy where you will often find counselors helping parents get down on their children’s level. You can read more about our training and specialties here.

Who Benefits Most from Parenting Therapy at Sunshine Child and Family Counseling

Parenting Therapy is best for adults who recognize there is a strain in their family relationships and are willing to make changes in themselves to make the dynamic better. Parent support helps adults recognize the role they play in their children’s struggles and develop practical skills to improve the situation.

You will benefit from parenting help sessions if:

  • You feel isolated and think that there is no one who can help with your family situation
  • You are in the dark about what is wrong and causing your child or teen to act out
  • You’ve tried several different parenting approaches, and nothing has worked
  • You can’t continue to live in a dysfunctional family and you need parenting advice on to move forward
  • You no longer believe in yourself or your ability to help your child/teen grow up happy and healthy

There are certain situations where your teen might not be ready for Adolescent Therapy sessions with Sunshine Child and Family Counseling. These situations include, but are not limited to:

  • An untreated mental health concern
  • A desire for your child to be fixed or for quick results to the problem
  • An inability to recognize the way you contribute to the parent-child dynamic
  • You have your own attachment and trauma issues stemming from childhood.

If you are currently experiencing any of these issues, Sunshine Child and Family Counseling will provide your family with appropriate referrals.

What Does Therapy Cost?

Sunshine Child and Family Counseling is a fee for service agency and accepts all major forms of payment

Each parenting help session ranges between $100 – $140.

Certain clients may be able to use insurance benefits for therapy services. Please contact us to determine if we are paneled with your insurance.

We do offer reduced rates upon need. Please talk to your therapist further regarding details.

Your Next Steps

It is entirely possible to get along well with your child or teenager. For your family to function at a high level and for everyone to be happy and healthy. You will feel confident knowing you have the tools and skills to parent your child or teen no matter what situation they face in life.

Just because you’re unsure whether you’re being a good parent right now does not mean that you cannot develop the strategies you need to feel capable and competent of raising high-needs kids.

You’ll be able to recognize when your child is behaving from a “normal” place developmentally or if you need to step in and intervene. You will have the coping skills to meet your child on his level and parent him in a way that reaches through his pain and helps him bond with you. Ultimately, you’ll find a way to create stability in your home knowing that you’ll be a successful parent regardless of the challenges your family faces.

To schedule a Parent Support session in Sandy Springs with Sunshine Child and Family Counseling call 678-740-3990

PROVIDING ONLINE & TELEHEALTH COUNSELING & THERAPY

Schedule a Free 20-minute Phone Consultation Today.

 

Sunshine Child & Family Counseling

Location:

4080 McGinnis Ferry Rd. Suite 1304
Alpharetta, Ga 30005

 

inquiry@sunshinechildcounseling.com

Tel: 678-740-3990
Fax: 844-903-4670

 

        

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