Individual Therapy: Parenting & caregiving
pregancancy & expectant parents
As someone who had a high risk pregnancy, I understand the anticipation and stress over a situation that I didn’t have much control of. Waiting for the arrival of your little one(s) can really exacerbate how much you enjoy predictability, control, and knowing what to expect. You may be experiencing a range of emotions when it “should” to be a glowing, exciting time. You may be mourning your old life and self as if you will never see either again. Solicited or non-solicited “dread” talk from others (e.g. “you’re never going to sleep again”) can add even more stress and anxiety to what you’re experiencing. Whether you are a new parent or a veteran, every experience is different with its own twists and turns and set of challenges.
how i can help
I can support you through the stress, anxiety and depression you’re experiencing and learn healthy coping skills. We will focus on your strengths and what you can control, managing your support system (it takes a village), and for you to take care of yourself!
It is possible to go through this next phase of your life with a sense of relief and enjoyment.
parenting / caregiving stress
For me, parenting is what everyone said it was going to be: a blessing, amazing, tiring and sometimes maddening. You may be feeling that the latter takes over and are sad and ashamed to admit that you aren't enjoying it. It’s easy to compare yourself to other parents (e.g. friends, Instagram, energetic parent at the park, etc.) who seem to have it all figured out. Parenting is individualized and it can be exhausting to figure out what approach to use when you are trying to nurture, teach and meet the basic, emotional and life skills needs of your kid(s). Meanwhile, trying to balance priorities, juggle responsibilities and to meet your own needs. Managing expectations of yourself as a parent and what you envisioned for your kid(s) can be frustrating and disappointing. You may feel that you and your partner have different parenting styles and are not on the same page. Then, there’s survival mode and feeling badly about how you’re coping and showing up.
how i can help
I can support you through the stress, anxiety and depression you’re experiencing and to learn healthy coping skills. We can work together to explore your triggers and how to appropriately cope when your buttons are being pushed by your little one(s) or partner. I can support you to explore what your child is trying to communicate to you through their behavior and we can discuss different strategies for you to try. We can discuss strategies so you can appropriately communicate your needs with your partner. We will work on you managing your support system (it takes a village), being kind and having compassion for yourself (and stop comparing)!
Parenting is hard but it is possible to be the parent you aspire to be and to enjoy it.