Are You Looking For New Parenting Tools To Improve Your Family Dynamic?
- Has fighting with your current or former partner created a negative environment for your children?
- Is the stress of a new baby wreaking havoc on your relationship?
- Are you concerned about sudden, negative behavioral changes in your child?
- Do you long to restore peace and mutual respect in your family?
Parenthood is one of the most challenging roles a person will take on during his or her lifetime. We all dream of having a happy, healthy harmonious household, so if we start to struggle as we raise our children, it’s easy to become distressed. If you and your partner or ex constantly fight over the proper way to raise your children, it’s likely that you’re not on the same page parenting wise. Perhaps you feel that discipline and punishment are solely your responsibility and that your child’s mother or father only wants to enjoy the good times. As a result, you may be feeling frustrated, angry or resentful.
Feuding parents are not the only ones who struggle with parenting issues. Romantic relationships often decline after the birth of a new baby. The exhaustion, stress and anxiety of having a new baby can sometimes lead to heightened conflict. You and your partner may argue, bicker and snap at each other like never before.
Last but not least, a difficult child may be wreaking havoc on your family dynamic. Perhaps you’ve become concerned or frustrated by defiant or withdrawn behavior from your child. You might dread the mornings in your household because everyday is a struggle to rouse your child from bed. Perhaps you fear receiving calls from school about disruptive behavior or plummeting grades. At night, you might lie awake worrying whether your child has turned to drugs, alcohol, sex or other risky behaviors. At this point, you’re probably wondering where you went wrong. You might even feel guilty and wonder if you’re a “bad parent.”
Regardless of your situation, you probably desperately hope to do right by your children and family, but may be feeling powerless.
Parenting Is Challenging For Everyone
Let’s face it – parenting is hard work! You can never prepare yourself for the experience, as it’s different for everyone and can vary from child to child within a single family. Every child needs to be parented differently, so there’s bound to be some uncertainty and confusion along the way.
There is no single parenting handbook nor is there a magic formula for raising the perfect child. However, by adding more tools to your parenting tool belt, you can develop a dynamic, flexible parenting plan.
Family Counseling Can Help You Develop New Parenting Skills
Family counseling can be very effective in helping struggling parents, whether they are first-time parents, divorced couples or current partners who aren’t getting along. Sometimes all it takes is an unbiased outsider, in the form of an experienced therapist, to provide new tools and point out insights you perhaps haven’t thought of before. Our therapists will serve as collaborators who can work with you to develop novel solutions. We will take into account your unique situation in order to help you develop a co-parenting plan that works for you.
At Alkira we use a strength-based approach. If you’re currently struggling with a difficult child, our therapists can help you identify the things you are already doing well in your parenting. You can learn to build upon your positive attributes, while also developing new skills. We’ll invite you to bring the whole family into sessions so that everyone can verbalize your respective frustrations, emotions and experiences without judgment. If depression or anxiety is a problem for your child, we also have teen and child counseling services available.
Feuding parents can also benefit greatly from counseling, whether in a current romantic partnership or separated. In sessions you can develop a co-parenting plan to get on the same as your partner or ex and establish consistency for your children. We’ll encourage you to shift your focus away from the baggage in your relationship and turn it toward the wellbeing of your kids. You’ll be given a safe, blame-free space in which you’ll be free to express your concerns without criticism or belittlement. As parents, you can learn to establish boundaries and develop effective communication skills so that you can start working together (rather than against each other) to build a healthy environment for your children. You can begin to identify any destructive behavioral patterns that are contributing to conflict. Additionally, if your relationship with your partner has changed since the introduction of a baby, you’ll have the opportunity to learn conflict resolution and discover ways of reestablishing warmth and intimacy.
At Alkira, we are flexible, creative and optimistic. We’ll work hard, thoughtfully and efficiently with you to help you and your family achieve your goals. With a compassionate, supportive professional therapist at your side and a willingness to compromise and work together, it’s possible to create a positive environment in which your children can thrive.
By now you’re probably ready to try family counseling, but may have some questions and concerns…
I’m ready to try family counseling, but my co-parent isn’t willing to participate.
At Alkira, it’s our goal to help you resolve conflicts with your co-parent. However, if your child’s mother or father absolutely refuses to come in, you can still reap the benefits of therapy. You can learn many new parenting and communication skills on your own, without the help of your partner or ex.
My marriage and/or partnership is over. I don’t want to rehash old conflicts.
If you’re currently divorced or separated, we understand and respect your decision to end the relationship. In family counseling we will not be focusing on your relationship, but rather on helping you collaborate on a co-parenting strategy. Regardless of whether you’re together or not, you’re still collectively responsible for your children. We know how much their wellbeing means to you. You owe it to them to work together and establish a neutral, healthy environment in which they can flourish.
Family counseling is too expensive.
Therapy is an investment into the wellbeing of your family. We offer a very generous sliding scale and work hard to make therapy affordable to everyone.
It’s Possible To Create A Healthy Environment For Your Kids
Alkira can help you create the best possible family situation and outcome for your children. You can call 315 492-1390 or email us at alkiratherapy@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule an appointment or to answer any questions you have about our family counseling services. We return calls and emails within 24 business hours.