Parent of a Struggling Child?

Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Relationships

Parenting Counseling

Parent of a Struggling Child?

Do you feeling sad about what your child is going through? Are you feeling unable to find ways to effectively help your child?

When you’re a parent of a struggling child, it’s incredibly painful. Especially if the struggle seems to be ongoing and lasts for a period of time. Also, it can make you feel powerless, upset and even depressed. Maybe you’ve tried to help, offer advice or even resorted to criticizing your child in an attempt to make their situation better.

Parenting struggles with an adult or younger child

Do you have an adult son or daughter that is struggling? Are they dealing with life challenges that are also causing emotional pain, anger or fear? Is that affecting you? Do you have a younger child that is struggling? Do you feel angry and disappointed with your child?

Does this sound familiar?

Mental health issues – Your child struggles with anxiety, depression, bipolar OCD or a a serious mential health dianosis, such as psychosis or schizophrenia . Maybe they are in therapy or seeing a psychiatrist to try and manage and maybe they’re not open to treatment yet. Their behavior may be very hard for you as well.

Relationships – You don’t like the person your child is dating or married to. You have a hard time not making it known and it causes tension and stress in your family. Your child is in a gay or lesbian relationship and you struggle accepting his or her lifestyle.

Behavioral issues – You’re younger child acts and it causes problem at home and in school. It causes a lot of stress in the family and it is exhausting and overwhelming.

Sexuality – You child is gay, lesbian or transgender or identifies as bi or pansexual? Is it is hard to accept the lifestyle and support your child? Does you child feel isolated and struggle with sexuality or gender identity?

Dependency – Is an adult child having trouble launching? Do you wonder how to help? Do you feel he or she is being lazy or taking advantage of you? Do you fight with your spouse about how to handle the situation (one of you wants to make your child leave and the other doesn’t)?

Illness – Is your daughter or son dealing with serious, chronic or other illness? Have they been injured and are recovering and you are the caregiver? Are they struggling with serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar, psychosis or another severe mental illness?

Being the parent of a struggling child can be very challenging. Some situations trigger sad and powerless feeling and others trigger anger and disappointment. Knowing how to cope with your own emotional reactions will help. If you are looking for help, get in touch.

Being There During Hard Times

Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Relationships

NJ Counseling for Challenging Times

Couples, Individuals, Families

Essex County New Jersey

Being There – How to Support Your Loved One

Wondering the best ways to be there for a family member that is going through a hard time? Maybe you’re not clear on how what to do if a spouse, partner or child needs support. For that reason, there are some helpful things you can do to help a loved one going through a hard time.

Maybe you think it is best to try to “fix” their emotional or physical pain. Seems like some advice or suggestions about what will help is what he or she needs. Certainly, it’s not easy to when someone you love is suffering. Even more, it feels pretty awful to feel so powerless when a family member struggles.

Best Ways to Be There

First of all, one of the best ways to be there is to be present and listen. So, allowing your loved one to talk and share without interruption will help. Secondly, you can ask what if there is anything you can do rather than offer advice. Because most people just want someone to listen and make it safe to share.

In contrast, how can you really be there when someone is struggling and not open to help. After all, some men, women and children do not want to talk. Whether he or she is suffering with depression, anxiety, some people are not open to help. Therefore, you have to know what to do with your own fear, feeling of powerlessness and emotional pain. Certainly, these situations are incredibly painful.

Getting Help for Your Own Feelings and Fear

There is something that will help deal with fear, worrying, judgment and struggle with acceptance of your circumstance and what your loved one is dealing with. Mindfulness is a very effective way of working with all of the thing that you can’t control and find more peace even in the most difficult circumstance. Furthermore, developing a better way of dealing with your own emotional and physical pain will help you manage all of life’s challenges.

If you want help developing the skill of mindfulness, get in touch.

Mindfulness Deepens Connections