Parenting Counseling

in st. cloud and across MN

You love your kids. But this is hard.

Parenting can be a strange journey of feeling like you’re doing too much and not enough, all at once. Some days, you feel overstimulated, touched out, and at your wit’s end. Other days, you feel guilty for needing a break, saying “no,” or snapping at your child. You’ve wanted so badly to do things differently for your kids than were done for you as a child, but you feel like you’re failing.

Your relationships have taken a backseat to being “mom” or “dad” (and honestly, you’re not even sure who you are outside of that role anymore). All of your energy and self-worth has gone into caring for your kids—you’re at the point that, even if you did have some time off, you’re not sure what you’d do with it.
You look at your life and feel so much gratitude, quickly followed by the guilt of struggling anyway. I want you to know this: you can be a good parent and prioritize your own needs.

You’ve got to put your own oxygen mask on first.

How parenting counseling works

I’ll take the time to listen to and understand what you’re going through right now, what’s happening at home, and how you’re feeling about yourself, your role as a parent, and your relationships.

Much of how we parent is informed by how we were parented, so we’ll spend time discussing what that was like for you. What happened when you made a mistake? When you felt sick or needed love and comfort? As you explore both the positives and negatives of those early relationships, you can gain a better understanding of your tendencies as a parent today, as well as what areas you want to focus on changing or improving.

I’ll help you identify the triggers that are leading you to react in ways you don’t want to, whether that’s yelling, isolation, anger, or something else. You’ll learn how to determine the basic need that’s not being met that’s leading to a behavior or reaction (whether it’s yours or your child’s) and how to go “upstream” to meet that need.

Needing a break doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent. Feeling touched out doesn’t mean you’re a bad partner. Parenting is difficult, but those difficulties do not define you.

In therapy, I want to offer you somewhere you can truly focus on you—where prioritizing your own needs and caring for yourself is not only encouraged, but celebrated.

therapy that’s tailored to you.

Things we can work on:

  • Feelings of guilt or shame

  • Trauma or painful past experiences

  • Communication strategies

  • Emotional regulation

  • Anger or irritability

  • Boundary setting

  • Burnout

  • Overstimulation

  • Self-care and hobbies

  • Parenting styles

Imagine a life where…

You are confident in your role as a parent.

✓

You’re no longer as reactive to your child’s behaviors or emotions, because you know how to manage your response. You’re confident in your parenting skills and decisions.

You feel confident in who you are, just the way you are.

✓

You’ve regained an identity and gotten back in touch with parts of yourself you forgot were there. You engage in self-care, hobbies, and things you enjoy outside the home.

You know what your needs are and how to speak up when they aren’t being met. You no longer feel guilty for needing space, extra support, or time alone.

You feel comfortable asking for help.

✓

Ready to get started?

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

faqs

Common questions about parenting counseling

  • Absolutely. I work with clients who are expecting their first child, as well as those who are still deciding whether they would like to have children at all. Our work in counseling for parents is focused on helping you understand yourself and your past experiences better to inform whatever stage of this journey you find yourself in.

  • Yes. I know there are unique challenges you must navigate as a blended family and am here to support you with co-parenting, building relationships with stepchildren, improving communication, and more. If you’re looking to do couples therapy with your partner, I offer that too. Click here to learn more.

  • Yes! I offer individual and couples counseling. If you and your partner are interested in coming to therapy together, we can work on helping you prioritize your relationship, reconnect, and align on parenting styles and expectations. Click here to learn more about couples therapy.

  • If you’re going to get the most out of therapy, it’s important that you’re working with the therapist who’s right for you. That’s why I offer a free consultation. Click this link to schedule yours, and we can discuss whether I’m the best fit for your goals.