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Parents | Denise Brett
Pregnancy
This is a very special time and the whole concept of becoming a parent can trigger many questions and sometimes anxiety for prospective parents from the difficulties and questions that can arise with the whole issue of getting pregnant right through the stages of being pregnant to the birth of a child and the changes that occur within a family with the arrival of a new individual.
Psychotherapy can be beneficial at such times affording you the mental space to adjust to the changes that are about to occur in your life.
Babies
The arrival of a new individual into a house can be the most wonderful experience, unfortunately some parents become very stressed at such times for many reasons, this can be exacerbated by sleepless nights and coming to terms with the changes in your relationship. All of these issues can be discussed in confidence with your therapist.
Young Children
Just when you feel you have conquered the baby stage and have got a handle on it, everything changes again. This can be a good thing as it means your baby is maturing and you are hopefully getting more sleep at night. When your child was a baby he could not move by himself, have opinions, say 'no' etc. However this stage brings new challenges and fun experiences for parent and child. Where problems arise a therapist can help by seeing the parents and or the child. Any stress and conflict between you and your partner or others in your life will have an adverse effect on the behaviour of your child. Speaking to a therapist can help resolve these conflicts and lead to a more well behaved child.
Teenagers
This appears to be one of the greatest taboo subjects of all. Frequently we see parents of teenagers who are embarrassed by the behaviour of their teenagers or the state of decline of family communication. The happy, content and compliant child has changed into someone who is not cooperative and wants everything their way. It is like the terrible two’s all over again except this time the child is bigger and or stronger than you. At times like this we can find ourselves resorting to rather infantile behaviour ourselves and this can be shocking for us. Speaking to a therapist can be very beneficial at many levels.
It is a very confusing time for the teenager too, he or she has a lot to contend with. The physical changes that occur in his or her body not to mind the hormonal changes together with pressure from peers and exam stress. It is a challenge that effects the whole family if not dealt with in an appropriate manner.