Individual Therapy for Parents of Children with Health Challenges
You knew parenting would be hard, but you never expected it to be this type of hard.
Raising a child with medical or behavioral health challenges is a journey of boundless love, but it also comes with immense emotional weight. You wouldn’t change your child for anything, but watching them struggle breaks your heart. While there are precious moments of meaningful connection, they exist alongside stress, exhaustion, and uncertainty.
You’re grateful for the support and resources available to you, perhaps even aware that things could be worse. Yet, the emotional labor of constant appointments, decisions, and advocacy is overwhelming. Instead of planning carefree playdates, your schedule fills with provider calls and visits. Instead of being fully present in otherwise joyful moments, your mind races with worries about how to best support your child.
The constant adjustments, the shifting routines, and the never-ending search for answers leave you emotionally drained. Just when you think you’ve found a rhythm, everything changes again. Progress feels slow, setbacks hit hard, and the unpredictability of the future is overwhelming. Hope keeps you moving forward, but some days, you just want to let yourself fall apart.
Beyond the daily challenges, there is also a quieter grief—a mourning for the milestones you once envisioned, the time that can never be reclaimed, and the opportunities that may no longer feel within reach.
This grief extends beyond immediate concerns; it’s the contrast between the life you once imagined—one with simpler expectations and clearer paths—and the reality you now face.
Your relationships have shifted— sure, some have deepened in unexpected ways, but others have faded as you’ve pulled away from those who don’t fully understand your reality. This quiet loss brings a grief you never anticipated in parenthood.
You carry a silent weight—guilt for your own emotions, lingering doubts about whether you somehow played a role in your child’s challenges, even when you know it’s not your fault. These thoughts persist, no matter how much you try to silence them. You crave the quiet relief of bedtime but feel guilty for wanting the break. You wish someone would care for you, yet the idea of asking for support feels selfish. Self-care always falls to the bottom of the list, not because you don’t need it, but because the guilt, the worry, and the endless responsibilities make it feel like an impossible luxury.
I understand that while caring for a child with health challenges, it’s crucial to feel seen—not just for the immense love you have for your child, but also for the weight of your struggles. Beneath the demands of daily life, there’s a "you" that deserves recognition and care, and you don’t have to reconnect with that person on your own.
In our work together, I’ll help you to:
Understand Your Inner Experiences:
We all have different parts of ourselves—some that feel overwhelmed, guilty, or exhausted, especially in parenting. By recognizing and understanding each of these reactions, you’ll be able to manage your emotions more effectively, reducing internal conflict and making it easier to balance your child’s needs with your own.
Heal Emotional Wounds:
Many parents carry unresolved emotions like shame, fear, or inadequacy that can surface when facing challenges, particularly with a child’s health. Together, we’ll work through these emotions so you can respond with clarity and inner stability rather than feeling emotionally reactive.
Cultivate Self-Compassion:
Parenting often makes it hard to prioritize your own well-being. I’ll help you connect with a calmer, more compassionate aspect of yourself so you can care for yourself emotionally, allowing you to be fully present and supportive for your child.
Practice Empathy Without Overwhelm:
It’s important to be emotionally available for your child without feeling completely drained. I’ll guide you in setting healthy emotional boundaries so you can remain empathetic without burning out, ensuring you have the energy and resilience needed for both yourself and your child.
Improve Communication and Connection:
The way we feel inside directly impacts how we interact with our children. By becoming more aware of your inner responses, you’ll improve communication, patience, and emotional connection, fostering a deeper and more supportive relationship with your child.
