Online Parent Coaching in Texas isn't Just for Those With Troubled Kids

As parents, it can be difficult to find the appropriate method of communication and parenting style when your family is constantly bombarded with ‘helpful advice’ from nearly every angle. Parent coaching in Texas is different. That lady at the grocery store judging your screaming toddler isn’t the best person to be consulting on how to raise well-adjusted children. Each stage of life comes with a whole new set of challenges; but, unfortunately, those times do not come with a road map.

All the self-help books in the world cannot understand your individual family and their needs as they grow and change. Especially when you are trying to handle a difficult child with big emotions, not knowing what to do is part of the territory. That is where counseling and parent coaching can become very effective. We are sharing with you just a few of the many reasons why our approach to counseling in Southlake, TX may be right for you and your family.

So, what can parent coaching do for you?

Coaching can allow you and your children to become closer and build better bonds

You might assume that this would apply only to older children and teens, but knowing how to communicate effectively with your younger children can lay the groundwork for later years as well. At each stage of life, there is an immense amount of chemical and physical changes that can become overwhelming to your children. Understanding the reasoning behind your children’s behavior can allow you as the parent to better address their needs.

Teenagers have nothing on the angst of a person that thinks they know it all. Opening up the avenue of communication early with your children can lead to a better understanding between you both as they grow into young adults. Teenage years are looked upon as the nightmare years of any parent. You were a teenager once, but it may be hard to really reconnect with your inner teen in order to understand them. Talking with a licensed professional counselor can help you get back into your own teenage shoes. Granted, your shoes may not be in style anymore, but the point remains.

You will feel more confident in your parenting decisions and goals

Feeling your way in the dark with kids is a lonely journey. It is easy to lose confidence in whatever decisions you are making. Bouncing questions off of a parent coach provides you with resources and the tools to know what works and what doesn’t. Parent coaching gives you back the control and therefore leads to a more content family. Parenting is no doubt stressful, but it is also so rewarding when you are being effective.

Out-of-control situations lead to a multitude of issues. We as humans cannot control everything, but we do have the power to control our reactions. Children have a hard time at the beginning controlling how they react until a parent can step in and teach them. How are parents of difficult children supposed to know how to react to those situations if they, themselves, have never been taught? That is what parent coaching with a counselor in Southlake, TX is all about.

Learn how to set goals and a path to success with a partner that will cheer you on along the way. Your counselor is there to help you in achieving whatever parent goals you and your family need to or want to set for themselves. Each family is unique, but that is what makes this kind of journey so magical!

Online parent coaching in Texas helps to correct harmful behaviors

It happens to all of us. You’ve probably thought to yourself, “Oh my gosh, I am just like my mother/father.” While some of us grew up with fantastic parents, there is always room for growth. Some of our own learned behaviors can be harmful to our children, and the last thing we want is to hurt their growth as human beings. Counseling can allow you the space to work on yourself. You can change those harmful patterns of behavior.

Likewise, it allows you the safe space to admit when you get off track. Perfection is never realistic for any of us. Having an empathetic and impartial person to turn to when you know you aren’t meeting the mark is important for your own well-being as a parent as well. Addressing the issues, learning how to best overcome them, and continuously improving is far better than a false perfection could ever be.

Sometimes, you just need a place to go when you feel overwhelmed

When the everyday worries that come with being a parent are too overwhelming, a counselor is a great option to relieve some of the stress and anxiety. Being a parent is such hard work. Sometimes, you need a place without any judgment to be imperfect. Maybe you don’t even know where to begin, you just feel like giving up, or your partner can’t give you the help that you so desperately need.

Counseling can be that place for you. Bounce the ideas, the worries, the fears off of someone that is a true expert. Our counselors are impartial, but they also care deeply for your personal journey and believe in addressing people as a whole. You can have an excellent game plan, but feelings and worries can arise that you never really expected.

What are some of the common issues covered in Online parent coaching?

As your child develops, their needs are developing alongside them. Therefore, the topics that we cover during your sessions will depend on the age of the children in your family. After assessing what your goals are with your family, we may dive into more generic topics to get a better understanding of where your family may be in their journey.

Infants and Toddlers

For infants and toddlers, mommy and me groups can be great. Parent coaching is something that can dive a little bit deeper into issues that are at the core of development. These formative years can be full of terrifying ways you may ‘mess up’ your children. Our counselors in Southlake, TX are there to explain the theory and best practices in a way that you create a thriving environment for your young ones. They already have the years of schooling to decode the lingo so you don’t have to. The topics we may cover looks something like this:

The expectations you carry for yourself as a parent of a new child.
Learning how your child is communicating with you and how to read those signals.
Teaching how to foster self-esteem from infancy.
Setting limitations while fostering independence.
Learning through play, literacy, and speech.

Children

For children that are a bit older the topics that we cover begin to get more nuanced and complicated. This is when your children are learning their senses of right and wrong, growing self-esteem, and learning how to handle the stress of growing up. Some of the topics included in these discussions are:

Parenting styles and decision making as well as possibly single parenthood.
Communication strategies for young children.
How to encourage emotional growth and coping strategies for stress.
Dealing with problem behaviors and how to set structures and limits.
Helping your children to succeed in school and communicating with teachers.
Conflict resolution between siblings and friends.

Adolescents

Adolescents come with these and more challenges. Along with communication strategies, learning styles emerging, and continued brain development; teens are facing the sea of hormones that come with these years. Topics for handling teen behavior could include:

How to handle your teen’s emerging sexuality.
Substance abuse prevention and peer pressure.
Nonviolent conflict resolution strategies.
Managing independence against outside risks.

Again, each family is going to be different. At our office here in Southlake, Texas
as well as via online therapy, we are providing you with the strategies to tackle these issues. Additionally, we are teaching you how your reactions and behaviors influence that of your children. Lastly, we can also provide therapy for teens alongside your parent coaching.

Let’s talk for just a minute about adolescents specifically

As a parent of a teen or a child that is nearing that stage of life, you may already know just how different parenting becomes. You are past the point where “Just because I said so” is a reasonable enough explanation to keep challenging questions at bay. They are becoming individuals with sometimes a completely different perception of the world than you. This world we are living in now also carries some unique challenges for that age group that we barely touched at that young of an age.

Social media and the wave of peer approval via those connections along with filters, photoshop, and impossible standards of comparison means that these children are far more susceptible to the pitfalls of depression and anxiety than ever before. According to studies conducted by the CDC, children ages 6-11 years old and adolescents from age 12-17 years old experience depression at triple the rate as they enter the older category. As this is now what appears to be a permanent part of our society, how are we as parents supposed to handle that imbalance? Parent coaching can help you manage their delicately growing self-esteem and recognize some of the warning signs that can accompany larger issues.

How do you know if you are truly hearing your teen?

Talking with your teen about these and other hard topics can prove difficult. That is why parent coaching also focuses so much on communication strategies. Parents often think they are listening to their children; yet, the children sometimes still feel misunderstood or unheard. Improving our ability to allow space in the conversation for them to think about responses and digging deeper into how they are feeling about what’s happening is really important. Even as adults, we can struggle to communicate our true feelings to those we love. In-person or online parent coaching teaches you to work together. This moves you towards a true compromise that benefits all parties involved. And shows your child what it means to have mature and productive conversations.

Impact of nonverbal communication

An aspect of interpersonal relationships that is often overlooked but plays a huge role in nonverbal communication. Perhaps you as a parent are listening actively, but your teen is still struggling to feel heard. Nonverbal communication, or as it’s commonly referred to as body language, can have a massive impact on the productiveness of your communication. By the time adolescence rolls around, humans are very well attuned to the nuances that kind of communication provides. Parents often have to learn to control their own body language to help their teenagers feel comfortable. Small signs of aggression or frustration in hand gestures or posture can derail the best of conversations. Working with a parent coach helps you to calm your own subconscious feelings to stay neutral in the face of challenging times.

These are just a few of the many issues that are unique to teens of today. Sometimes it can feel as though you are constantly ‘behind the times, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be there for them as a parent. There is no need to download TikTok to understand what is going through their head. All it takes is some time, effort, and maybe a helping hand from our therapists in Southlake, Texas to help you to build a lasting relationship with your teenager that will help heal wounds and prevent new ones from opening.

Is parent coaching right for you and your family?

Whether you are dealing with a particularly difficult child or just want to dive deeper into your relationships with your children, counseling in Southlake, Texas can take you there. We offer parent coaching alongside other styles of therapy to help you and your family get to the best place. Whether you are meeting with Jennifer or Reagan, you can rest assured that you are being cared for by people that love what they do.

Book yourself, your family, or your child for a consultation today via text, email, or phone call. We would be happy to have you as a part of our practice here in Southlake or via online therapy with our HIPAA secure telemedicine connection.

Begin online Parent Coaching in Texas

As parents, it can be difficult to communicate. When you parent, your family is constantly giving you advice from different perspectives. Sometimes you just need a space to listen and be heard. That is why parent coaching is different and beneficial. Our Southlake, Texas counseling group has skilled therapists who work as parent coaches. We will work to match you with the right coach that fits your needs. If you have questions about teen counseling or online parent coaching in Texas and would like to get started, please give us a call at 817-609-4080 or email us at info@thewellhousesouthlake.com.