What is Parenting Counselling?

Parenting counselling can simply be described as “help with your child.” Parenting counsellors will provide you with the guidance and support you need to provide a stable and healthy childhood experience for your child. They will provide you with the tools and help you develop the skills you need to function optimally in your family unit.

Parenting counselling can be short-term or long-term, and can include just one parent, both parents, or all loved ones. Each situation is unique, and each treatment plan is specific to the situation. Counselling sessions will provide you with the resources and support you need to be the best parent possible, whether the conflict lies between you and your child, if it has been caused by family trauma, or developmental, physical or mental health problems related to your child.

Essentially, people tend to assume that parenting comes naturally, when for most it actually does not, and parenting counselling is meant to help you figure out parenting and be the best parent you can be for your child.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • During the initial counselling session, your counsellor will spend time getting to know you. They will ask why you decided to seek counselling and what you would like to accomplish through the counselling. These discussions will help you set realistic goals so that you can start working towards your desired outcome. These goals will depend on your specific situation and will vary from person to person.

    Subsequent sessions will focus on working towards achieving your goals, improving communication, and strengthening your conflict-resolution skills. Sessions may be just you, may include the whole family, or a mix of both. Your counsellor will work with to you to determine what the best strategy is for your situation.

    There is a variety of techniques your counsellor might use during your sessions, depending on your situation. For example, if your situation involves anxiety and/or depression, your counsellor may use “talk therapy”, reframing, role play, and/or communication exercises to help you better manage these conditions. Ultimately, though, the type of counselling techniques used will depend heavily on what is best for you and your family specifically. Parenting counsellors have a wide range of tools they can use, ensuring you will get the tools you need to be a successful parent.

  • Parenting counselling is recommended to all parents. However, it is more of a necessity for those who are:

    • Experiencing marital issues

    • Suffering from a health problem – including mental health issues

    • Undergoing separation or divorce

    • Experiencing abuse or aggression

    • Coping with loss

    • Dealing with challenging behavior

    • Abusing illegal substances such as drugs and alcohol