Parenting Support

How a Psychologist can help stressed parents

Psychologist Parenting Support

Modern society places extraordinary demands on parents, who struggle with competing priorities, receive conflicting advice on parenting and feel guilty about not doing a good job as parents. Without a support network close by, parents can feel anxious, tired and stressed out. A Psychologist can help.

Psychologists must often remind their clients that parenting is one of the toughest and most challenging roles anyone can undertake. Every day is filled with moments of love, joy, pride and sometimes overwhelm and frustration. It is little wonder that with these intense emotions bouncing back and forth, parents fall into bed exhausted most nights, knowing they face more of the same the next day.

Sometimes, it becomes overwhelming, especially for a sole parent who has no respite from the constant responsibility. Left to cope alone and not knowing where to go for assistance, sometimes the unthinkable happens, and a little one suffers severe injury or worse. Striking out with anger and adult force against a small body can only have one outcome, and the real tragedy is that it is preventable.

Negative Feelings about Parenting are Normal

Parents can sometimes develop negative feelings towards their partner or themselves when it comes to raising their children. Psychologists have witnessed the stress and overwhelming feelings parents experience when they feel they can’t cope or believe they are not doing a good job as parents. Some parents believe that they are not good parents and feel inadequate and guilty as a result.

A psychologist can help parents who are struggling to cope. There is a range of options available, as well as simple techniques you can learn for managing anger and frustration in the short term and diffuse volatile situations.

At times, simple things such as leaving the room for a short time to give yourself the space to ‘cool off’, coupled with some deep breathing and CBT Therapy, can allow parents to calm themselves and regain control.

Physical activity also helps and works well, even if it is just sprinting across the backyard, and can help the body release tension.

Mindfulness techniques are an excellent resource for helping you get through difficult situations and become more aware of your thoughts and emotions. If you have never practised mindfulness before, here are some valuable resources.

How a Psychologist can Help You Manage Stress Triggers

For parents who know that simple measures are not enough to relieve their stress, psychologists and evidence-based methods can help. Psychologists who provide parenting support have experience assisting stressed parents and providing them with the psychological tools and strategies to manage their own mental health and wellbeing, as well as that of their children.

A psychologist can help you better understand your stress triggers, how to diffuse situations before they get out of control and the importance of finding time for your own needs.

Evidence-based methods such as the Circle of Security, CBT Therapy and Mindfulness-based Therapies, among others, can help parents achieve a calm and more empathetic parenting style, which all family members can benefit from.