Are you exhausted by the constant power struggles, defiance, and chaos in your home?
Do you feel overwhelmed, stressed and frustrated by your child or teen’s tantrums, meltdowns, whining and defiance? Is your child or teen struggling with anxiety, panic attacks or depression? Perhaps your child is acting out due to the recent arrival of a new baby, sibling rivalry, low self- esteem or separation anxiety. Are you struggling with trying to get your child to sleep in his own bed?
Parenting a child or teen who is having a difficult time at school and struggling with studying, grades and homework can be an enormous challenge. Has your child been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD? Do you feel frustrated by your teen’s lack of motivation and believe that he or she is underachieving, based on their potential? Are you exasperated by all the time your teen spends on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, talking and texting or playing video games? Do you wonder what rules, boundaries and consequences are appropriate?
How do you parent your teen who has gone off to college? No one ever really talks about the transition stage from child to teen to young adult. What does this parenting stage look like, especially after your child turns 18 or moves out of the house.
Is your family going through a major life transition, such as separation, divorce, a new marriage, a new baby, or a recent move? It’s normal for major changes to cause stress for the entire family.
Parenting Therapy, Parenting Counseling and Parent Coaching is Effective!
Regardless of whether we call it parent counseling, parent coaching or parent therapy, the process of helping parents find practical solutions to create a more peaceful and harmonious home is very effective. First, we identify the factors causing the disruptive behaviors, and create a customized plan to help you establish structure, routines, and stability to develop a more harmonious and peaceful family environment. I will coach and guide you through the process to implement the plan, and we will modify the action plan as needed.
You will also learn how to establish age appropriate rules and consequences, and how to avoid power struggles and decrease conflict. If your teen is experiencing anxiety or depression, we will discuss the option for them to participate in the therapy process. If your child is under the age of 18, I will refer you to a child, adolescent or play therapist.
Many Parents Struggle with The Trials and Tribulations of Parenting! You Are Not Alone!
We need a license to drive, hunt, fish or marry, but anyone can become a parent, qualified or not. Most people agree that being a parent is one of the most difficult and challenging jobs you will ever have, and the 24/7 nature of the job makes it even more stressful. Parenting may be one of life’s greatest gifts, but it will test your patience and your last nerve.
The trials and tribulations of parenting bring joy and heartache over the years, and just when you think you have it all figured out, your kids move on to the next stage. You may think your child or teen is going through a very difficult stage and will just “get over it” in time. Sometimes this is correct, but it’s also true that the problem may escalate and become a bigger problem with more serious consequences as your child becomes a pre-teen or teenager. This is why it’s best to try to resolve the problem sooner, rather than later. Many clients have expressed regret that they didn’t seek help sooner.
As a parenting counselor or parenting coach, I help you create a solution tool box to address the specific challenges you face and coach you through the process of implementing the changes. Once we identify the specific problems, we collaborate on a personalized action plan that will provide a step by step road map for you to implement. I will help you create rules that teach, rather than punish. I will help you figure out what is working and what is not working in order to achieve optimal results. Remember, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
You May Still Have Questions About Parenting Counseling….
Why Not Just Send My Child or Teen to Counseling?
You may choose to send your child, pre-teen or teen to counseling, and in some cases this is definitely recommended. If your child or teen is depressed or anxious it is wise to have them work with a licensed therapist who specializes in working with children, pre-teens or teens. While I do work with older teens, I think it’s also important to work with parents to educate, support, and teach you how to best assist your child. Good parenting allows parents to provide love, structure, stability and nurturing in the healthiest possible environment. A healthy family is built on a solid foundation that can withstand the storms and outside forces that inevitably come your way. Parenting counseling helps you to prepare or work through the stressful times and normal conflict you experience with parenting, especially if you are dealing with a very defiant or strong willed child.
What if My Child or Teen Refuses to Participate in Therapy? Can You Still Help Me?
Unfortunately, sometimes a child, pre-teen or teen will refuse to participate in the counseling process. They might be scared, or just rebelling against your wishes as a parent to bring them to counseling. Perhaps they think they will be blamed for all the problems in the family. Often, if your older teen is willing to attend at least one session, I can often build a trust and rapport and they may choose to return.
However, even if they are resistant, I can still coach you by sharing tools, feedback, support, strategies, recommendations and resources to restore peace and harmony in your home.
How Long Will Parent Therapy Or Parent Coaching Take?
The length of time parenting therapy takes depends on the issues you face and the severity of the symptoms. The emphasis is on identifying the problem, ruling out physical or emotional disorders, establishing rules and consequences, understanding the power of positive reinforcement, and addressing other issues specific to your own situation. I can often estimate the length of time after we meet the first time and I have had the opportunity to assess the nature and severity of the problem.
What Makes Your Approach to Parenting Counseling Unique?
I have been in private practice in Irvine, CA serving clients all around Orange County for over 30 years, providing services to pre-teens, teens and adults and specializing in issues relating to parenting. In addition to practicing as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I also have a Masters’ Degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University, and taught middle school prior to becoming a therapist. I am passionate about educating and supporting parents to help their children with the issues they face in this ever-changing world. I also specialize in working with clients who have children with ADD/ADHD, oppositional defiance, depression, anxiety, and separation anxiety. I frequently work with parents who are going through a major life change, such as separation, divorce, or are recently remarried and experiencing blended family issues or co-parenting challenges.
I don’t just sit and listen, nod my head and repeat what you have just told me. I respect your time, financial resources and your sincere desire to find real life solutions to your parenting problems. I offer you support, resources, articles, book recommendations and a solution filled step by step parenting tool box to restore order and regain control in your home for a healthy and happy family.
Many of my clients have already worked with other therapists and share that working with me is entirely different, and that they wish they had found me sooner. While I don’t have a magic wand and can’t guarantee your results, please know that I will do everything possible to help you achieve your goals. It is very important for the therapist and client to be the right fit. If I’m not the right person, I will try to point you in the right direction.
How to Contact Me for Parenting Therapy or Parenting Coaching:
If you have had enough with tantrums, whining, pouting, sulking, crying, defiance, (you get the picture) and you are finally ready to learn new parenting skills and regain control, please email me. I will guide you from there. All sessions are conducted virtually by phone, FaceTime or zoom.
Please call for a free 15 minute phone consultation.
Phone: (949) 261-8299
Email: shellee@thesolutiontherapist.com
Shellee Moore, LMFT
“Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.”
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"5 Biggest Mistakes Most Parents Make When Parenting Their Strong-Willed child"
