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Photo by James Wheeler on Unsplash
Are there certain pictures that cause you to stop and reflect for a minute? They may be on your phone or framed in your home somewhere you can easily see them. While these pictures could represent fond memories such as a family vacation or a personal accomplishment, they also may be a scenic view that you find beautiful. This picture above resonates with me on a number of levels. All of these reasons, however, add up to the simple yet meaningful idea that it brings me peace of mind. While I do not know this mother-daughter duo personally, my interpretation is that they are enjoying each other’s company while walking together, which is captured in a stunning nature scene. This specific picture certainly brings me a sense of peace, and on a larger scale, I feel that the themes represented here help inspire my work as a therapist. Not that each day is going to be sunshine and holding hands, but rather, helping clients and families with being content with the present moment and navigating life’s path(s) together.
As parents, you are working with your children each day to provide them with support as they walk (or run!) their own path(s). If you are finding yourself with questions about how to help your child and not knowing who exactly to turn to for assistance, you may want to consider our parent consultation meetings as a next step. These meetings were created because we understand the importance of having a space where parents can come with questions and seek support for themselves on how to manage a variety of topics related to their children. You may have read our recent blog about how impactful it can be for parents to seek individual therapy for themselves. In therapy, you would develop a relationship with your therapist and meet for ongoing sessions to work on specific goals that you have identified together. Our parent consultations, however, are a separate offering entirely. Instead of regularly scheduled appointments, this would be a single hour long meeting that is educational in nature and is not considered to be psychotherapy. Given their unique training in schools and applicable skill set, you will be meeting with one of our school psychologists or family focused therapists. The goal of these meetings is for you to come away with increased insight and practical recommendations to apply to your current situation.
These consultations are parent centered as well as collaborative in nature and can be scheduled virtually or in-person at either our Falls Church or Ashburn office locations. Parents have sought out consultations to discuss questions related to the following: school (i.e. supports, services, managing stress), therapy (i.e. the process, how to determine what avenue is the best fit, discussing therapy with child), evaluations (i.e. the process and understanding a diagnosis), as well as questions or concerns about a specific issue or behavior management techniques. While you may be interested in support on ways to help your children, please know that you can also book consultation appointments for yourself. These meetings can be utilized to help you reflect on and navigate the next steps for your own mental health journey.
If you are interested in scheduling a parent consultation, you can do so here. We hope that through these meetings with us, you can gain peace of mind and practical solutions! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at info@thinkhappylivehealthy.com or call 703-942-9745 with any questions.
Author:
Liz Bresnahan, Licensed School Psychologist
Therapist at THLH