SPECIALIZED PARENT COUNSELING FOR CAREGIVERS OF BOYS IN ST. LOUIS

Change at home begins with you.

Your personal growth can pave the way for your son’s transformation.

Parenting can be incredibly rewarding, but it's not without its difficulties. 

What you’re navigating with your young boy or teen boy is hard. I know firsthand some of the challenges you’re facing. Over the years I have seen the incredible impact parents can make on their children when they learn better ways to connect and respond. That's why I'm here to offer you support and guidance.

Maybe you’re looking for help with…

  • Encouraging your son to be social and make friends

  • Learning how to connect and create more harmony in the home

  • Helping him find ways to cope with anger or stress

  • Cultivating more appropriate ways to express himself

  • Understanding his emotions 

  • Having meaningful conversations without bickering or shutting down

I recognize that you might feel helpless and frustrated without a clear path forward.

You’ve come to the right place. With time and consistent effort, you’ll be able to understand how to approach your son’s problems and behavior in a calm, thoughtful way.

My Approach

One of the key aspects of helping parents is to teach them how to observe and outline behaviors more specifically. This means understanding who is doing what, when, and where, so we can identify problem behaviors and alternative preferred behaviors more clearly. I aim to help you introduce more structure and consistency into your parenting style. This includes positive reinforcement, social praise, and rewards to help you and your son feel closer, decrease conflict, and find deeper connection.

Without safety, connection can’t happen. So even when it’s hard, taking a moment to pause before reacting to your son can make all the difference.

Something else that I emphasize is the importance of maintaining a calm and composed demeanor when interacting with your son, especially during challenging moments. Learning how to de-escalate situations and communicate clearly and effectively is essential for building and sustaining a healthy parent-child relationship. 

This process takes time: you’re unlearning years of old habits and building new, positive ones. 

It’s okay for you to make mistakes, too. This is something I teach boys and teen boys and something parents need to remember for themselves. As we explore and learn together, I’ll encourage open communication between you and your parenting partner to address any disagreements and ensure you're on the same page as a united team. By working together and staying consistent with the agreed-upon plan, we can gradually create smoother and more harmonious interactions within your family, specifically with your son who is struggling.

Empowering you, so you can empower him.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • I find that to be the most effective, it’s beneficial to meet with parents for at least 3 months at the minimum. It can be up to a year depending on the severity or duration of the specific problems your son is facing.

  • Yes. I have extensive experience working with both parents and children who have Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Together we can make a game plan for your specific challenges related to ODD and how you can adjust your parenting style.

  • Yes. It can be beneficial for both parents to be present, but I also work with parents individually to help them support their son. Something unique that I offer is working with fathers and sons in collaborative play sessions. This helps fathers who struggle to parent due to their childhood and builds a deeper bond between father and son. If you’re interested in learning more about father and son therapy, please email me.