You want to respect their decision and value the maturity and agency they are showing in understanding their own needs. You are encouraged that your child wishes to seek help.
That said, you as a parent may also be incredibly worried that they don’t identify you as being part of the solution. You question yourself: “What could they possibly want to talk about to a stranger that they can’t talk to me about?” “What is it I have missed?” “What is it I am not understanding in their life?” Your mind may be running away with you: “What if they want to hurt themselves…or worse?”
Getting them the help they have asked for feels paramount. You want to be responsive, whilst also keeping a respectful calm about the situation. You want to strike that balance, it feels important to get this right. To some extent you know that based on your own decision making about this, your child will ‘decide’ how much of a priority they are to you.
I can help your child by offering them a free, non-judgemental space to share their own experience of their friendships. We will work together to identify the key areas of their happiness and discomfort within their relationships and take the time to recognise and acknowledge their emotions, understand their thoughts and feelings safely. I will teach them tools to empower them and by working together we will develop strategies that they can use themselves confidently and comfortably, coaching and mentoring them to feel a sense of confidence as they navigate their friendships.
Client Testimonial