Parent Appointments: What to Expect
We believe keeping parents informed throughout their child or teen’s counseling journey is integral to the therapeutic process.
It’s our duty to come alongside parents to help create better communication for the whole family during your child’s therapy. This allows us to give your child the best care possible by working with you and keeping you informed as well as staying abreast of any family changes and important life updates. By partnering with parents, your child’s provider is able to understand and learn more about the presenting issues, the family’s culture, values, and core beliefs. We believe that supporting parents is an effective way to support a child or teen.
We also believe that building a strong therapeutic relationship with your child is of the utmost importance. This comes about by building trust over time and practicing confidentiality with the child to create a safe space for the child to feel seen, heard, and valued. What makes us unique at Atlanta Wellness Collective is that we require an initial parent appointment prior to meeting with anyone under the age of 18. Subsequently, we suggest that you make parent check-in appointments a priority throughout your child’s therapy journey to stay involved with their therapy.
Parent Appointments
Parent appointments are strongly encouraged throughout your child’s treatment. We recommend a follow-up parent appointment take place after the first three to four sessions with your child and then every two to three months moving forward for the duration of their treatment. Some parents prefer to meet monthly depending on the presenting concerns and pace of therapy. Once therapy is underway, some parents prefer to meet for check-ins every quarter or so. It’s up to you as a parent how frequently you wish to check in with your child’s counselor. The counselor may also make recommendations or request more frequent parent check-ins as needed.
What Happens During a Parent Check-In
Your child’s counselor is interested in what’s happening at home and school from your perspective to gain more insight into what may be impacting your child. This also allows the expertise of your own child to be heard and validated. Parents have unique insight into the lives of their children, even if you might feel unaware of everything your child is facing. During parent appointments, we’ll discuss your child’s treatment goals and progress. We also use parent appointments as “parent coaching” sessions to encourage parent strategies to use at home to increase the effectiveness of therapy.
Parent appointments are a time to discuss any changes you’ve noticed — positive or negative. Have you noticed any difference in your child’s communication, behavior, demeanor, or symptoms? Are they practicing coping strategies at home (if applicable)? Are relationships that have been strained evolving? Have there been any big life events, or even small life events that feel big, taking a toll on your child at home or at school? Have you noticed a sudden drop in grades or an improvement? Trouble with friends? Do you suspect your child to be involved in illegal activity such as drugs, drinking, or stealing? Are you suspicious of self-injurious behaviors? Do you simply need support, parent coaching, and a listening ear? We can do that for you because we are on the same team!
For co-parents or families experiencing separation or divorce, it’s important to hear the voices and experiences of all parents involved in raising your child. Children can present differently in different environments depending on their comfort level and other factors. If the co-parenting relationship is amicable, we suggest both parents attend a parent session together or as separate couples, if step-parents wish to be involved. It’s important for your child’s counselor to understand the relational dynamic of all parents and/or adults caring for and loving the child. This might also include grandparents as caregivers.
If needed, your child’s counselor will recommend additional support such as family therapy or parent coaching sessions with another counselor at our offices who can support you as a family and as a parent. At Atlanta Wellness Collective, we utilize a Collaborative Care Model where our providers work together to aid in your child or family’s treatment.
Getting Started
When your child begins counseling at Atlanta Wellness Collective, it’s important to know that they (and you!) will be treated with respect. They will be met where they’re at. A counselor is unable to push a child into processing something they’re not ready to, as this could impact the trust with their counselor and possibly deter the child or teen from continuing with therapy. All children are unique. Some are open and ready to spill every thought they have. Others take time to open up and feel comfortable sharing intimate life details. If this is the case, usually, over time, a relationship of trust will build, and when the child is ready they will get what they need from counseling.
Parents can also expect to be kept informed if there is an immediate need, like a safety issue or other emergency. You can expect to get resources from your child’s provider individualized to their situation.
It’s important to know that therapy can be a slow process. Changes that last will take time to get to where you strive to be.
Here at Atlanta Wellness Collective, we want to help. For support, contact us or request an appointment online.
This blog post was written by Elizabeth Neal.
Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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