Have you thought your child needs help with behaviors?

Have you considered your personal history may be affecting the child’s behavior?

As a parent, you have all kinds of styles and skills.  Many are based on how you were parented, experiences you have had, and your life choices.  Parents do the best they know.  You love your child and want them to be healthy productive people.

Learn how your style affects your child

• What meaning have you attached to your child’s behavior?  You are interpreting your child’s interactions with you, but are you correct?  You think your child is being bratty or entitled but your child thinks she is asking for attention.  Try to discover what your child is asking for.
• How do you regulate your behavior to best help your child?  You are busy, tired and have many things going on at once.  You need an arsenal of self-regulating skills to keep your self calm and doing your best.  Install resources that protect, support, and encourage.  Images can help us and our children determine where we are emotionally.
• Change sorter– put in the change, it is sorted, then comes out more organized.  Take in what is going on.  Think it through.  Then respond.

• Thermometer – are you already in a heated space or cold space.  How can you neutralize your feelings to respond to your child.

• Playground – have you created many “playground” experiences that can be remembered and brought to mind when having a tough time.

A parent has cognitions, emotions, somatic reactions, and strategies and defenses that affect how they interact with their child at any given time.

• Cognitions are your thoughts and beliefs that we hold most of the time or when interacting with the child.
• Emotions are what you experience often as a parent, especially when interacting with your child
• Somatic reactions tell the body’s story.   Your body language, illnesses, and body sensations are all somatic reactions.
• Strategies and defenses are patterns such as distancing, controlling, or criticizing.

Ana Gomez (a renowned child therapist), asks parents to challenge their thoughts and feelings.  “Is what I am doing meeting the child’s needs.”  Remember a child that has experienced some trauma will ask for help in challenging ways.

What triggers you as a parent?  How can you find new ways to manage the trigger so you are available for your child.  Children make all kinds of noises, run, crash, yell, sing, and many other things.  These behaviors are ways for your child to express themselves and learn.  Some of these may just be plain annoying to you even though the child is doing nothing wrong. 

Here a few steps to help you start increasing your awareness and develop stronger coping skills.

•  Learn a variety of breathing techniques to calm yourself and recognize what your child is needing.
• Make time to take a break and use the change sorter.  Take in what is going on with you and your child, sort it out, then you will be able to have an organized response. 
• Look at your thermometer.  Are you hot or cold?  How can you adjust your temperature before help your child? Drink cold water or hot tea.  Splash cold water on your face.  Go outside barefoot and feel nature.
• Remember your playground.  You have no doubt, had many happy and fun memories with your child.  Remember that you and your child are capable of fun.  Remind yourself and your child of those memories.

Don’t get discouraged.  If something isn’t working, try something else.  If you need help, get help.

If you would like to talk with someone about your relationship with your child, please give us a call at 801-679-3932 or go to www.healingfocuscounseling.com for more information.

The brain changes with interaction.  As soon as a baby’s brain starts to grow, it begins to interact.  The brain synapsis and neurons reach out to discover what is around them.  All the child’s senses are involved.  Once a child is born there is brain activity looking for a response.  How and when we responds produces the hormones that either grow the brain or stunt the brains growth.  The positive hormones, such as serotonin, come from hearing positive sounds, feeling positive touch, and seeing positive reactions from their caregiver.  When a child is safe, their brain can grow and explore.  Negative hormones, such as cortisol, come from not having their needs met, feeling the stress of a caregiver, or being exposed to harsh responses to their senses.

As your child grows, it is important to remember that good interaction produces positive hormones.  It is good to spend dedicated time with each child each day.  Find a time that works.  Lay down next to them in the morning and talk about their day. Take time right after lunch, after school, or after dinner.  Let them be in charge of the activity or conversation.  Don’t wait until bedtime and get frustrated that kids won’t go to bed because they want your attention.  Plus everyone is tired and often everyone’s behaviors might not be as good.  Explore what they are experiencing by asking questions that can’t be answered with one word.  Try to understand what they are feeling.

As your child gets older it may become harder.  Don’t give up.  Start small and build.  Make positive comments, listen to their music, play video games, create videos, dance, play sports, or help with chores or homework.  When older kids are doing homework, are they stressed?  Offer help with their homework, have them teach you, bring a snack, or pick up their room while they work.   Be consistent and do the same time daily.  Talk about what you are engaged in such as hobbies or work. 

Look out for what triggers you.  Are you more reactive based on time of day or by certain behaviors of your child.  Why are you triggered?  You may need to explore why certain behaviors increase your negative emotions.  Take care of yourself.  Show self-care.  It is important that your children see how to take care of themselves.  When you care for yourself, you will be able to be there for your children.

Having meals together is an evidenced based way to build family relationships.  Dinner time together with no electronics.  Another evidence-based practice is setting aside a few hours every week to do a activity together as a family.  Start now. Set an example and eat and have fun with your family. 

Maybe you finally feel it is time or maybe you had a recent traumatic experience.  You have a specific problem, and you need help to resolve it.   Your peers or family are saying you should get some help.

Regardless of the reason…it’s time to find the right mental health counselor.

Who?

Find who is best suited for you.  Make sure you are looking for someone that has an active license with your state.  Ask questions about their specialty.  Find out if they have worked with other clients with similar issues.  Are there certain types of therapy they use. It should be evidenced based.  This means there is published research showing controlled studies that meet acceptable criteria.  It is very important to find a therapist you feel comfortable with.  They should be a good listener and ask for your perspective, as your therapeutic relationship should be a partnership between you and your therapist.  You should feel that your questions are being answered. 

What?

What do you want help with?  It is good to think about the problem that is interfering in your life right now.  It is also helpful to think about where this problem started or came from.  You may have trauma, unhealthy ways you managed that trauma, depression, anxiety, or addiction.  Often there is a combination of things such as learning disabilities, autism, and mental health issues.  Being able to honestly express your needs will help you find the right mental health therapist.

Where?

Try to find a counselor conveniently located to you home or work.  Therapy is a commitment and if they are too hard to get to, you may find yourself using that as an excuse not to go. Whenever possible it should be in a safe part of the community, have security measures, and be well lit.  Make sure the environment is comfortable and peaceful.  It is important that you be able to take time to relax before and after the session. 

How?

You can get a referral from a trusted friend, family member or your clergy.  Your primary care doctor may also have some referral preferences.  Perhaps you want more anonymity, your local or national advocacy organizations may be able to help find the right therapist for you.  Are you thinking, I’ll just take a pill for that.  Medications help with symptoms but don’t solve the root problem.  Medications can also cause other side effects. Therapy gets to the root problem of emotional pain.  It is best to work with a therapist and determine if medication might help in conjunction with the counseling. 

When?

Now! It takes courage to get help for ourselves.  It also takes work.  You must think about the time and effort you will put into your own care.  You will not only have sessions to attend but you will often be given daily skills to practice as well as other homework that will help you.  You are worth the time and energy.  You can make the changes.  You can learn to avoid toxic behaviors, end negative patterns or behavior, improve happiness, increase your self-worth, strengthen your relationships, and build positive coping skills. 

So…pick up the phone or type in the email and get started on your self-development.