Why Parent Coaching in Seattle, WA Has More Impact Than Child Therapy: What’s The Difference?

Emotion dysregulation, anger outbursts, tantrums, defiance, inflexibility, impulsivity, school problems, anxiety, depression, and suicidality. These are the most common reasons why parents reach out to us at Child and Teen Solutions (CATS). Their child or teen is distressed and needs help. Parents may envision that the help will take the form of a therapist meeting with the child. Parents might think: Doesn’t my child need a space to talk to someone who isn’t their parent? Doesn’t my child need a therapist to teach them tools? 

“But I’m Not to Blame!”

Common objections to parent coaching include: Why am I the one who needs skills? My other children are fine, so it must be my kid who needs to see someone, not me!  It’s also common for parents to fear negative judgments. What if the therapist thinks I’m the problem? Things are painful enough. I don’t want to be blamed or judged!

Parents Are the Most Important People in Their Child’s Life

“If a community values its children, it must cherish their parents.” - John Bowlby, 1951

Parent coaches are here to support parents, not to blame or judge. Parents can expect to feel understood, cared for, and validated in parenting sessions. Even already skilled parents have something to learn when parenting a distressed child or teen. This may be especially true when mental health or neurodevelopmental issues in the child are at play. We can boost parents’ skills, and equip them to leverage their impact as the most important persons in their child’s life.

In a sense, we are teaching parents to be the therapist. Kids benefit the most when their caregivers are the ones they can talk to, not an outside therapist. Children need their parents to know how to help them with emotion dysregulation. They need their parents to be the ones who support them through emotional pain, problems to solve, and feelings to sort through. 

What the Research Evidence Shows about Parent Coaching Versus Child Therapy

In fact, most evidence-based approaches to treating child and teen problems involve parents in the process. Some approaches are even solely parent-based, where the child or teen is not even seen. We love a hybrid approach, however. By getting to know the child or teen, we can inform and fine tune our work with the parents. We may teach skills and tools to teens and older children, but we rely on the parents to also learn the skills. This way, parents can help their child practice the skills at home. Parents are also in the best position to reinforce when their child uses new skills. 

There are Limits to Treating Children and Teens in Isolation of Their Families

Without involving parents in the treatment process, it’s a bit like watering a plant without tending to its needs for nutrients, light, air, space, and the right temperature. Parents, not therapists, are the ones who can reduce triggers to emotion dysregulation, de-escalate upsets, build their child’s self-regulation, and support them when the anxiety gets to be too much. Parents need to be the ones who their teens seek at three in the morning to soothe their emotional pain. Parents are the ones who can teach their child to follow rules, abide by limits, and get along with others. 

Parents can learn to provide scaffolding so that their child or teen can tolerate demands, build independence, and achieve their potential. Therapists cannot apply this kind of scaffolding or skills practice to children or teens. These important supports take place in the real world, with the support of the parents and educators. They do not occur in the therapist’s office. However, therapists can work with parents on how to implement these supports in the environment. 

What Parent Coaching Can Accomplish for Children

For children grappling with emotion outbursts, defiance, anxiety, or school problems, parent sessions are a must. We have a broad repertoire of strategies that parents can apply. These strategies can often reduce a sense of crisis, restore household peace, and help parents feel more aligned. Parenting work is also effective in reducing the intensity and frequency of outbursts in children. We can explore reasons behind your child’s problem behavior. We can teach you how to teach your child better coping skills. Parent sessions also allow us to explore family history and other influences on your parenting. With this understanding, we can help you to become more aware and build on your strengths. 

What Parent Coaching Can Accomplish for Teens

If you have a teen who is depressed, anxious, argumentative, or engaging in rule breaking, parenting services can be helpful. You can learn how to improve communication with your teen and bring back more positive moments. You can learn strategies to help diffuse anger in the household. You can learn how to hold limits without resorting to over-punishment. If your teen is impacted by anxiety, you can learn ways to support your teen’s coping, confidence, and independence. You can better understand how to support your child or teen’s sense of self and resiliency.

Parent Coaching at Child and Teen Solutions in Seattle, WA

If your child is grappling with outbursts, tantrums, aggressive behavior, defiance, anxiety, school problems, or depression, we encourage you to start with parenting coaching services. We will invite your child to come in for one or more office visits so that we can complete an assessment that will inform the treatment plan. In some cases, such as with a depressed teen, we may recommend a combination of individual teen sessions, parent sessions, and family sessions. 

Not only are parenting sessions likely to be impactful, but there are much shorter waits for parenting appointments in the hours between 9:00 and 3:00 pm. It can sometimes take months before an after-school spot becomes available. Rather than wait for that 5:00 appointment slot to open up, parents can learn ways to help their child or teen now in-person or online. 

Support Your Child or Teen With Parent Coaching in Seattle, WA

If you're a parent in Seattle struggling with how to support your child through anxiety, depression, or other challenges, parent coaching in Seattle, WA can provide the guidance you need. At Child and Teen Solutions, we offer a unique approach that equips you with the skills to address your child's emotional needs while building stronger family dynamics. Reach out today to begin learning how parent coaching can make a lasting impact in your home. Follow these three simple steps to get started:

1. Contact us and we will gather information and answer any questions you may have about parent coaching.

2. Our Client Care Coordinator will walk you through the steps for scheduling and preparing for your first appointment with a skilled parent coach.

3. Begin supporting your child or teen in positive ways!

Additional Mental Health Services Provided by Child and Teen Solutions

At Child and Teen Solutions, we offer tailored support that caters to the unique needs of every family member. Through parent coaching, we help strengthen your parenting skills to better support your child, while also addressing challenges such as ADHD, autism/PDA, emotional regulation, defiance, and anxiety. For families with younger children, we provide Theraplay to nurture meaningful connections during therapy. If your child or teen could benefit from individual therapy, be sure to check out our specialized service pages. Depending on your needs, the same therapist guiding parent coaching may also work with your child, or we may recommend a different CATS expert. We also offer neurodevelopmental evaluations to provide a deeper understanding of your child or teen’s learning and growth. Our practice is inclusive and supportive of all family structures and LGBTQ+ identities. For more helpful insights, visit our blog!