Parent Coaching & How Can It Help Teens with Mental Health Struggles

Takeaways:

• Parent coaching is a techniques that helps parents better understand how to communicate with their child.
• Many techniques focus on positive reinforcement, modeling self-regulation, and exploring empathy and connection.
• Some parent coaching techniques are designed for ages 2-7, while others focus on teens and young adults.
• Parent coaching can be used in tandem with family therapy, residential treatment, and virtual health care for positive long-term results.

Parent Coaching in Therapy

Parent coaching is a wonderful tool for any parent or caregiver looking for extra support navigating their child’s mental health needs and developmental concerns. You can explore parent coaching online or in-person, as a couple or separately. Learn more about parent coaching in therapy and how it can help you better understand your child.

What is Parent Coaching?

Parent coaching in therapy is when the primary caregivers of a child meet with a professional to address certain goals related to parenting. The therapist or coach provides a judgement-free setting where parents can air their concerns and explore evidence-based strategies for navigating their specific familial issues. Parent coaching can be especially beneficial for caregivers who want to improve general family functioning and communication.

Parent Coaching Techniques

There are many different parent coaching techniques that could be the right choice for you. Depending on your child’s mental health concerns, as well as your own communication style, one of these may be the answer:

• PCI: Developed by the Parent Coaching Institute, this technique uses evidence-based techniques to create awareness of behavior patterns and practice more positive parenting strategies. It’s a good general foundation for a variety of mental health concerns, like depression and anxiety.

• PMT: Also known as parent training or behavioral parent training, this technique teaches you how positive reinforcement can improve a child’s behavior problems. This parent coaching model is useful for pre-school and elementary school ages where the child is exhibiting disruptive behavior and intense emotions, like oppositional defiant disorder.

• BEST: This technique is about Building, Empowering, Supporting, and Teaching you how to enhance your relationship with your children. The approach focuses on collaboration and active participation with your child, personalized to match your family’s dynamic.

• PCIT: Live parent coaching in therapy is designed for one of the earliest age groups — parents with children between the ages of 2 and 7. Therapists work with parents in real-time to help them better engage with their child and strengthen their parent-child relationship.

Benefits of Parent Coaching

There are many benefits to parent coaching in therapy, including:

• • Help build secure attachments with your children. Positive reinforcement can help wire your child’s brain to look to you for trust and safety.
  • Improve emotional regulation through demonstration. When you better regulate your own responses, your child learns from you.
  • Reduce feelings of stress for yourself. With parent coaching you have tools on hand to manage overwhelming situations, helping prevent burnout.
  • Enhances co-parenting as a team. Parent coaching in therapy supports you and your partner to create consistent boundaries and collaborative strategies to minimize conflict.

• Improve your child’s emotional intelligence. When parents teach their children about naming emotions and validating feelings, kids learn about resilience, empathy, and compassion earlier in life.

• Find your confidence as a parent. With ongoing feedback and positive encouragement, you won’t second-guess yourself when making decisions.

• Experience long-term benefits. More conscious parenting is linked to fewer behavioral issues over time, better academic achievement, and healthier relationships with kids as they grow.

Many of these benefits also overlap with general family therapy benefits, ensuring both avenues reinforce the improvements you’re trying to make.

Family Therapy Benefits

Some of the top family therapy benefits include:

• Better Communication: You can speak more honestly and listen more actively, reducing conflicts that result from misunderstandings.

• Enhanced Conflict Resolution: You’ll have tools to handle arguments and disagreements without escalation.

• Stronger Connection: Sharing your feelings on a regular basis fosters closeness and empathy in your relationship.

• Supportive Growth: Every family member’s goals are a part of the dynamic, ensuring all are heard and encouraged to promote their own personal development.

What Now?

Whether you believe parent coaching in therapy is the right choice for you, or you want to try the more structured approach of residential treatment, you have options — and Ascend is here to help you navigate them. Reach out to our admissions team to discuss virtual mental health treatment, specific mental health concerns, or insurance verification today.