Disabilities

I began my professional life as a special education teacher working in an elementary self-contained classroom for children who have severe and profound disabilities.  Several of my students had siblings who also had disabilities.  One thing that struck me was how resilient my students’ loving yet frazzled mothers were.

Many parents who have children with disabilities would move heaven and earth to help their child receive as many resources as possible.  This process is exhausting.  These resources often do not extend to home and family life where the children spend most of their time!  Learning how to develop schedules, routines, and systems that work for you can make a world of difference.  I can also help collaborate on IEPs or 504 plans to help you advocate for the needs of your child at school.

Many nurturing parents will do anything to help their children, leaving their own energy tanks running nearly empty most of the time.  Learning how to take care of yourself and remember your own identity can be instrumental in regaining a sense of balance.

Having a child with a disability can be very hard on a marriage, and often couples counseling can be helpful.  Parenting is hard in general, but add in the extra demands of a child with a disability, and it can seem impossible.  Having a safe space to work through disagreements in treatment or parenting and working to rekindle love and intimacy between partners can be essential to feeling like you are on the same team.

If you or your family is struggling with managing your responsibilities and feel that your mental health could use a boost, make an appointment today or contact me for more information.